Start of Summer: The Phenological Poetry of May 5–7 and the Beauty of the Season

Start of Summer: The Phenological Poetry of May 5–7 and the Beauty of the Season

Season Guide

The Start of Summer proclaims that summer has officially arrived. All things now grow to fullness, and the world is lush and verdant in every direction.

The Three Pentads of Phenology

The ancients divided each solar term into three pentads of five days each, recording the subtle changes of heaven and earth through plants, insects, and birds:

The Poetry of the Season

At the Start of Summer, poets can always render the season’s subtlety with touching grace. “Red banners set into the city gates; the God of Spring harnesses his chariot and departs.” One line captures the light and mood of this moment.

“Red banners set into the city gates; the God of Spring harnesses his chariot and departs.”

— Start of Summer · Lu You

Between Things and Self

As we observe along the Start of Summer’s three pentads, we find that the seasons are never abstract numbers, but living events we can touch and feel — peach blossoms, thunder, the breaking of ice.

Keywords: Start of Summer · solar term · three pentads · beginning of summer · phenology · season beauty