Suzhou, which came out of Mei, will begin to usher in the "steamer mode" again. How to cool off the heat has become an urgent problem for Suzhou people at this time. Maybe it's an air-conditioned room at 24°C, maybe it's ice cream with air-conditioning in the refrigerator, maybe it's...
But think about it, in the era of no air conditioner and refrigerator, how did people cool off from the heat?
1.
Riding in the breeze
Shen Fu 's " Six Records of Floating Life " recorded the scene of enjoying the summer breeze: "In the moon-printed pond, the sound of insects is everywhere, and a bamboo couch is set under the fence. When they are ripe, they will drink in the moonlight, and eat when they are slightly drunk. After bathing, sandals and banana fans, sit or lie down, and listen to the old talk about karma. Three drums go back to bed, and the whole body is cool."
Now, this paragraph Isn't the description the daily life of Suzhou people in the past?
Before the sun has completely set, the adults in the family will hoist water from the well and pour it on the stone steps, patios, and bluestone roads to get rid of the heat and prepare for the breeze.
Within a short time, various rattan chairs, bamboo backs and long shelves will be introduced. Some even moved out of a small table and ate dinner at the alley by the entrance.
Taking advantage of the wind and coolness is inevitable, and the neighbors are talking about each other. Generally speaking, the speakers are men, and women are mostly the audience. From legends and myths to astronomy and geography to short-term parents, disputes and laughter are caused from time to time.
The best match for enjoying the breeze is the old fan that every family has.
At that time, only one more fan was needed, which could not only cool the temperature but also repel mosquitoes. In the alleys when there is no wind, basically everyone shakes a paddle fan, and while fanning the wind, they "slap and crackle" on their bodies and legs from time to time to drive away mosquitoes.
2.
well water watermelon
well water watermelon is the most classic way of summer in Suzhou.
Sometimes the temperature of the well water is more than ten degrees lower than the temperature outside. Old Suzhou people like to cool off the heat in the well, and the most popular of them is the well water watermelon.
In the hot summer, when adults go shopping for side dishes, they will always bring back a watermelon or two. The children in the family took out the net bag and rope, and hoisted the watermelon into the well to freeze it. After waking up from a nap, I picked up the watermelon from the well.
The watermelon at this time is soaked with the natural cool air of well water from the skin to the flesh, mixed with the refreshing taste of melons and fruits, the whole family has a full meal and the heat is completely gone.
3.
The old popsicle
The voice of "Eat popsicles - red bean popsicles" hawking in wooden boxes still haunts the ears of the old Suzhou people.
Every summer, businessmen selling popsicles will sell popsicles along the streets, usually carrying a three-plywood box on their backs, and some carrying an open-top thermos, and later they push a The car, walking through the streets, selling all the way.
From a few cents at the beginning to a few cents later, the pocket money of the little friends just disappeared. However, in the sweltering heat, taking a bite of a cool, swooshing popsicle, which is sweet and savory, relieves the heat and relieves cravings, and my heart is naturally happy.
4.
Sour plum soup
Before summer, in addition to watermelon and popsicles, Suzhou people were most keen to drink sour plum soup.
Sour plum soup is mellow and pure. It is ice-cold, sweet and sour, refreshing, and its taste can hang in the throat. It has been a good delicacy in Suzhou since ancient times. Qing Zhao Yi has a poem: "A gardener planted trees for flowers, but to sell physalis ice teeth." It was the sour plum soup in Suzhou.
In the hot summer weather, drink a sip of cold sour plum soup, the mouth is sour and sweet, the unique sweet and sour aroma reaches the bottom of my heart, taste it carefully, and the sweet and mellow fragrance is enough to dilute all the troubles of summer.
5.
Artemisia annua tea
Before the Great Summer Festival, Suzhou entered the "dog days", which is the hottest time of the year, and old Suzhou had the habit of brewing Qinghao tea. During the hot summer season in June of the lunar calendar, Artemisia annua tea is fragrant and scattered, which is good for relieving summer heat.
In the old days, most people in Suzhou would prepare an enamel bowl, get up early in the morning, boil water, put a handful or two of Qinghao in the bowl, and make a bowl of Qinghao tea. Artemisia annua is a kind of natural plant, which is brought from the countryside by someone with a heart, or found in a medicine store.
The artemisia annua tea brewed is like black tea in color, and has a weed fragrance. Although it is slightly bitter in the mouth, it is very refreshing. Artemisia annua tea is also very resistant to brewing. When a jar of tea is brewed until evening, family members sometimes scoop some tea into the meal and add some dried radish, which is a simple and refreshing dinner.
In the days when refrigerators and air conditioners were not yet popular, the summer night, the heat of the day was gone, a cool breeze, a palm fan, a sky full of stars, watermelons soaked in well water, cold and sweet. It turned out that summer nights when I was a child were very happy without air conditioning.
" My favorite is a good evening, and a new pot of tea is soaked in Usnea.
