24 Solar Terms: 8 things you need to know about Frost's Descent

The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Frost's Descent, (Chinese: 霜降), the 18th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct. 23 and ends on Nov. 7.

Frost's Descent is the last solar term of autumn, during which time the weather becomes much colder than before and frost begins to appear.

Here are eight things you should know about Frost's Descent.

Frosty autumn

Frost consists of white ice crystals of frozen water vapor near the ground. During Frost's Descent, frost begins to appear. But in the lower reaches of the Yellow River region, frost first appears in late October or early November. As Frost's Descent comes, the world is filled with the atmosphere of late autumn.

Eating persimmons

Eating persimmons during Frost's Descent can help people resist the cold and protect their bones. In the countryside, people believe that their lips will crack if they don't eat persimmons during this period.

Eating apples

The apple is one kind of recommended fruit during Frost's Descent. There are many sayings about apples' benefits in China, such as "Eat an apple after meals, even old men can be as strong as young men," just as the Western proverb goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Apples can moisten the lungs, quench one's thirst and help one's digestion.

Eating pears

The pear is another recommended fruit during Frost's Descent, which can promote the secretion of body liquids, clear away heat and reduce sputum.

Eating duck

It's a custom to eat duck on the first day of Frost's Descent in south Fujian province and Taiwan. There is a saying in Fujian which goes, "Even nourishing all year is not as good as nourishing the human body on the first day of Frost's Descent." Eating duck is a way for people there to gain weight.

Eating chestnuts

Eating chestnuts during Frost's Descent is beneficial for one's health. Chestnuts have a warm nature and sweet flavor, and are good for nourishing the spleen and stomach, invigorating the circulation of blood, relieving coughs and reducing sputum.

Eating dates

The date is one of the fruits on the market during Frost's Descent. Nutritious with a great number of vitamins, dates can nourish the blood, decrease blood pressure, and improve one's immunity. But eating too many could be harmful. Rotten dates can cause headaches and dizziness or even put people's lives in danger.

Frost's Descent Festival

People in areas such as Daxin county in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region celebrate the first day of Frost's Descent. In the Frost's Descent Festival, the Zhuang people offer sacrifices, dance and sing folk songs. With a history of more than 360 years, the festival is to commemorate Cen Yuyin, a heroine in battles against foreign aggression.

二十四节气：关于霜降的8个小常识

中国传统二十四节气的第18个节气是霜降，今年的霜降从10月23日开始，11月7日结束。
霜降是秋季的最后一个节气，在这期间天气会比之前冷得多，早霜也会开始出现。
一起来了解一下关于霜降的8个小常识。

露结成霜 秋意渐浓

霜是贴近地面的露水凝结成的白色冰晶。在霜降期间，早霜开始出现。但是在黄河下游地区，早霜会在10月底或11月初开始出现。随着霜降来临，到处都洋溢着晚秋的韵味。

吃柿子

在霜降期间吃柿子可以帮助人们御寒保暖补筋骨。在乡间，人们认为如果霜降不吃柿子，嘴唇会干裂。

吃苹果

苹果是霜降时节推荐食用的水果之一。有很多描述吃苹果的好处的谚语，比如“饭后一苹果，老人赛小伙”，这等同于西方谚语所说的“一天一苹果，医生远离我”。食用苹果能起到润肺、解渴、助消化的作用。

吃梨

霜降吃梨也很好，可以促进体液分泌，清热化痰。

吃鸭子

闽南和台湾地区的民众在霜降这一天有吃鸭子的习俗。闽南有句谚语叫“一年补尽不如补初霜”。吃鸭子也是那里的人贴秋膘的一种方式。

吃栗子

霜降时节吃栗子对健康很有益。栗子性味甘温，具有养胃健脾、活血、止咳化痰的功效。

吃枣

枣是霜降时节上市的水果之一。枣含有大量维生素，可以补血、降压、增强人体免疫力。但是吃太多枣对身体也不好。人吃了烂枣会头疼、头晕甚至危及生命。

壮族霜降节

广西壮族自治区的大新县等地民众会过霜降节。在霜降节这一天，壮族人会献上供品、跳舞、唱民歌。有着 360 多年历史的霜降节是为了纪念抵抗外侮的女英雄岑玉音。

vapour (US vapor) /ˈveɪ.pər/ /ˈveɪ.pɚ/
n .[C or U] 蒸气;雾气

atmosphere /ˈæt.mə.sfɪər/ /ˈæt.mə.sfɪr/
n. [S]（包围地球的）大气，大气层，大气圈
n. [C]（包围天体的）气体
n. [S]（特定场所的）空气
n. [S] 气氛；环境
n. [U] 氛围；情调，情趣

persimmon /pəˈsɪm.ən/
n. [C] 柿，柿子

proverb /ˈprɒv.ɜːb/ /ˈprɑː.vɝːb/
n. [C] 谚语，格言

moisten /ˈmɔɪ.sən/
vi. or vt. 弄湿，沾湿;（使）变潮湿

quench /kwentʃ/
vt. 解渴；扑灭，熄灭；满足

secretion /sɪˈkriː.ʃən/
n. [C or U] 分泌;分泌液

sputum /ˈspjuː.təm/
n. [U] 痰

nourishing /ˈnʌr.ɪ.ʃɪŋ/ /ˈnɝː.ɪ.ʃɪŋ/
adj. 富有营养的

chestnut US plural also chestnut
n. [C] 栗树；栗子，板栗
n. [C] 栗色马;红棕马
n. [U] 栗色，红褐色，红棕色

spleen /spliːn/
n. [C] 脾
n. [U] 愤怒；不满；愤懑

invigorating /ɪnˈvɪɡ.ər.eɪ.tɪŋ/
adj. 令人充满活力的，使人精力充沛的

circulation /ˌsɜː.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən/
n. [U]（血液的）循环
n. [U]（信息）流传，传播;（货币或商品）流通
n. [C usually singular]（报纸杂志的）发行量，销售量

date
n. [C] 海枣

nutritious /njuːˈtrɪʃ.əs/
adj. 营养丰富的，营养价值高的

nourish /ˈnʌr.ɪʃ/ /ˈnɝː.ɪʃ/
vt. 养育;滋养
vt. 培养，助长；支持；鼓励

immunity /ɪˈmjuː.nə.ti/
n. [U] 免疫;免除;豁免

rotten /ˈrɒt.ən/ /ˈrɑː.tən/
adj. 腐烂的；腐朽的；变质的
adj. 极差的，糟糕透顶的，恶劣的

dizziness /ˈdɪz.i.nəs/
n. [U] 眩晕；头晕目眩，眼花缭乱

autonomous /ɔːˈtɒn.ə.məs/ /ɑːˈtɑː.nə.məs/
adj. 自治的，有自治权的；自主的，有自主权的

sacrifice /ˈsæk.rɪ.faɪs/ /ˈsæk.rə.faɪs/
vt. 牺牲;献出
vi. or vt. 献祭;以（人或动物）为祭品

commemorate /kəˈmem.ə.reɪt/
vt.（尤指举行公开仪式或竖立雕塑或专门建筑）纪念，缅怀

heroine /ˈher.əʊ.ɪn/
n. [C] 女英雄；女主角；被崇拜的女人

aggression /əˈɡreʃ.ən/
n. [C] 侵略;侵犯;攻击;挑衅
n. （体育比赛中的）进攻