【新译Y宇宙：二十四节气专题之一】No. 27 天凉好个秋

立秋，是二十四节气中第十三个节气，秋季的第一个节气，一般在每年公历8月7或8日。立秋并不代表酷热天气就此结束，立秋还在暑热时段，真正有凉意一般要到白露节气之后。酷热与凉爽的分水岭并不是在立秋节气。进入秋季后，由夏季的多雨湿热过渡向秋季少雨干燥气候。在自然界中，阴阳之气开始转变，万物随阳气下沉而逐渐萧落。秋季最明显的变化草木的叶子从繁茂的绿色到发黄，并开始落叶，庄稼则开始成熟。立秋是古时“四时八节”之一，民间有祭祀土地神，庆祝丰收的习俗。还有“贴秋膘”“咬秋”等习俗。

Beginning of Autumn, the 13th of the twenty-four solar terms, is the first solar term of autumn, usually on August 7 or 8 each year. Beginning of Autumndoes not mean the end of the hot weather, it is still in the hot period and the real coolness usually comes after White Dew. The watershed between hot and cool is not at the autumn festival. When we enter autumn, the transition from the rainy and hot summer season to a dry autumn climate with little rain. In nature, the yin and yang qi begins to change, and everything gradually falls as the yang qi sinks. The most obvious change in autumn is that the leaves of plants and trees change from lush green to yellow and begin to fall, while crops begin to mature. Autumn is one of the "four seasons and eight festivals" in ancient times, and it is customary for folk to worship the god of the land and celebrate a good harvest. There are also customs such as "autumn fat" and "autumn bite".

处暑，是二十四节气之第十四个节气，太阳黄经达150°；于每年公历8月22-24日交节。处暑，即为“出暑”，是炎热离开的意思。时至处暑，气温逐渐下降，暑气渐消。这期间天气虽仍热，但已是呈下降趋势。处暑在日常生活中起到的意义，就是提醒人们天气由炎热向凉爽过渡，要注意预防“秋燥”。处暑的民俗活动很多，如吃鸭子、放河灯、开渔节、煎药茶、拜土地公等。

End of Heat is the fourteenth of the twenty-four solar terms, when the solar ecliptic reaches 150°; it falls on August 22-24 each year. End of Heat is the day when the heat leaves. At the end of the summer, the temperature gradually drops and the heat gradually disappears. During this period, the weather is still hot, but it is already on a downward trend. The significance of the End of Heat in daily life is to remind people of the transition from hot to cool weather and to pay attention to the prevention of "autumn dryness". There are many folk activities about End of Heat, such as eating duck, releasing river lanterns, opening the fishing festival, decocting herbal tea, and worshipping the land god.

白露，是“二十四节气”中的第15个节气，秋季第3个节气，太阳达黄经165度；于公历9月7-9日交节。“白露”是反映自然界寒气增长的重要节气。由于天气逐渐转凉，白昼有阳光尚热，但傍晚后气温便很快下降，昼夜温差大。中国古人根据对大自然的观察，将白露分为三候：“一候鸿雁来，二候玄鸟归，三候群鸟养羞。”意思是说这个节气，鸿雁与燕子等候鸟南飞避寒，百鸟开始贮存干果粮食以备过冬。这会儿农民也忙着收获庄稼，正所谓“抢秋抢秋，不抢就丢”。白露期间的各地民俗，主要有祭祀大禹、酿五谷酒、喝白露茶等。

White Dew is the 15th of the 24 solar terms and the third in autumn, when the sun reaches 165 degrees of the yellow meridian; it falls on September 7-9 each year. White Dew is an important solar term that reflects the growth of cold in nature. As the weather gradually turns cooler, the sun is still hot during the day, but the temperature drops quickly in the evening and there is a big temperature difference between day and night. The ancient Chinese, based on their observations of nature, divided White Dew into three periods: "One for the arrival of the geese, two for the return of the birds, and three for the storage of the birds." This means that during this season, migratory birds such as geese and swallows fly south to avoid the cold, and birds start to store dried fruits and grains for the winter. At this time, farmers are also busy harvesting crops, as the saying goes, "grab the autumn grab the autumn, not grab the loss." During the period of White Dew, folk customs around the world, mainly sacrifices to Dayu, brewing grain wine, drinking White Dew tea, etc..

秋分，是二十四节气之第十六个节气，秋季第四个节气，太阳达黄经180°；于每年的公历9月22-24日交节。秋分这天太阳几乎直射地球赤道，全球各地昼夜等长 。秋分，“分”即为“平分”、“半”的意思，除了指昼夜平分外，还有一层意思是平分了秋季。秋分日后，太阳光直射位置南移，北半球昼短夜长，昼夜温差加大，气温逐日下降。秋分曾是传统的“祭月节”，后来将“祭月节”由“秋分”调至中秋。

Autumn equinox, the sixteenth of the twenty-four solar terms, is the fourth solar term in autumn, when the sun reaches 180° of the ecliptic; it falls on September 22-24 each year. The sun shines almost directly on the earth's equator on this day, and the day and night are of equal length around the world. Autumnal equinox, "points" that is, "equal", "half" means, in addition to the day and night equal, there is a layer of meaning is equal to the autumn. After Autumn equinox, the direct sunlight position southward, the northern hemisphere short day and long night, day and night temperature difference increases, the temperature drops day by day. Autumnal equinox was the traditional "Moon Festival", later the "Moon Festival" from the Autumnal Equinox to the Mid-Autumn Festival.