霜降

Frost’s Descent, or Shuangjiang in Chinese

二十四節(jié)氣的第十八個

is the 18th of the 24 Solar Terms

秋季的最后一個節(jié)氣

and the last of the autumn

每年陽歷10月23日前后

Shuangjiang usually happens around October 23

太陽到達黃經(jīng)210°

when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 210 degrees

氣溫驟降 秋意漸濃

and the temperature is plummeting rapidly

《二十四節(jié)氣解》有云

According to the Interpretations of the Twenty Four Solar Terms

氣肅而霜降

cold air and descending frost herald

陰始凝也

the coming of the frigidity

秋日夜晚

On autumn nights

空氣溫度驟降

the temperature can abruptly plummet below zero

地面熱量散失

causing drastic heat loss at ground level

空氣中的水蒸氣在地面或葉面上

then vapor in the air freezes either on the ground or the leaves

凝結(jié)形成細小的冰針

in the form of white tiny ice needles

或潔白松軟的六角形霜花

or fragile hexagons

此時

By the time of Shuangjiang

中國北方大部 秋收已經(jīng)結(jié)束

farm work has been completed in northern China

而南方 正是秋忙季節(jié)

while in south, it is still in its heyday

收割晚稻

as farmers have to take home the late rice

平整土地

plow the fields

播種春小麥和油菜

and plant the spring wheat and oilseed rape

霜降時節(jié) 正值菊花傲霜綻放

The early frost is also known as Chrysanthemum Frost

因此 早霜又叫“菊花霜”

since Shuangjiang is the time that chrysanthemum blossoms

中國人愛菊

Chinese express their adoration for chrysanthemum

各種菊展粉墨登場

through such costumes as hosting chrysanthemum fairs

古詩云

As a Chinese poem goes

“霜葉紅于二月花”

the frosted autumn leaves outshine February flowers in redness

霜降過后

After Shuangjiang

楓樹、黃櫨樹等在秋霜的洗禮下

the leaves of the maple tree and smoke tree

漫山紅遍

will turn the landscape

如火似錦 非常壯觀

into spectacular fire-like red

吸引游人前來觀光

attracting people to go hiking and sightseeing

北京著名的香山紅葉

The famous Fragrant Hill of Beijing

隨著霜降的到來

with the advent of Shuangjiang

開始變幻

is about to usher in the season

由粉紅到火紅慢慢變成紫紅

when the leaves turn from slight red to fire-like red

霜降前后 柿子成熟

Shuangjiang is also the time that persimmons get ripe

柿子性暖

With the property of warming

是上好的霜降水果

persimmons are the best fruit to eat during Shuangjiang

常吃可以御寒保暖

not only to keep off the coldness

強身健骨

but also strengthen the muscles and bones

秋已逝

The autumn almost comes to an end

冬將至

and the winter is just around the corner

天氣漸涼

With the temperature becoming lower and lower

秋燥明顯

the atmosphere is becoming drier

燥 易傷津

so dehydration becomes a problem for many people

此時

That is why Chinese have been attached great importance

養(yǎng)生保健尤為重要

to health care during Shuangjiang

民間諺語

which is shown in a Chinese saying that

“一年補透透 不如補霜降”

no nourishing body is better than that

正是此意

during Shuangjiang

霜降養(yǎng)生首先要重視保暖

The first thing on the to-do list is keeping warm

其次要防秋燥

followed by precautions against dehydration

運動量可適當加大

People should also increase the amount of physical exercise

飲食調(diào)養(yǎng)方面

As for diet

此時宜平補

people are instructed to eat the foods

可多吃健脾養(yǎng)陰潤燥的食物

that help nourish the spleen and fend off dehydration

蘿卜、栗子、秋梨

Radish, chestnut, pear

百合、蜂蜜、牛肉、雞肉等

lily, honey, beef and chicken etc.

都是不錯的選擇

are the best choices?