What does the autumnal equinox mean? What does the autumnal equinox mean?

Introduction: As soon as the autumnal equinox arrives, everyone's circle of friends suddenly becomes lively. What about autumnal equinox, autumnal equinox health, autumnal equinox customs and so on. It has become a topic of discussion, but do you understand the most basic problems? Do you know what the autumnal equinox means and what the autumnal equinox solar terms mean? Friends who don't know yet can come and see my detailed introduction.

What does the autumnal equinox mean?

Interpretation of autumnal equinox: One of the 24 solar terms of the lunar calendar means that it officially enters autumn.

China's ancient book "Spring and Autumn Stories, Yin and Yang in and out" said: "The autumn equinox, Yin and Yang are also half-phase, so it is cold and hot day and night." The autumnal equinox means "half" "Autumnal Equinox" refers to the method of dividing the seasons in ancient China, with beginning of spring, Changxia, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter as the four seasons. The autumnal equinox lives in autumn for 90 days and divides the autumn equally.

The meaning of the "twenty-four solar terms" in the autumnal equinox: "See the vernal equinox in mid-August". "Divide" means to divide day and night equally. Like the vernal equinox, the sun shines directly at the equator of the earth, and day and night are equal. Since then, the position of direct sunlight has moved south, and the days in the northern hemisphere have gradually shortened, the nights have become longer, and the temperature has dropped, which is of universal significance throughout the country.

After the autumnal equinox, the days are getting shorter and shorter in the northern hemisphere, and the nights are getting longer and longer in the southern hemisphere.

From the winter solstice, the day becomes longer and longer, but from the vernal equinox, the day is longer than the night, from the summer solstice, the day becomes shorter and shorter, but from the autumnal equinox, the day is shorter than the night.

What does the autumnal equinox mean?

The autumnal equinox, the sixteenth solar term in the twenty-four solar terms of the lunar calendar, usually lasts from September 22nd to September 24th every year. The climate in the south began to decline from this solar term. First, on this day, the sun reached the longitude of the Yellow River 180 degrees, and directly hit the equator of the earth. Therefore, in most parts of the earth, 24 hours are divided equally, each being 12 hours. Near the North Pole (90 north latitude) and the South Pole (90 south latitude), the special phenomenon that "the sun circles on the horizon all day" can be observed on this day.

After the autumnal equinox, the northern hemisphere has shorter days and longer nights (shorter days than nights), while the southern hemisphere has longer days and shorter nights (longer days than nights). After the autumnal equinox, the polar night range near the North Pole and the polar sun range near the South Pole gradually expanded. According to the division of seasons in ancient China, which started with beginning of spring, Changxia, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter, the autumnal equinox is divided into 90 days in autumn and divided equally in autumn.

Autumn equinox solar terms, not only in the north, but also in most parts of the south, began to enter autumn, and the summer heat quickly subsided. The so-called "half-combination of yin and yang" means that at the autumnal equinox, the qi and yin of heaven and earth flourish and yang decline, and they are close to each other. Compared with the lush summer, flowers and trees wither, plants and leaves fall, people's mood is also prone to produce a feeling of desolation and depression. The most typical representative of this "autumn depression" mentality is Song Yu's "autumn sadness is qi" in the Warring States period.

What are the traditional customs of the autumn equinox?

1, autumn festival to the moon

The autumnal equinox used to be the traditional "Festival of Sacrificing the Moon". For example, in ancient times, there was a saying that "the sun is sacrificed in spring and the moon is sacrificed in autumn". Now Mid-Autumn Festival comes from the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. According to research, the original Mid-Autumn Festival was set on the day of the Autumn Equinox, which was the best time to enjoy the moon.

However, because this day in August of the lunar calendar is different every year, there may not be a full moon. However, the moon festival without the moon is a big eyesore, so the "Moon Festival" was later transferred from the "Autumn Equinox" to the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Ancestors believed that the sun belongs to the nature of yang and the moon belongs to the nature of yin. "Heaven and earth are supreme, so it is used to sacrifice two pairs of two." As early as the Zhou Dynasty, the ancient emperors had the custom of offering sacrifices to the sun at the vernal equinox, to the earth at the summer solstice, to the moon at the autumnal equinox and to heaven at the winter solstice.

Step 2 eat autumn vegetables

In Lingnan area, there is an unbroken custom called "eating autumn vegetables at the autumnal equinox". "Autumn vegetable" is a kind of wild amaranth, which villagers call "autumn Artemisia". On the autumnal equinox, the whole village went to pick autumn vegetables.

Picked autumn vegetables are usually boiled with fish fillets at home, which is called "autumn soup". There is a jingle: "autumn soup is dirty, wash the liver and intestines." The whole family is safe and healthy. "Since autumn, people still pray for peace and health at home.

Amaranth contains many nutrients. In fact, the so-called "autumn soup" in Lingnan customs is also consistent with the autumn tonic advocated by Chinese medicine, but Lingnan customs are more typical and have a little local flavor.

Step 3 send autumn cattle

In the ancient autumnal equinox, there were pictures of sending autumn cows door to door. Although the words spoken are casual, every sentence rhymes beautifully. Commonly known as "Autumn", Qiu Ren is called "Qiu Guan". The ancients attached great importance to the autumnal equinox and solar terms, so many customs were formed and passed down.

"Autumn Cattle Map" is to print the solar terms of the Lunar New Year on red paper or yellow paper, and then print the farmers' fields. The pictures are made by folk singers who mainly talk about autumn ploughing and auspicious words. Every time they go to a house, they become more emotional and say whatever they see until the host is happy and gives money.

On this day, after the host family opens the door, artists will say some auspicious words to congratulate the harvest, and sometimes improvise with the scene at that time to please the host family and get a reward.

Step 4 stick the sparrow's mouth

According to custom, farmers have a holiday on the autumn equinox. Every family should eat dumplings. Ten, twenty or thirty dumplings that don't need to be wrapped are cooked, and a thin bamboo fork is placed on the outdoor ridge beside the field, which is called sticking the sparrow's mouth without destroying crops.

Of course, it is only the farmers' beautiful imagination and desire to stick dumplings on sparrows' mouths, but it also illustrates the truth that dumplings are sticky, difficult to digest and should not be eaten more.

5. Fly a kite

The autumnal equinox is the sixteenth solar term, from which the climate in the south begins to decline. It's crisp in autumn and it's always a good time to fly kites. The autumnal equinox is also a good time for children to fly kites.

Especially at the autumnal equinox. Even adults are involved. Kites are divided into Wang Zi Kite, Silver Carp Kite, Myxomoth Kite, Leigong Kite and Moon Light Kite. The biggest kite is two meters high, and the smallest one is two or three feet.

Flying kites in autumn is also a good choice. There are kites on the market, many of which are smaller than others' and suitable for children to play with, but most of them are posted by themselves, and the bigger ones have to compete with each other to see which one flies high.

6, vertical eggs

Every year on the day of the autumn equinox, tens of millions of people all over the world are playing the game of "laying eggs", choosing a smooth and symmetrical fresh egg that has just been born for four or five days and gently standing it up.

The autumnal equinox has become the best time for vertical egg games, so there is a saying that "when the autumnal equinox arrives, the eggs will look good." The eggs that stand up are very beautiful. Although there are many losers, there are also many winners.

In ancient legends, the day of the autumnal equinox is the easiest day to lay eggs. Astronomers said that according to historical records, the tradition of dividing eggs in autumn originated in China 4,000 years ago to celebrate the arrival of autumn. What do you say, ladies and gentlemen?