Seasonal Wellness Tips for Mang Zhong - Grain in Ear
Mang Zhong is the ninth of 24 two-week solar terms that make up the ancient Chinese agricultural calendar. It begins on the 5th, 6th, or 7th of June each year.
Mang Zhong is usually translated as "Grain in Ear." The word mang describes the bristle-like protrusions that emerge from the ears of certain cereal crops and grasses when they ripen. Meanwhile, in this context, zhong means "to plant" or "to cultivate."
This solar term is considered the beginning of the harvest period for cool-weather crops like wheat, oats, and rye. It is also the time when warm-weather crops like millet and sorghum should be sown. Here in the UK, the harvest season falls a little later in the year, but further south, the fields are already beginning to turn from green to gold.
Mang Zhong also marks the beginning of the rainy season in China, and the weather tends to be wet elsewhere, too. The air may seem cooler due to increased cloud cover shrouding the sun, but it can be humid, which often causes discomfort and irritability.
To learn how to counter this, read on for my top wellbeing tips for Mang Zhong.
Cool the Body & Clear the Mind
According to the yangsheng tradition, Mang Zhong is a time to eat light, bland foods to cool the body, clear summer heat, and detoxify.
According to Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, a text thought to be compiled during the third century BCE, this means avoiding rich and greasy foods, foods with a powerful flavour, and strong alcohol.
These ideas were expanded upon by the famous Tang dynasty physician Sun Simiao and the Yuan dynasty physician Zhu Danxi. Both suggested eating less meat and more grains, with the latter adding beans, vegetables, and fruit to the list of foods to consume regularly.
Eating light, bland foods is said to aid the harmonious flow of qi, Blood, and the other vital substances within the body. Some examples of suitable foods to eat around Mang Zhong include:
Summer squashes
Cucumber
Tomato
Aubergine
Celery
Lettuce
Asparagus
In Chinese medicine terms, these foods are said to clear heat and drain fire, eliminate vexation and thirst, remove toxins, and relieve constipation.
From a modern nutritional perspective, these foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre, contributing to good digestion and better overall health.
Protect Against Poisons
In China, Duan Wu Jie, the Dragon Boat Festival, is held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This is usually during Mang Zhong, although in some years, it falls towards the end of the previous solar term, Xiao Man.
As with other Chinese festivals, there are certain customs associated with Duan Wu Jie. One of them involves protection against poisons in all their forms.
Historically, the fifth lunar month was known as “the month of poison” as people would easily succumb to infections during the summer, and epidemics could spread with great speed.
This time also coincides with the emergence of the “five poisonous creatures:” snakes, scorpions, centipedes, lizards, and toads.
One traditional countermeasure still in use today is the practice of hanging mugwort and calamus in the doorways of houses to ward off pathogens and other unwelcome guests.
These highly scented plants have antimicrobial properties and could potentially help to deter pests, such as mosquitoes. Similarly, some people choose to wear perfume pouches containing various aromatic herbs.
Another Duan Wu Jie tradition thought to protect against poisons is drinking realgar wine. However, realgar is a form of arsenic, which is, ironically, pretty poisonous. I don't recommend trying this at home!
Some more practical ideas include using fly screens on open doors and windows, investing in a good, natural insect repellent, and wearing long sleeves and trousers when walking in long grass or close to water, which are ideal habitats for biting insects.
Keeping uneaten food refrigerated and heating it well before eating should help prevent any foodborne illnesses.
Smell the Roses
Here in the UK, the hedgerows are currently heavy with the perfume of elderflowers, honeysuckle, and wild roses. Pausing to breathe in their heady aromas can provide a brief moment of mindfulness, and the power of their fragrance does not end there.
Our sense of smell is strongly linked to our memories and emotions, and has the ability to elicit delight, desire, and disgust in equal measure. And while everyone has their unique preferences, certain scents are widely accepted as being pleasant and even healing in their effects.
One example is rose, which has been used as a traditional medicine in many different cultures throughout history.
In Chinese medicine, roses are considered warm in nature with a sweet and slightly bitter flavour, acting on the Liver and Spleen to regulate qi and Blood circulation and improve the mood. They are also widely used to alleviate painful menstruation and in cosmetic preparations.
In scientific terms, roses are rich in aromatic terpenes, which give them their distinctive odour, as well as flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, vitamin C, carotenoids, and more. Their possible benefits include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and relaxant effects, to name a few.
Rose water, rose oil, and rose tea are the most popular ways of using this beautiful flower medicinally, but simply stopping to give them a sniff when you see them in bloom is an easy and enjoyable way to get a quick hit of the good stuff!
For more personalised seasonal wellbeing advice, you can book a holistic health coaching session via the contact page.
References
买雯婷 (2011) 第一养生药膳 - Tangmark Publishing and Distribution, Beijing
Leggett, D. (2005) Helping Ourselves (second edition) - Meridian Press, Totnes