🌾 Mangzhong & Tea: Sip with the Season

June 5, 2025 marks the arrival of Mangzhong (Grain in Ear) — the ninth solar term in the Chinese calendar. While this period traditionally signals a busy time for farmers, it's also a powerful seasonal cue for all of us to pause, realign, and gently restart. And what better way to do that than with tea?

🍃 What Is Mangzhong?

In Chinese, Mangzhong (芒种) refers to “seeds of grain that must be sown,” especially rice and millet. It’s a moment in early summer when wheat ripens, rice is planted, and the days grow longer and more humid. Traditionally, this is when farmers work the hardest — and when the body needs cooling and balancing the most.

“When the wheat has awns, it’s time to harvest. When the rice grows awns, it’s time to plant.”
This ancient saying reminds us: everything has its season.

🍵 The Role of Tea in Mangzhong

As temperatures rise and humidity increases, our bodies naturally crave lightness, clarity, and balance. In Chinese herbal traditions, tea becomes a gentle remedy — and a daily ritual — to align with nature’s rhythm.

Here are three teas that are perfect for the Mangzhong season:

1. Chrysanthemum & Honeysuckle Tea (金银花菊花茶)

Clears internal heat and detoxifies

Great for those prone to summer rashes or dry eyes

2. Coix Seed & Red Bean Tea (薏仁红豆茶)

Drains dampness and supports digestion

Especially good for humid regions or after heavy meals

3. Mint & Licorice Tea (薄荷甘草茶)

Cools the body and relieves fatigue

A refreshing way to re-energize midday

☕ Tip: Brew your tea lightly, and enjoy it warm — not ice cold — to protect digestive balance.

🌱 Start Something New with a Cup of Tea

Mangzhong is also an invitation to “plant your own seeds” — whether it’s a new habit, a new mindset, or simply a moment of mindfulness.

Try this:

“I decide, from today on, to start —XXX—!”
(Morning tea meditation? Evening walks? A journaling habit?)

Let every cup of tea be a quiet promise to yourself. 🍵✨

🧧 Traditional Tea Practices Around Mangzhong

In ancient China, this time was also full of beautiful rural customs — from singing in the rice paddies to offering flowers to the gods of summer. Tea was always present: as a cooling tonic, a social gift, and a symbol of peace in a season of motion.

🌿 Sip with Intention, Grow with the Season

The beauty of Mangzhong lies in its balance of growth and rest, work and renewal. Tea, as ever, is our seasonal companion: calming, clearing, and quietly transformative.

So go ahead. Brew something light. Sit by a window. Watch the world grow — and grow with it.