既然春天留不住，莫负今夏好时节，“立夏”英语怎么说？
立夏是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第七个节气，今年的立夏从5月5日开始至20日结束。立夏标志着夏季的开始，明人《莲生八戕》中说：“孟夏之日，天地始交，万物并秀。”，在此期间，全国大部分地区，温度迅速上升。
立夏的英文是 “The Beginning of Summer”, 咱们二十四节气中，夏天的节气有5个，除了“立夏”，还有 “小满”、“芒种”、“夏至”、“小暑”、“大暑”。
立夏：Beginning of summer
小满：Grain buds
芒种：Grain in ear
夏至：Summer Solstice
小暑：Slight Heat
大暑：Great Heat
Features of Lixia
我国古代将立夏分为三候：“一候蝼蝈鸣，二候蚯蚓出，三候王瓜生。”即是说这一节气中首先可听到蜊蜊蛄（即蝼蛄）在田间的鸣叫声（一说是蛙声），接着大地上便可看到蚯蚓掘土，然后王瓜的蔓藤开始快速攀爬生长。
In ancient China, people divided lixia into three periods—first period: the sounding of the crickets; second period: the earthworms coming out; third period: the budding of the cucumber blossom. From this description, we can see that when lixia begins, the first thing that occurs is the chirping of the crickets (or some people say frogs) in the fields, then the activity of the earthworms is seen and last the vine of the cucumber begins its rapid growth.
天文专家表示，立夏时节，夏收作物进入生长后期，冬小麦扬花灌浆，油菜接近成熟，夏收作物年景基本定局，故农谚有“立夏看夏”之说。
Astronomers indicate that during the solar period of lixia, summer crops enter their final growth stages, the winter wheat begins its flowering and ripening stage, rape enters its final growth stage and the summer harvest is tentatively determined. As a result, the farmers have the proverb, “Summer harvest may be evaluated since lixia.”
Traditions
据记载，周朝时立夏这天，皇帝要率领文武百官到京城外的南郊迎夏，举行祭祀炎帝、祝融的仪式，并指令司徒等官去各地勉励农民抓紧农耕。古时，迎夏的队伍穿的礼服、佩的玉、坐的马车和马，甚至于车上的旗帜必须都是红色的，这标志着炎热的夏天就要来到了。
The term Start of Summer was originated at the end of the Warring States Period (239 BC). Since it is a crucial time for the harvest of summer crops such as wheat and canola, ancient Chinese emperors in different dynasties attached great importance to the Start of Summer.
In the Zhou Dynasty (1050-221 BC), the emperor led his officials to stage a welcome rite for the Start of Summer and encouraged his residents to seize the key time to do farm work. It's said that most of the decorations were arranged in the color red, including the emperor and the officials' dress, the jade pendants, the horses and the flags, in order to show respect to the god of summer and pray for a good harvest.
谚称：“立夏胸挂蛋，孩子不疰夏。”立夏这天，民间有挂蛋祈求孩子健康的习俗。人们在立夏日中午，将煮好的鸡蛋用冷水浸上数分钟之后再套上早已编织好的丝网袋，挂于孩子颈上，以祈求孩子在夏季健康成长。胸前挂上蛋的孩子们便三三两两围在一起玩斗蛋了。蛋有两端，尖者为头，圆者为尾。斗蛋时蛋头斗蛋头，蛋尾击蛋尾。一个一个斗过去，破者认输，最后决出胜负。
As an old Chinese saying goes, "hanging an egg on children's chests can prevent them from getting summer diseases", parents will prepare boiled eggs and put them in a knitted bag before hanging them on their children's chests.
When at school, children gather together to play egg competitions by colliding each other's eggs in pairs and the one whose egg is not broken wins.
立夏之日的“称人”习俗主要流行于我国南方，起源于三国时代。称人习俗流传至今，每当立夏之日，人们吃罢中饭，在村口或天井里挂起一杆大木秤，秤钩悬一个凳子或箩筐，大家轮流坐到上面称。
古诗云：“立夏称人轻重数，秤悬梁上笑喧闺。”司秤人一面打秤花，一面讲着吉利话。称老人时说“秤花八十七，活到九十一”。称姑娘时说“一百零五斤，员外人家找上门。勿肯勿肯偏勿肯，状元公子有缘分”。称小孩时则说“秤花一打二十三，小官人长大会出山。七品县官勿犯难，三公九卿也好攀”。打秤花只能里打出（即从小数打到大数），不能外打里。
The custom of weighing people at the Start of Summer originated from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and prevails in South China today. It was believed this practice would bring health and good luck to the people weighted.
After lunch on the day of Start of Summer, people would suspend a stool or basket from a beam. The young and old took turns to get weighed while the person calculating the weight would offer good wishes and auspicious words. It is said those who were weighed would stay healthy in the hot summer and those who weren't would suffer illness.
Regimen in Lixia
传统中医认为，人们在春夏之交要顺应天气的变化，重点关注心脏。立夏以后，天气转热，传统中医认为，“暑易伤气”，“暑易入心”。因此，值此时节，人们要重视精神的调养，加强对心脏的保养，尤其是老年人要有意识地进行精神调养，保持神清气和、心情愉快的状态，切忌大悲大喜，以免伤心、伤身、伤神。
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that people shall keep pace with changes in the weather and bring attention to the hearts’ health at the transition of spring and summer. With the beginning of summer, the weather turns hot, and traditional Chinese medicine also believes that “summer-heat tends to injure the vitality” and “summer-heat is likely to impatient the heart.” Thus, during this season, people should nurse their bodies and build up the hearts’ health. Especially the elderly need to consciously take good care of their emotion, keep calm and happy, and avoid extreme excitement or sorrow which might hurt the health.
初夏之时，老年人气血易滞，血脉易阻，每天清晨可吃少许葱头，喝少量的酒，促使气血流通，心脉无阻，便可预防心病发生。立夏之后，天气逐渐转热，饮食宜清淡，应以易消化、富含维生素的食物为主，大鱼大肉和油腻辛辣的食物要少吃。
During early summer, the elderly are easy to get obstruction of blood circulation. It is recommended to eat onions and drink a small amount of alcohol in the morning to promote blood and heart vessel circulation so as to prevent the occurrence of heart disease. After Lixia, when the weather gradually turns hot, it is better to eat a light diet with digestible and vitamin-rich foods rather than a high-fat and spicy diet.
Poems About Lixia
准备了几首有关夏日的诗词及其英译文，一起来“清凉一夏”吧。
晓出净慈寺送林子方
[宋]杨万里
毕竟西湖六月中，
风光不与四时同。
接天莲叶无穷碧，
映日荷花别样红。
The Lakeside Temple at Dawn
The uncommon West Lake in the midst of sixth moon;
Displays a scenery to other months unknown.
Green lotus leaves outspread as far as boundless sky;
Pink lotus blossoms take from sunshine a new dye.
（许渊冲、许明 译）
在描写荷花的古诗词中，以宋代诗人杨万里的两首古诗最为出众，其中之一便是这首七绝《晓出净慈寺送林子方》。诗人通过描写六月西湖的美丽景色，曲折地表达对友人林子方的眷恋之情。尤其是后两句，“觉尺幅之间，气象万千，有吞吐万里之势。”（倪其心、许逸民《宋人绝句选》）许渊冲先生的翻译也十分传神，韵味十足。
杨万里擅长白描，他的另一首荷花经典诗：
小池
[宋]杨万里
泉眼无声惜细流，
树阴照水爱晴柔。
小荷才露尖尖角，
早有蜻蜓立上头。
A Little Pond
The fountain trickles silently fout of its holes.
The trees give a sweet shade over the pond.
As soon as the lotuses show their buds.
The dragonflies have come there to stand.
（曾冲明 译）
六月二十七日望湖楼醉书
[宋]苏轼
黑云翻墨未遮山，
白雨跳珠乱人船。
卷地风来忽吹散，
望湖楼下水如天。
Written while Drunken in the Lake View Pavilion on the 27th Day of the Lunar Month
Dark clouds like spilt ink over the mountains quiet;
Raindrops like bouncing pearls into the boat run riot.
A sudden rolling gale dispels clouds far and nigh,
Calmed water in the lake becomes one with the sky.
（许渊冲 译）
《六月二十七日望湖楼醉书》是苏轼谪居杭州期间创作的组诗，一共五首，写尽夏日西湖美景。这里的第一首描写的是诗人坐船游览杭州西湖时所见的雨中美景。
西江月·夜行黄沙道中
[宋]辛弃疾
明月别枝惊鹊，
清风半夜鸣蝉。
稻花香里说丰年，
听取蛙声一片。
七八个星天外，
两三点雨山前。
旧时茅店社林边。
路转溪桥忽见。
The Moon over the West River
Home-going at Night from the Yellow Sand Bridge
Startled by magpies leaving the branch in moonlight,
I hear cicadas shrill in the breeze at midnight.
The rice fields’ sweet smell promises a bumper year;
Listen, how frogs’ croaks please the ear!
Beyond the clouds seven or eight stars twinkle;
Before the hills two or three raindrops sprinkle.
There is an inn beside the village temple. Look!
The winding path leads to the hut beside the brook.
（许渊冲 译）
谪居出佳作。《西江月·夜行黄沙道中》是宋代词人辛弃疾贬官闲居江西时创作的一首吟咏夏夜田园风光的词。明月清风，疏星稀雨，鹊惊蝉鸣，稻花飘香，蛙声一片，从视、听、嗅三觉，抒写夏夜的山村风光，情景交融，堪称佳作。
许渊冲先生的译文也堪称古诗词英译的典范，尤其是“七八个星天外，两三点雨山前”，译为“Beyond the clouds seven or eight stars twinkle; Before the hills two or three raindrops sparkle”，神形兼具，韵味十足。
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