I have just been informed that tomorrow, or possibly the day after, is the start of summer. This is news to me. I’ve always thought that summer starts when spring ends, some time back in May. 21 June is midsummer’s day to me.
Is this just an American thing? Or has the world always been like this and I’ve been too wrapped up in myself to notice?
More detail here.
yeah, I think you have been mis-informed. Isn’t June 21 the summer solstace, or whatever it’s called i.e. the longest day?
I believe the season did officially start some time back (like may?), but traditionally the true summer weather doesn’t begin until the longest day, so perhaps that is where that percpetion came from.
Of course, down in the other hemisphere the opposite is true - from NOW onwards they start freezing their asses off.
This has got me thinking tho…this year has gone fast.
Midsummer day (summer solstice) is the first day of summer. It’s not something that Americans say, but something you were probably taught already in the 2nd grade (which, I admit, was a long time ago) 
[quote=“Notsu”]Midsummer day (summer solstice) is the first day of summer. It’s not something that Americans say, but something you were probably taught already in the 2nd grade (which, I admit, was a long time ago)
Read this about seasons.[/quote]
The middle of summer is also the start of summer? O…K…
Ah, I see the problem. We don’t have 2nd grade in the UK, so it’s not something I ever learned.
My summer has started last year and is supposed to last until 2008.
Don’t get your hopes up, Taiwan doesn’t have summer. It has winter, rainy season and Typhoon season, and all contain rain.
You must be living in Taipeh.
June 1 is the first day of Summer.
Summer solstice is the longest day of th year.
Brian
The Dragon Boat holiday coincides with summer solstice. It’s not coincidence though.
[quote=“Bu Lai En”]June 1 is the first day of Summer.
Summer solstice is the longest day of th year.
Brian[/quote]
June 1 might be the first day of your summer holiday but according to astronomers, summer starts with the longest day of the year. Google it if you don’t believe me 
I like my way better.
In New Zealand, wouldn’t that be winter time?
[quote=“Richardm”]In New Zealand, wouldn’t that be winter time?[/quote] Yes.
I thought that Dragon Boat Festival was a lunar holiday and that’s why it falls on a different day each year. Most annoyingly, it seems to disproportionally land on a Saturday or Sunday :fume:
What seems stanger to me is that Mid-“Autumn” Festival often lands in the summer, including this year - - September 18 - - a Sunday, of course. I know it’s also called Moon Festival, because of the Harvest Moon, so why not stick with that? It only occasionally falls in autumn and certainly never in the middle.
Not by my wethod it doesn’t. First Day of Summer = June 1.
1st Day of Autmn = September 1.
See, i told you my way was better.
I like Bu Lai En’s way better.
Summer is when it’s more comfortable to go nude.
(which means everyday is summer)
No 2nd grade? That explains things
It does seem awfully silly to have the start of summer fall on the longest day of the year. It’s obviously already started by now. I think today should be–well, not the halfway point, but maybe the one-third through summer point?
And I think that calls for a party.
The council of Agriculture Executive Yuan says that summer starts around May fifth, and autumn starts arounds August seventh.
June 21st is just whoa! summer is really kickin in! day. 
It’s 夏至, which means that summer is here.
But 立夏 is before that, on May fifth, which is the beginning of summer.
Autumn is supposed to be from around August seventh to November seventh, so it is roughly around the middle of autumn.
Also note that all these festivals and seperation of seasons were established in the Yangtse river area, so they might be different from the actual time of seasons in Taiwan.
Hmm. So midsummer’s day IS considered to be the first day of summer by some countries.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer
looks like they are almost entirely Northern European though.
So perhaps summer starts a month or so later in colder climates?