Sun Qifeng's 《Everything goes smoothly》
Frost Descent
When the first strand of frost caresses the earth, everything seems to gradually become silent in this coldness. Frost falls, in the middle of September, the air becomes clear and condensed, and dew forms into frost. This is the summary of the Frost Descent solar term by Wu Cheng, a native of the Yuan Dynasty, in his book Interpretation of the Seventy Two Seasons of the Moon . As the last solar term of autumn, Frost Descent marks the official beginning of cold weather and is also an important period for crop harvesting and storage.
In ancient society, the arrival of frost was like a horn, urging the autumn harvest and preparing adequately for the upcoming harsh winter to welcome it. In the Book of Rites: Monthly Orders, it is recorded: When frost begins to fall, hundreds of workers will rest... The cold air will always arrive, and the people's strength will be unbearable. They will all enter the house... They will feast the emperor, sacrifice themselves, and report to the emperor. The natural phenomenon during the frost season is the withering of all things, which reflects the ancient people's reverence and compliance with the laws of nature at the beginning of frost.
All things come to an end, they enter in the morning, the sun enters the earth, the yin energy begins to condense, and the weather gradually turns cold with the arrival of frost. Frost falling is the most intense brushwork of late autumn.
Frost Descent · Three Seasons
Yi Hou, the jackal offered sacrifices to the beast
At this point, jackals and wolves begin to capture prey and display them as sacrificial beasts to offer sacrifices to the heavens as a way of giving back, praying for good weather in the coming year. Although it means beast, it is also the foundation of human beings.
Er Hou, the grass and trees have turned yellow and fallen
In late autumn, the westerly winds sweep and the gradually cold climate repeatedly ravages the vitality of nature. The leaves on the earth are also beginning to wither and fall.
San Hou, hibernating insects, salty and bent
Nature begins to have a silent beauty, even stingers remain motionless in their burrows, bowing their heads to enter a dormant state, preparing for the long winter that is about to come. Starting the cycle of life with the attitude of cultivation, looking forward to a new life in the coming year.
Frost Descent · Customs
/Drinking and admiring chrysanthemums/
In ancient times, there was a saying that goes, 'When frost strikes, chrysanthemums bloom.' Therefore, climbing high to appreciate chrysanthemums has become an elegant activity during the Frost Descent season. In Wu Jun's Continuation of Qi Xie Ji during the Southern Liang Dynasty, it is recorded that at the time of frost, only this grass is flourishing. Therefore, chrysanthemums were regarded by ancient people as the grass waiting for the time and became a symbol of vitality. Frost falls during the season when autumn chrysanthemums are in full bloom. Many places in China hold chrysanthemum festivals at this time, where people enjoy chrysanthemums and drink alcohol to show their love for chrysanthemums.
/Eating persimmons/
Persimmons are usually fully ripe before and after frost, with thin and delicious skin and high nutritional value. They contain about 1-2 times more vitamins and sugar than regular fruits. The folk proverb is: Eating persimmons during frost will prevent runny nose.
/Health Preservation and Supplementation/
There is a folk saying that goes, 'It's better to replenish frost than to replenish winter.'. During the frost season, the weather becomes increasingly cold, and folk customs are also very distinctive. Therefore, during the frost season, there are folk customs of boiling lamb meat, boiling lamb heads, and welcoming frost rabbit meat.
Frost Descent · Health Preservation
During the season of frost, it is already the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. The plants and trees are withered and yellow, and the autumn rain is continuous. Nature looks desolate and cold. The way to maintain health lies in keeping warm and cold, moistening the lungs and nourishing yin, moderate exercise, and regulating emotions.
/Daily life/
There is a saying that goes, 'Cold dew is not cold, but frost turns the sky.'. At this time, the temperature difference between day and night is increasing. People should pay attention to adding clothes, especially keeping their feet and stomach warm. At the same time, they should strengthen physical exercise, prepare for the cold, and prevent colds. Soaking feet in hot water every night is beneficial for dispelling cold and warming meridians, and promoting blood circulation in the feet. During the frost season, the temperature difference between day and night increases, making it a high-risk period for respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. It is particularly important to pay attention to health preservation and prevention.
/Diet/
There is a saying among the people that 'it's better to replenish winter than to replenish frost'. During the frost season, the weather becomes increasingly cold, and folk customs are also very distinctive. People believe that 'tonifying the Double Ninth Festival' first and then 'tonifying the Frost Descent', and 'tonifying in autumn' is more important than 'tonifying in winter'. Therefore, during the frost season, there are folk customs of boiling lamb, boiling lamb heads, welcoming frost rabbit meat, eating ducks during frost, and eating persimmons during frost. The dietary principle during the frost season should be to nourish yin and moisten the lungs. To prevent autumn dryness, the suitable dietary regimen for health preservation at this time is tonifying. Suitable foods include pears, apples, radishes, chestnuts, lilies, honey, beef, lamb, chicken, etc. These foods have the effects of generating fluids, moistening dryness, clearing heat and phlegm, relieving cough and asthma, and strengthening the kidneys and lungs.
Frost Descent is not only the name of a solar term, but also a manifestation of the philosophy of life. It prompts all things to seek survival in the cold and lays the foundation for the recovery and prosperity of the coming year. Let us continue on the journey of life, carrying with us the reverence for life and the longing for the future in the season filled with frost.
Twenty-four solar terms
It is a specific festival in the Chinese lunar calendar that represents changes in natural rhythms and establishes the concept of building in December. It was originally formulated based on the rotation of the Big Dipper and the movement of the stars. The Big Dipper rotates in a circular motion, with the handle rotating one circle to the east, south, west, and north, forming a cycle known as a year. Each rotation cycle begins at the beginning of spring and ends at the end of the Great Cold. The 24 solar terms is an important part of the long history and culture of the Chinese nation, which embodies the essence of the history and culture of Chinese civilization. Through historical development, the lunar calendar has incorporated the solar terms of the dry branch calendar as a supplement to the calendar, and adjusted it to conform to the tropical year through the leap method, forming a yin-yang combined calendar. The 24 solar terms have become an important part of the lunar calendar. In the international meteorological community, the 24 solar terms are known as China's fifth great invention. On November 30, 2016, the 24 solar terms were officially included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
