Beginning of Autumn 立秋

  • Beginning of Autumn starts from 7th or 8th August every year when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 135°. According to the Collection of Lunar Seventy-two Pentads, Qiu refers to shrinking and holding back, which means that Beginning of Autumn signifies the start of autumn and most crops stop grow and start to wither.
  • 每年的 8 月 7 日或 8 日，太阳位置运行到黄经 135° 的日子为立秋。《月令七十二候集解》：“秋，揪也，物于此而揪敛也”。意思是说到了立秋，秋天正式开始，大部分作物已经过了最繁茂的生长期，将在立秋之后走向凋零。
  • When Greater Heat ends and Beginning of Autumn arrives, the temperature does not drop as it should do. Strangely it will remain hot for one to two weeks, which is called the Tiger Autumn. In the past, people call this period of time (from Beginning of Autumn to Autumn Equinox) the Long Summer.
  • “暑去凉来“，但实际上立秋时节的天气并没有快速凉爽下来，反而会短期回热一两周，这种天气被人称作“秋老虎”。古时候人们将立秋到秋分这段时间称为“长夏”。
  • Crops grown in the spring and summer are now harvested, and autumn harvested crops grown in the autumn are thriving. which also needs careful attention. Many agricultural idioms vividly illustrate the importance and decisive role of good weather in harvest time.
  • 春夏耕种的作物迎来了收获的季节，大秋作物进入重要的生长发育阶段，农事进入最为繁忙的季节。有许多农谚都生动地说明立秋时节的天气对农作物收成起了决定性作用。
  • Holding ceremonies to welcome the arrival of autumn is a traditional Chinese ritual, which can date back to the Zhou Dynasty. On the Beginning of Autumn, the emperor led his civil and military officials to worship the White Lord and Autumn God. On this day’s evening, married women who do not have children would come out to pick some melons or beans from the field accompanied by her female friends, which is called as Groping for Autumn. In addition, there is a traditional activity to worship the God of Land in this day, called as Autumn sacrifice.
  • 迎秋是古老的活动，早在周代就有迎秋的习俗。立秋当天，天子率领文武百官祭祀白帝和秋神。立秋之夜，未生育的已婚妇女在女伴的陪同下，到田里摘瓜摸豆，叫“摸秋”。若摘到南瓜，就容易生儿子；若摘到扁豆，就容易生女儿。此外，立秋还有祭祀土地神的习俗活动，即秋社。

Vocabulary

  • pentad [ˈpentæd]：n. 五；五个一组；五年间；五价物
  • shrink [ʃrɪŋk]：v. （使）缩小，（使）收缩；（尤指因恐惧而）退缩，畏缩；（衣服）缩水 n. 收缩；畏缩；
  • condense [kənˈdens]: 指将东西压缩得更紧密、紧凑，但不失去原有的内容。
  • compress : 指把乱而不成形的东西压成一定形状。
  • wither [wɪðə(r)]：v. 使凋谢；使畏缩；枯萎；凋谢；衰弱
  • thrive [θraɪv]：v. 繁荣，兴旺；茁壮成长 a thriving industry 兴盛的行业 thrive on sth 以某事为乐；乐意做某事
  • grope [ɡrəʊp]：v. 摸索 n. 摸索；触摸 group sb （informal 非正式用法） 猥亵；摸（某人）