A trend in China features kids and pets cuddling with oversized winter melons to keep cool at night. - Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
BEIJING: The scorching summer heat in China has sparked a trend where people hug a giant winter melon while sleeping to find relief from the sweltering temperatures.
The topic “sleeping with a winter melon is cooler than using an air conditioner” has gone viral on mainland social media, with one Chinese platform alone garnering 4.4 million views.
Many individuals shared photos of themselves slumbering while clutching these large vegetables, which are comparable in size to a toddler, highlighting their remarkable cooling effects.
A resident of northern China’s Tianjin municipality, known as Longma, claimed to be among the first to introduce this effective cooling method that ignited the trend.
She purchased a 14kg winter melon from the local market for her child, who complained that the summer heat was making it difficult for him to sleep at night.
Longma noted that she refrained from using air conditioning in the bedrooms to avoid catching a cold, and saw the “ancient method” of hugging a winter melon as a viable alternative.
Each day, she would gently pat the vegetable to monitor its condition, stating that her winter melon remained in excellent shape after 26 days.
Many families have purchased these vegetables for their children and pets, with photos capturing them snugly clinging to the melons during their sleep. - Photo: RedNote
Another participant from eastern China’s Anhui province admitted she felt foolish purchasing a 21kg winter melon at the market, but was pleasantly surprised to discover it was indeed effective.
She mentioned that by keeping the white wax on the melons, they can remain fresh longer.
Numerous people have bought these vegetables for their children and pets. Judging by how tightly they cling to the melons while asleep in the videos, it seems to provide significant benefits.
This method is also quite economical. One individual reported that her 14kg winter melon cost only 54 yuan (US$7.5).
Many have noted they could use the same melon for several days. However, one person cautioned against eating the melon, stating: “The one people have slept with does not taste good.”
It is said that sleeping while hugging a winter melon is an ancient Chinese remedy for cooling down in the summer.
The vegetable contains over 95 per cent water, which aids in absorbing heat through skin contact.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also incorporates the vegetable’s rind in prescriptions aimed at clearing heat from the body.
TCM expert Yang Zufu from the China Recovery Research Centre explained to People’s Daily that this method can benefit those unable to use air conditioning, including the elderly, toddlers, and pregnant women.
However, individuals with weak spleens and stomachs are advised against pressing their bellies against the vegetable for extended periods, as it may exacerbate symptoms like stomach pain or diarrhoea.
Yang recommended that those with sensitivities wrap the melons in towels and position them at a slight distance to minimise side effects.
“Watermelon is also effective, but they’re too delicious to resist,” one commenter remarked.
“It stops being funny when you try sleeping with one – it’s really useful!” another noted.
A third chimed in: “So that’s why they named it winter melon – to bring some winter to the summer.” - South China Morning Post
