Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

The 265,000 mu (about 17676 hectares) of early-season rice has entered the harvest season as Xiaoshu comes. Local farmers are busy seizing the time to reap rice, ensuring a bumper harvest. The photo, taken on July 6, shows a farmer reaping early-season rice with a harvester at Jinshitou Village, Simaqiao Town, Daoxian County. (Photo/Jiang Keqing and Li Haozhang) 

Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

As Xiaoshu comes, Hengyang County has commenced the "Shuangqiang" work for harvesting early-season rice and transplanting late-season rice seedlings. ocal farmers are busy seizing the good weather to reap early-season rice and transplant late-season rice seedlings, ensuring a bumper harvest. The photo, taken on July 6, shows a farmer ploughing paddy fields with a ploughing machine at Taiyuan Town, Hengyang County. (Photo/Cao Zhengping and Zou Jian)

Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

As Xiaoshu comes, the agricultural machinery authority in Shuangfeng County has enhanced coordination and deployment of various agricultural machines, to give an impetus to the "Shuangqiang" work for harvesting early-season rice and transplanting late-season rice seedlings. The photo, taken on July 5, shows farmers reaping early-season rice with harvesters at Qingquan Village, Heye Town, Shuangfeng County. (Photo/Li Jianxin and Sun Biao)

Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

As Xiaoshu comes, farmers in Caoxian County are busy seizing the time to pick and take care of vegetables while harvesting early-season rice. The photo, taken on July 6, shows farmers taking care of vegetables at Dongzhou Community, Daoxian County. (Photo/He Hongfu)

Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

As Xiaoshu comes, farmers in Liuyang City are busy harvesting early-season rice and transplanting late-season rice seedlings. The photo, taken on July 6, shows farmers driving harvesters to reap early-season rice at Shashi Village, Shashi Town, Liuyang City. (Photo/Peng Hongxia)

Xiaoshu, or Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on July 7 this year, which means the beginning of hot summer. 

As Xiaoshu comes, farmers in Liuyang City are busy harvesting early-season rice and transplanting late-season rice seedlings. The photo, taken on July 6, shows a major rice planter looking over his harvested early-season rice at Shashi Village, Shashi Town, Liuyang City. (Photo/Peng Hongxia)

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunantoday