摘要：每年的9月23日前后，太阳到达黄经180度时，进入“秋分”节气。“秋分”与“春分”一样，都是古人最早确立的节气。按《春秋繁露?阴阳出入上下篇》云：“秋分者，阴阳相伴也，故昼夜均而寒暑平。”“秋分”的意思有二：一是按我国古代以立春、立夏、立秋、立冬为四季开始划分四季，秋分日居于秋季90天之中，平分了秋季；二是此时一天24小时昼夜均分，各12小时，此日同“春分”日一样，“秋分”日，阳光几乎直射赤道，此日后，阳光直射位置南移，北半球昼短夜长。

Autumnal Equinox (Qiufen) begins around September 23 every year, when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 180 degrees. The Autumnal Equinox and Vernal Equinox (Chunfen) are the earliest solar terms determined in ancient time. As it is said in the ancient book, The Detailed Records of the Spring and Autumn Period, “it is on the Autumnal Equinox day that the Yin and Yang are in a balance of power. Thus the day and night are of equal length, and so are the cold and hot weather.” The Autumnal Equinox has two meanings. Firstly, the solar terms known as Start of Spring (Lichun), Start of Summer (Lixia), Start of Autumn (Liqiu), and Start of Winter (Lidong) are used to reflect the change of seasons, dividing the year into four seasons. The Autumnal Equinox lies at the midpoint of ninety days in autumn, dividing autumn into two equal parts. Secondly, it signifies that day and night are of equal length, 12 hours each. On the day of Autumnal Equinox and Vernal Equinox, the sun is exactly above the Equator. After that day, the location of direct sunlight moves to the south, making the days shorter and the nights longer in the northern hemisphere.

 

 

气候特点

中国古代将秋分分为三候：“一候雷始收声；二候蛰虫坯户；三候水始涸”。古人认为雷是因为阳气盛而发声，秋分后阴气开始旺盛，所以不再打雷了。第二候中的“坯”字是细土的意思，就是说由于天气变冷，蛰居的小虫开始藏人穴中，并且用细土将洞口封起来以防寒气侵入。“水始涸”是说此时降雨量开始减少，由于天气干燥，水气蒸发快，所以湖泊与河流中的水量变少，一些沼泽及水洼处便处于干涸之中。

Climate Features

The Autumnal Equinox was divided into three pentads in ancient times. “The first pentad: thunder begins to soften; the second pentad: insects make nests; and the last pentad: water begins to solidify.” Ancient Chinese believed that thunder was the sound of the yang energy, and after the Autumnal Equinox day, the yin energy gains momentum, resulting in no thunder. In the second pentad, nests are built in fine soil. As the weather gets colder, the insects start to make nests and seal them with fine soil to prevent the intrusion of cold air. “Water begins to solidify” means the decrease of rainfall. Due to the dry weather, the water evaporates fast, and thus the amount of water in lakes decreases, and some swamps and pools go dry.

 

秋分时节，中国大部分地区已经进入凉爽的秋季，南下的冷空气与逐渐衰减的暖湿空气相遇，产生一次次的降水，气温也一次次地下降。正如人们常说的那样，到了“一场秋雨一场寒”的时候，但秋分之后的日降水量不会很大。此时，南、北方的田间耕作各有不同。在中国的华北地区有农谚说：“白露早，寒露迟，秋分种麦正当时。”谚语中明确规定了该地区播种冬小麦的时间；而“秋分天气白云来，处处好歌好稻栽”则反映出江南地区播种水稻的时间。

In the period of Autumnal Equinox, most of the areas in China have started the cool autumn. When the cold air southward meets the declining warm and wet air, precipitation is the result. The temperature also drops frequently. As the saying goes that, “it is getting colder with every rainfall in the autumn”, while the daily precipitation rate is quite low. There are different ways in cultivating the lands from north to south. The agricultural proverb in North China suggests, “it is too early on White Dew (Bailu) and too late on Cold Dew (Hanlu), while the Autumnal Equinox day will be the proper time to sow the wheat”, which makes provision for the time of sowing winter wheat in this area. The saying “with passing clouds on the Autumnal Equinox day, plant rice while sing the sweet songs” reflects the time of sowing rice in the South of the Yangtze River.

 

秋分之后，中国大部分地区，包括江南、华南地区（热带气旋带来暴雨除外）的降雨日数和雨量进入了减少的时段，河湖的水位开始下降，有些季节性河湖甚至会逐渐干涸。在此期间，还有可能出现个别的热带气旋，但影响位置偏南，大多影响华南沿海、海南岛，这时的台风除了大风灾害外，带来的雨水，往往对当地的土壤保墒有利，因为10月以后这些地区先后转入干季。

After the Autumnal Equinox, in most parts of China, including the South of the Yangtze River and South China (except heavy rains brought by the tropical cyclone), the number of rainy days and precipitation rate start to reduce. The water level of rivers and lakes begins to decline, and even some seasonal rivers and lakes gradually dry up. In the meantime, certain tropical cyclone may be formed to influence the southern areas, mostly affecting the South China coast and Hainan Island. Strong winds of typhoon cause damage, however, the rainfall brought by typhoon is beneficial to preserve local soil moisture, as these areas are in the dry season since October.

 

节气习俗

祭月

秋分曾是传统的“祭月节”。如古有“春祭日，秋祭月”之说。现在的中秋节则是由传统的“祭月节”而来。据考证，最初“祭月节”是定在“秋分”这一天，不过由于这一天在农历八月里的日子每年不同，不一定都有圆月。而祭月无月则是大煞风景的。所以，后来就将“祭月节”由“秋分”调至中秋。

Customs

Sacrificing to the Moon

The Autumnal Equinox once is a traditional “Festival of Sacrificing to the Moon”. The ancient saying goes, “offer sacrifices to the Sun in spring and the Moon in autumn”. The Mid-Autumn Festival has its origins in “Festival of Sacrificing to the Moon”. The evidence suggests that “Festival of Sacrificing to the Moon” was held on the Autumnal Equinox, which did not always fall on the same day of the eighth lunar month each year, therefore, a full moon might not occur on the day of the sacrificial ceremonies. During the festival, if there was no moon to make sacrifices to, it would spoil the fun. The “Festival of Sacrificing to the Moon” was rescheduled from the Autumnal Equinox day to the Mid-Autumn Day.

 

据史书记载，早在周朝，古代帝王就有春分祭日、夏至祭地、秋分祭月、冬至祭天的习俗。其祭祀的场所称为日坛、地坛、月坛、天坛。分设在东南西北四个方向。北京的月坛就是明清皇帝祭月的地方。《礼记》载：“天子春朝日，秋夕月。朝日之朝，夕月之夕。”这里的夕月之夕，指的正是夜晚祭祀月亮。这种风俗不仅为宫廷及上层贵族所奉行，随着社会的发展，也逐渐影响到民间。

According to historical records, as early as the Zhou dynasty, the ancient emperors followed the custom to sacrifice to the Sun on the Vernal Equinox, to the Earth on the Summer Solstice (Xiazhi), to the Moon on the Autumnal Equinox and to the Heaven on the Winter Solstice (Dongzhi). The places to worship were the Temple of Sun, the Temple of Earth, the Temple of Moon and the Temple of Heaven, which were grounded in the four different directions, respectively. The Temple of Moon in Beijing is where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties sacrificed to the Moon. According toBook of Rites, an ancient Chinese book recording customs and ceremonies, “the Emperor should offer sacrifices to the Sun in spring and the Moon in autumn. They worship the sun in the morning and the moon in the night.” This custom was not only followed by the court and the aristocrats, but also gradually expanded to common people with the development of society.

 

竖蛋

在每年的秋分那一天，世界各地都会有数以千万计的人在做“竖蛋”试验。这一被称之为“中国习俗”的玩艺儿，何以成为“世界游戏”，目前尚难考证。不过其玩法简单易行且富有趣味：选择一个光滑匀称、刚生下四五天的新鲜鸡蛋，轻手轻脚地在桌子上把它竖起来。虽然失败者颇多，但成功者也不少。秋分成了竖蛋游戏的最佳时光，故有“秋分到，蛋儿俏”的说法。竖立起来的蛋儿好不风光。

Balancing Eggs

On the Autumnal Equinox day, there are thousands of people around the world trying to make eggs “stand” on one end. There is no evidence to show how this “Chinese custom” has become the “world's game”. The rule of the game is simple and amusing. One must choose a fresh and smooth egg laid in four to five days and gently place it on the table to stand on one end. Though many fail, a few succeed in doing so. The Autumnal Equinox is the best time of year to try this game. The saying goes, “the Autumnal Equinox falls, eggs are popular”. It is quite eye-catching to have an egg standing on one end.

 

秋分吃秋菜

在岭南地区，有个不成节的习俗，叫做“秋分吃秋菜”。“秋菜”是一种野苋菜，乡人称之为“秋碧蒿”。逢秋分那天，全村人都去采摘秋菜。在田野中搜寻时，多见是嫩绿的，细细棵，约有巴掌那样长短。采回的秋菜一般家里与鱼片“滚汤”，名曰“秋汤”。有顺口溜道：“秋汤灌脏，洗涤肝肠。阖家老少，平安健康”。一年自秋，人们祈求的还是家宅安宁，身壮力健。

Eating Autumn Vegetables

In Lingnan areas, there is a custom popularly known as “having autumn vegetables on the Autumnal Equinox day”. The autumn vegetable is a kind of wild amaranth, which is called “autumn Blue Artemisia (Qiu Bi Hao)” by the local. Every Autumnal Equinox day, all the local villagers go out to pick autumn vegetables in the wild. Autumn vegetables are verdant in the field, thin, and about hand length. Autumn vegetables are taken back and boiled into soup with fish, named “the autumn soup”. There is a verse about the soup: “Drink the autumn soup to clear the liver and intestines, thus the whole family will be safe and healthy”. From the beginning of the autumn, these are the best wishes of people for safety and good health of their families.

 

粘雀嘴

秋分这一天农民按习俗每家都要吃汤圆，而且还要把不用包心的汤圆10多个或二三十个煮好，用细竹叉扦着置于室外田边地坎，名曰粘雀子嘴，意思是希望避免雀子来破坏庄稼。

用汤圆将麻雀的嘴粘住，当然只是农民的想象和美好愿望，不过也说明了一个道理，那就是汤圆的黏性比较大，不易消化，不宜多食。

Gluing Sparrow’s Beaks

On the Autumnal Equinox day, rural households will eat glutinous rice balls (Tangyuan). A dozen or a score of unfilled glutinous rice balls are boiled to be stuck on to the end of long bamboo poles and put in the field. In so doing, people hope that the hungry sparrows have their beaks glued up and are unable to harm their crops.

To glue the beaks of sparrows with glutinous rice balls, however, is more an invention of imagination and illusion by farmers than a reality. It also indicates that glutinous rice balls are sticky and difficult to digest, therefore, people should avoid overeating.

 

送秋牛

古时候，有人会在秋分那天挨家挨户送秋牛图。其图是把二开红纸或黄纸印上全年农历节气，还要印上农夫耕田图样，名曰“秋牛图”。送图者都是些民间善言唱者，主要说些秋耕和吉祥不违农时的话，每到一家更是即景生情，见啥说啥，说得主人乐而给钱为止。言词虽随口而出，却句句有韵动听。俗称“说秋”，说秋人便叫“秋官”。

Sending out Autumn Cow Picture

In ancient times, some people would send out a picture of autumn cow on the Autumnal Equinox day. The lunar calendar with all the solar terms is printed on the folio-size red or yellow paper as well as the pattern of farmer plowing that is called the “picture of autumn cow”. The picture-delivering people are eloquent speakers, who use lucky words describing harvest and flatter for favor of money. The words are blurted out and appealing to the ear with rhymes. This custom is called "speaking of Autumn”and the delivering people are named “autumn clerks”.

 

节气养生

多吃“辛酸”果蔬

秋分的“燥”不同于白露的“燥”。秋分的“燥”是凉燥，而白露的“燥”是“温燥”，因此，在饮食方面要注意多吃一些清润、温润为主的食物，如芝麻、核桃、糯米等。秋天上市的果蔬品种花色多样，其中藕、荸荠、甘蔗、秋梨、柑橘、山楂、苹果、葡萄、百合、银耳、柿子、芝麻、蜂蜜等，都是此时调养佐餐的圣品。

Regimen

Taking Sour Fruits and Vegetables

Autumn pathogenic dryness in the Autumnal Equinox is different from the dryness syndrome during the period of White Dew. The former is described as cool-dryness syndrome, while the latter is considered as warm-dryness syndrome. Sesame, walnut, glutinous rice are recommended as healthy diets to purify and moisten the system. There are a huge diversity of fruits and vegetables harvested in autumn that benefit health as dietary reinforcements, including lotus root, water chestnut, sugar cane, pear, tangerine, hawthorn, apple, grape, lily bulb, white fungus, persimmon, sesame, honey, etc.

 

在秋分时节可适当多吃些辛酸味、甘润或具有降肺气功效的果蔬，特别是白萝卜、胡萝卜。秋分养生虽以多吃“辛酸”果蔬为主，但秋分后日渐寒凉，如果脾胃不好、经常腹泻，水果吃多了容易诱发或加重病情。

During the period of the Autumnal Equinox, people are advised to eat more fruits and vegetables with sour flavors to nourish and clear away the lung heat, especially white radish and carrot. Although sour fruits and vegetables are recommended in the period of the Autumnal Equinox, with the temperature declining gradually, for the people who are weak in the spleen and the stomach function and suffering from diarrhea, an excessive consumption of fruits can trigger the outbreak or worsen the syndrome.

 

秋分节气来临，天气干燥，身体容易缺水开始“秋燥”，此外，秋分天气转凉，脾胃易受凉。患慢性胃炎的人，应特别注意胃部保暖，适时增添衣服，夜晚睡觉盖好被子。此外，还要注意忌口，不吃过冷、过烫、过硬、过辣、过黏的食物，戒烟戒酒，忌暴饮暴食。

The fall of the Autumnal Equinox brings the dry weather, and autumn pathogenic dryness becomes the threat to health since water loss from the body. In addition, the declining temperature in the Autumnal Equinox makes the spleen and the stomach vulnerable to coldness. People with chronic stomach problems should protect their stomach by keeping it warm. They are advised to dress properly and cover the body to keep warm during sleeping at night. The over consumption of cold, hot, hard, spicy and glutinous food should be avoided. It is recommended to quit smoking and drinking as well as avoid overeating.

 

 

相关诗词（欢迎试译）

秋分后顿凄冷有感

【宋】陆游

今年秋气早，木落不待黄。

蟋蟀当在宇，遽已近我床。

况我老当逝，且复小彷徉。

岂无一樽酒，亦有书在傍。

饮酒读古书，慨然想黄唐。

耄矣狂未除，谁能药膏肓。

 

夜喜贺兰三见访

【唐】 贾岛

漏钟仍夜浅，时节欲秋分。

泉聒栖松鹤，风除翳月云。

踏苔行引兴，枕石卧论文。

即此寻常静，来多只是君。

 

秋分日忆用济

【清】紫静仪

遇节思吾子，吟诗对夕曛。

燕将明日去，秋向此时分。

逆旅空弹铗，生涯只卖文。

归帆宜早挂，莫待雪纷纷。