Autumn Equinox lies at the midpoint of autumn, dividing autumn into two equal parts. After that day, the location of direct sunlight moves to the south, making days shorter and nights longer in the northern hemisphere. The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Autumn Equinox, (Chinese: 秋分), the 16th solar term of the year, begins this year on Sept 23 and ends on Oct 7.

Here are 8 things you should know about Autumn Equinox.

1.Cool autumn

As it is said in the ancient book, The Detailed Records of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), "It is on Autumn Equinox day that the Yin and Yang are in a balance of power. Thus the day and night are of equal length, and so are the cold and hot weather."

By Autumn Equinox, most of the areas in China have entered the cool autumn. When the cold air heading south meets the declining warm and wet air, precipitation is the result. The temperature also drops frequently.

2.Season for eating crab

In this season, crab is delicious. It helps nourish the marrow and clear heat inside the body.

3.Eating Qiucai

In South China, there is a custom popularly known as "having Qiucai (an autumn vegetable) on the Autumn Equinox day". Qiucai is a kind of wild amaranth. Every Autumn Equinox day, all the villagers go to pick Qiucai in the wild. Qiucai is verdant in the field, thin, and about 20 cm in length. Qiucai is taken back and made into soup with fish, called "Qiutang" (autumn soup). There is a verse about the soup: "Drink the soup to clear the liver and intestines, thus the whole family will be safe and healthy".

4.Season for eating various plants

By Autumn Equinox, olives, pears, papayas, chestnuts, beans, and other plants enter their phase of maturation. It is time to pick and eat them.

5.Season for enjoying osmanthus

The Autumn Equinox is the time to smell the fragrance of osmanthus. At this time, it is hot in the day and cool at night in South China, so people have to wear a single layer when it is hot, and lined clothing when it is cool. This period is named "Guihuazheng" in Chinese, which means "osmanthus mugginess".

6.Season for enjoying chrysanthemums

Autumn Equinox also is a good time to enjoy chrysanthemums in full bloom.

7.Standing eggs on end

On Autumn Equinox day, thousands of people around the world try to make eggs stand on end. This Chinese custom has become the world's game.

According to experts, on the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox, the day and night are of equal time both in the southern and northern hemispheres. The earth's axis, on its 66.5 degree tilt, is in a relative balance of power with the earth's orbit around the sun. Thus it is a very conducive time for standing eggs on end.

But some also say that standing the egg has nothing to do with the time. The most important thing is to shift the egg's center of gravity to the lowest part of the egg. In this way, the trick is holding the egg until the yolk sinks as much as possible. For this, you're better off choosing an egg that's about 4 or 5 days old, whose yolk is inclined to sink down.

8.Sacrificing to the moon

Originally, the festival of sacrificing to the moon was set on Autumnal Equinox day. According to historical records, as early as the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-256BC), the ancient kings by custom sacrificed to the sun on the Spring Equinox, and to the moon on the Autumn Equinox.

But the moon won't be full during Autumn Equinox. If there was no moon to make sacrifices to, it would spoil the fun. Thus, the day was changed to the Mid-Autumn Day.

词汇解析

(1)Autumn Equinox 秋分

(2)hemisphere n.半球

(3)precipitation n.降水量，降雨量

(4)nourish v.滋养，培育

(5)marrow  n.西葫芦

(6)amaranth n.苋菜红

(7)intestine n.肠

(8)papaya n.番木瓜

(9)chestnut n.板栗

(10)maturation n.成熟过程·

(11)osmanthus n.桂花

(12)mugginess n.闷热

(13)chrysanthemum n.菊花

(14)conducive adj.有利于...的

(15)sacrifice v.祭祀

篇章译文

秋分这天，正在秋季的中间，将秋天分成了两半。秋分之后，阳光直射位置继续南移，北半球昼短夜长。中国传统农历将一年分为24个节气。秋分，是二十四节气中的第十六个节气，今年的秋分节气始于9月23日，止于10月8日。

以下是有关秋分你应当知道的8个小知识：

一、 秋渐凉

据古书《春秋繁露》(公元前770到476年)记载：秋分者，阴阳相伴也，故昼夜均而寒暑平。

二、蟹肥美

秋分时节，正是螃黄肥美之时。吃螃蟹可补骨添髓，清热解毒。

三、 吃秋菜

中国南方，逢秋分有“吃秋菜”的习俗。秋菜是一种野苋菜。每到秋分这天，全村人都去野外采摘秋菜，这时田野里的青菜碧绿纤瘦，约20公分高。秋菜采回家，与鱼片煮汤，名曰：秋汤。关于秋汤，还有一首打油诗：秋汤灌脏，洗涤肝肠。阖家老少，平安健康。

四、 作物熟

秋分时节，橄榄、香梨、木瓜、栗子、大豆等食物相继进入成熟期。正是采摘品尝之际。

五、 品桂香

秋分，桂花飘香，闻芳美时。这个时候的南方，日暖夜凉，因此白天穿单衣，晚间就得加件衣裳。这个时期，也谓之为“桂花蒸”，意为桂花绽放之时，出现的闷热天气。

六、 赏菊花

秋分前后，正是菊花盛放时，赏菊品香好时节。

七、 竖鸡蛋

秋分这天，世界各地成千上万的人在做竖蛋试验。这种中国习俗已成为世界游戏。

据专家介绍，春分、秋分当日，南、北半球日夜均等。呈66.5度倾斜的地轴与地球日公转的轨道平面处于一种力的相对平衡状态，因此，有助于鸡蛋竖立起来。

但也有人认为能否竖蛋与秋分无关。最关键的是要把鸡蛋重心下移。如此一来，只有蛋黄尽可能下沉，才能完成这个恶作剧了。竖蛋时候，最好选择刚出生4、5天的鸡蛋，这样的鸡蛋蛋黄下沉，重心下降，更有利于竖蛋的成功。

　八、 祭秋月

原本祭月节是设定在秋分这天的。据史实记载，早在周朝(公元前11世纪至256年)，古代君王便依照习俗于春分祭日，秋分祭月。

但因每年农历八月，这一天并不固定，秋分当日并不一定都出现圆月，而祭月若无月，则大煞风景，故而，将祭月节由秋分改为中秋举行。

文章来源：China Daily