In two weeks, China will enter Toufu (頭伏, tóu fú), the first phase of Sanfu. In the Chinese lunar calendar (中國農(nóng)歷, zhōng guó nóng lì), Sanfu refers to the three 10-day periods that are predicted to be the hottest days of the year, which are called Toufu, Zhongfu and Mofu (初伏/頭伏、中伏和末伏, chū fú / tóu fú、zhōng fú hé mò fú).

Sanfu usually comes between mid-July to mid-August (七月中旬到八月中旬, qī yuè zhōng xún dào bā yuè zhōng xún). Let's take a look at the traditional Chinese ways of spending the dog days of summer.

Receiving the Sanfutie (貼敷三伏貼, tiē fū sān fú tiē)

Sanfutie, or Sanfu medicinal patch, is a bandage made of traditional Chinese herbal medicine (中藥膏藥, zhōng yào gāo yào). Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believe that receiving Sanfutie during the hottest summer days is effective for coughs, asthma and arthritis (咳嗽、哮喘和關(guān)節(jié)炎, ké sou、xiào chuǎn hé guān jié yán); it is a patchwork solution for winter ills in summer.

The treatment is based on the TCM principle of yin and yang (《陰陽論》, yīn yáng lùn), which believes the balance of both elements in the body is vital for good health. Sanfutie contains a paste of herbs that are "hot" in nature (三伏貼偏熱性, sān fú tiē piān rè xìng), and when applied to specific acupuncture points (穴位, xué wèi), usually on the back and neck, they replenish the yang elements (補(bǔ)陽, bǔ yáng).

These patches have been used in TCM since earliest recorded times, according to Huangdi Neijing (The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor)(《黃帝內(nèi)經(jīng)》, huáng dì nèi jīng), more than 2,000 years ago, the time-tested textbook for TCM practitioners (中醫(yī), zhōng yī). Sanfu patch treatment became extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and has enjoyed a revival in recent years as more patients turn to TCM treatment (中醫(yī)療法, zhōng yī liáo fǎ).