Summer Solstice. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Summer Solstice, the 10th solar term of the year, begins on June 21 this year and ends on July 6.
夏至是中国传统二十四节气的第10个节气，今年的夏至从6月21日开始，7月6日结束。
At this time, much of the northern hemisphere receives the most hours of daylight, but it does not bring the hottest temperatures which will come only 20 to 30 days later.
在这一天，北半球的大部分地区白昼最长，但是气温却不是一年中最高的，最高气温将出现在20到30天后。
The following are 6 things you might not know about Summer Solstice.
来看看关于夏至的6个小常识。
The longest day of the year
夏至这天白昼最长
On the Summer Solstice itself, daylight lasts the longest for the whole year in the northern hemisphere. After this day, daylight hours get shorter and shorter and temperatures become higher in the northern hemisphere.
在夏至这天，北半球的白昼是全年最长的。过了夏至，北半球的白昼越来越短，气温却会继续升高。
How long is the longest day in China? According to the expert Yan Jiarong, the entire day in Mohe in Heilongjiang province, located in the northernmost tip of China, lasts nearly 17 hours when you include dawn, twilight and its afterglow. Summer Solstice is the best season for viewing the aurora in Mohe, "the sleepless town of China".
中国境内的白昼最长能达到几个小时呢？据专家严家荣介绍，在中国最北端黑龙江省漠河,算上黎明、黄昏和落日余晖，昼长可持续近17个小时。夏至是在“中国不夜城”漠河观赏极光的最佳时节。
A public holiday in ancient times
夏至在古代是公共节假日
Summer Solstice was an important festival in ancient China. As early as the Han Dynasty (260BC-220), when the Mid-autumn Festival and the Double Ninth Festival were not as important as they are today, the Summer Solstice was already celebrated.
在中国古代，夏至是一个很重要的节日。早在汉朝时期（公元前260年-公元220年），中秋和重阳还没有像现在那么重要的时候，就已经在庆祝夏至了。
Before the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), people even had a one-day holiday on Summer Solstice. According to Song Dynasty (960-1279) records, officials could have three days off during the Summer Solstice.
清朝（1644年-1911年）以前，人们甚至会在夏至这天放一天假。根据宋朝（960年-1279年）文献的记录，官员在夏至可以放三天假。
To celebrate Summer Solstice, women gave colored fans and sachets to each other. Fans could help them cool down and the sachets could drive away mosquitoes and make them smell sweet.
为了庆祝夏至，妇女会互赠彩扇和香囊。扇子可以驱热，香囊可以驱蚊抑臭。
