For international friends exploring the traditional Chinese calendar, “Autumn Equinox” (Qiufen) is the most “balanced” of all 24 solar terms. It is the sixteenth solar term and the fourth one in autumn, usually arriving between September 22nd and 24th in the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the sun shines directly over the Earth’s equator, making day and night nearly equal in length across the globe — twelve hours each, no more, no less, as if a precise ruler has divided the day perfectly in two.
What Does “Qiufen” Mean?
“Qiu” (秋) means “autumn,” and “Fen” (分) means “to divide equally.” “Qiufen” carries two layers of meaning:
The first is equal day and night. On the Autumn Equinox, the sun shines directly over the equator, making day and night nearly the same length everywhere on Earth. After the equinox, the sun’s direct rays continue moving southward — days grow shorter and nights grow longer in the Northern Hemisphere, until reaching their extreme at the Winter Solstice.
The second is dividing autumn in half. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, autumn begins at Start of Autumn and ends at Start of Winter, lasting about ninety days. The Autumn Equinox falls right in the middle of this period, splitting autumn into two halves — the first half is early autumn, and the second half is late autumn.
The ancient text Yueling Qishier Hou Jijie explains: “In the middle of the eighth lunar month… ‘Fen’ means ‘equal.’ This point falls at the halfway mark of the ninety-day autumn, hence it is called ‘Fen’ (division).”
The Autumn Equinox is not only a solar term but also an important astronomical milestone. Along with the Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Winter Solstice, it forms the “Two Equinoxes and Two Solstices” — the four most critical time points in the ancient Chinese calendar.
Nature’s Signals: The Three Pentads of Autumn Equinox
Ancient Chinese divided the Autumn Equinox into three pentads (each lasting five days) to record the subtle changes in nature during mid-autumn:
- First Pentad: Thunder Begins to Cease. After the Autumn Equinox, thunder gradually disappears. Ancient people believed that thunder was a manifestation of strong yang energy. After the equinox, yin energy grows stronger while yang energy recedes, so thunder fades away as well. The sky grows quiet, and the spectacular lightning and thunderstorms of summer are no more.
- Second Pentad: Insects Begin to Seal Their Burrows. “Pi” (坯) refers to fine earth. As the weather turns cool, insects preparing for hibernation begin sealing their burrow entrances with fine soil, creating warm and safe shelters for the winter. Sensing the change of seasons, they prepare in advance for the long cold months ahead.
- Third Pentad: Water Begins to Dry Up. After the Autumn Equinox, rainfall decreases and the weather turns dry. Water levels in rivers and lakes begin to drop. Ancient observers noted that rivers and streams visibly diminish in volume during this time, and some shallow areas even begin to dry up — a direct reflection of autumn’s dry climate.
Climate Characteristics of Autumn Equinox
The Autumn Equinox is a major turning point in climate. By this time, most of China has truly entered a cool autumn.
The most striking feature is the further widening gap between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Daytime sunshine remains warm, but mornings and evenings are already distinctly chilly. Temperatures in northern regions drop especially fast, with some areas even beginning to feel the breath of early winter.
Another important feature is the crisp, clear autumn weather. During the Autumn Equinox, cold air masses become more active and rainfall decreases. The sky turns deep blue and transparent with excellent visibility. Ancient people described this weather as “high skies and pale clouds” — the most ideal time of year for climbing heights and gazing into the distance.
In agriculture, the Autumn Equinox is an extremely important time point. By now, most autumn harvest crops have ripened, and farmers enter the intense harvest season. At the same time, winter wheat and other overwintering crops reach their optimal planting window. There is a folk saying: “It’s the right time to plant wheat at the Autumn Equinox,” reminding people to seize the agricultural season.
Customs Full of Everyday Warmth
Although the Autumn Equinox is not as grand as Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, it has given rise to many charming and heartwarming customs:
1. Worshipping the Moon
The Autumn Equinox was once the traditional “Moon Worship Festival.” In ancient times, emperors followed the ritual of worshipping the sun at the Vernal Equinox and the moon at the Autumn Equinox. The Book of Rites records: “The Son of Heaven pays respects to the sun in the spring morning and to the moon in the autumn evening.” Later, the Moon Worship Festival gradually merged with the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the tradition of moon worship at the Autumn Equinox is still preserved in some regions.
2. Standing Eggs Upright
“When the Autumn Equinox arrives, eggs stand tall.” There is a folk custom of trying to stand eggs upright on this day. People believe that on the Autumn Equinox, the Earth’s gravitational pull is evenly distributed, making it easier to balance an egg. Although from a physics perspective, egg-standing has no direct relationship with the solar term, this fun game adds plenty of joy to the day.
3. Eating Autumn Vegetables
In the Lingnan region (southern Guangdong and Guangxi), there is a custom of eating “autumn vegetables” during the Autumn Equinox. These are wild amaranth plants that locals call “autumn green wormwood.” On the day of the equinox, people go to the fields to pick autumn vegetables and cook them with fish slices into a soup called “autumn soup.” There is a folk saying: “Autumn soup cleanses the organs, washing the liver and intestines,” believing that drinking this soup nourishes the body and clears heat and toxins.
4. Sending Autumn Oxen
During the Autumn Equinox, there is a folk custom of “sending autumn oxen.” An “autumn ox” refers to a piece of red or yellow paper printed with the lunar calendar’s solar terms and illustrations of farmers plowing fields. People who send autumn oxen go from house to house delivering these oxen pictures while offering auspicious words like “May this year bring a bountiful harvest,” wishing the household abundant crops and good fortune.
5. Pasting Sparrows’ Beaks
The Autumn Equinox coincides with the rice harvest season. In some rural areas, farmers set aside their work on this day to cook plain tangyuan (glutinous rice balls without filling), skewer them on bamboo sticks, and place them at the edges of their fields to “paste sparrows’ beaks shut,” preventing the birds from pecking at the ripened grain. Though this custom carries a superstitious element, it reflects farmers’ deep appreciation for and hopes surrounding the harvest.
Conclusion
The Autumn Equinox is like a letter of balance that autumn writes to time. In the fairest way, it tells Chinese people: day and night are equally long, autumn is divided in two, and all things find a delicate balance between harvest and decay.
Next time you see the deep blue sky during this season, feel the coolness of morning and evening, taste a warm bowl of autumn soup, or playfully try to stand an egg upright, take a moment to appreciate this ancient Chinese wisdom — nature never shows favoritism. With the equality of day and night, it reminds you that everything in this world has its own rhythm.
There are no comments yet, come and comment~