Four Ways Beijingers Stay Cool In the Summer Months

The weather has been gradually warming up these days, but have you ever wondered how locals in Beijing stay cool in the summer months?

Fans Fans Fans

There is an old saying in Beijing that goes like this: If you ever want to borrow a fan from me, you have to wait until winter arrives. The kind of fans this saying refers to are 蒲扇 Púshàn, a traditional round fan that's made from the leaves of fountain palms. Believe it or not, these fans did wonders for Beijingers at a time when average households couldn't afford air conditioners.

In fact, they still maintain a spot in many Beijing residents' hearts today. If you take a stroll around the park in summer, you'll be able to spot plenty of Beijing damas with these fans to cool themselves or their loved ones down.

Thirst-quenching cold dishes

Of course, there are times when it gets so hot that a smple fan just won't cut it, and that's when cold dishes enter the equation.

Beijingers' afinity for dishes like cold noodles, yogurt and other chilled dishes in the warmer months was first recorded during the Qing Dynasty.

When the heat becomes a little too unbearable, many turn to classical cold dishes including 扒糕 Pá gāo (braised cakes), 杏仁豆腐 Xìngrén dòufu (almond tofu）,绿豆粥 Lǜdòu zhōu (mung-bean porridge), and 荷叶粥 Hé yè zhōu (lotus leaf porridge) to cool themselves down.

“A quintessential cold dish I cannot live without is 芝麻凉面 Zhīma liáng miàn (sesame paste noodles),” one Beijing local, surnamed Yu, told me.

“There is nothing better than a bowl of steamed cold noodles to keep me cool. In summer, many street vendors will start selling these cold dishes. I have to say that they really help me cool off when I need it," says Fang, another Beijing local.

Summer medicines

It's not just fans and food, but there's even traditional Chinese medicines for cooling the body down come summer. There used to be a popular saying in Beijing that goes like this: Don't ever panic if the weather is steaming hot, just come to changchuntang to get your 藿香正气 Huò xiāng zhèngqì," Huo xiang zhengqi being a traditional Chinese medicine that, while mainly used for colds, is also believed to prevent heat stroke.

Many Beijingers believe that drinking 藿香正气 Huò xiāng zhèngqì in summer will help them dissolve something called "summer dampness", believed to be the main culprit behind heat stroke, making this remedy a key addition in the Chinese household medicine cabinet.

Beijing Bikinis

Despite an apparent ban on this northern Chinese phenomenon in 2020, chances are you'll still be able to see 膀爷 Bǎng yé, aka topless grandpas, with their shirts rolled up and bellies on full display come summertime in Beijing.

While it's borne the brunt of much offical criticism, and has even been immortalized with a seasonal brew from Jing-A, the practice is thanks, in part, to the traditional Chinese thought that exposing the stomach will let loose excess qi, whereas covering it will conserve it.

Got any tips to beat the heat? Let us know in the comments!

Images:中国天气，北京人北京事儿，行者