June Sixth Day falls on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month (July 22 of the Gregorian calendar this year). Also called Dashu ("Great Heat"), this day is one of China's 24 Jieqi , or "solar terms," signaling the beginning of the hottest part of summer.

The festival originated with Emperor Zhen of the Song period (420-479) of the Southern Dynasty (420-589). On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the emperor announced that he was presented with a heavenly oracle and named that day "Tianzhu" ("Heavenly Benediction"). He also had a great Tianzhu Palace built in the Tai Temple at the foot of the Taishan Mountain. Some people in China still celebrate Tianzhu to this day. For example, in Dongtai County of Jiangsu Province , on this morning, all families wish each other well and eat a kind of glutinous rice bar made of flour and sweet oil.

Also on this day, all families air their clothing in the sun, especially in areas south of the Yangtze River , to prevent moisture. Curiously, in some places, cat and dog owners also give their pets a bath on this day.

Tianzhu is also a Buddhist festival called "Translating Canon Festival" when all of the Buddhist canons must be aired out. It is said that a Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk accidentally dropped the canons into the sea on his way back from the West and then aired them in the sun to keep them intact.

Young ladies are especially fond of this particular festival. At night, they collect and mash the red petals of the balsamine to make nail polish.

 Lotus' birthday

The sixth month of the Chinese lunar calendar is called Lotus Month. The birthday of the lotus is celebrated on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month (August 9 of the Gregorian calendar this year). The day is also the birthday of the Ancestor of Thunder.

On this day, people flock to see pink lotuses blooming on lakes and make all sorts of colorful lotus lanterns to display at lotus-lantern shows. The lanterns are so skillfully made and life-like that it is difficult to tell them from the real lotus flowers.

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