In summer
Green shadows stretch;
Time lingers.
Terraces are mirrored
in the pond.
Curtains breathe.
Roses spill scent—
the yard, full.

This Tang Dynasty poem conjures the hushed motion and scented languor of a prolonged summer day. The once-slumbering world now awakens in a symphony of colour and vitality, as if existence itself had shrugged off its inertia to embrace the fullness of being. People are summoned to step into the open air and reconnect with the Earth, wind, and life.

It is the season, as recorded in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, when yang qi (energy) is reborn and flows back into nature. The human body, inextricably connected with this cosmic shift, should attune itself to this renewing force that was depleted over the winter. The power of yang qi is like the sunlight upon the earth—unseen, yet it nourishes the world into being. It’s the source of vitality.

To nourish the yang qi during the energizing seasons of spring and summer, one must resist the temptation of excessive cold drinks or indulgences—such as ice cream—that disrupt the balance of yang qi. Instead, seek the gifts of the season: fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables, alongside nourishing fish and wholesome grains.