Major Heat, (Chinese: 大暑), the 12th solar term of the year, began this year on July 23 and ended on August 7. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 120° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 135°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 120°. During Major Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year. During Major Heat, the sunshine, high temperatures, and heavy rainfall are good for agricultural crops. But like Minor Heat, many natural calamities such as floods, droughts and typhoons also happen during Major Heat. Therefore, it's important to harvest and plant in time to avoid setbacks caused by natural disasters.[Photo by Wan Jin/Palace Museum]