【Commentary】On August 8th, we ushered in the autumn solar term. The beginning of autumn is the first solar term of autumn, but experts say that the arrival of autumn does not mean that summer is immediately over. At this time, it is in the middle of a three-volt day, and most of China is still in summer.
Wang Juan, professor of folk literature at the Department of Chinese, Peking University
After the big summer and small summer, there is still a summer, and the middle is the beginning of autumn, which means that in fact, the beginning of autumn is equivalent to autumn has begun to gradually enter people's lives, but because we are still in the sky, that is to say, is it possible to be particularly hot, it is very likely that the summer heat has not completely faded.
【Commentary】After a period of scorching heat, when autumn comes, people will supplement nutrition in the way of "sticking autumn fat". In addition, it is necessary to "gnaw autumn" and "taste autumn".
Wang Juan, professor of folk literature at the Department of Chinese, Peking University
Under normal circumstances, people's weight in summer will have some reduction, and the appetite may not be very good in summer, so we say "sticking autumn fat", in fact, it is to eat braised pork, the traditional Chinese saying what to eat to make up, on the one hand, is to make up for the loss of summer, on the other hand, it is to mean that their body will become stronger and stronger. Autumn is actually a harvest season, a large number of melons, fruits, crops are harvested again, after the harvest we have to taste it, sometimes called "gnawing autumn", sometimes called "taste autumn".
【Commentary】At the beginning of autumn, crops begin to ripen. Folk also hold "autumn basking in the autumn" to express their joy at the harvest. In some areas, there is also the folk custom of "hiding from autumn".
Wang Juan, professor of folk literature at the Department of Chinese, Peking University
Because at this time when the climate is relatively dry, take it out to dry vegetables or dry peppers or dry whatever, it can be better stored. Drying all the harvest in front of the house, behind the house and even on the roof is also a way to show off your harvest. The custom of "hiding from autumn", such as some areas in the south, is actually equivalent to after the beginning of autumn, and then there are "autumn tigers", to a high place, or to a place where the woods are densely forested in the wild to hide, that is, I hope to be able to successfully survive the back, to avoid this high temperature weather. Some diseases and disasters that are not good for myself, I avoid or avoid by hiding.
Experts believe that these ritualistic folk activities represent the ancients' emphasis on nodal solar terms, and also contain people's expectations for autumn.
Wang Juan, professor of folk literature at the Department of Chinese, Peking University
I think people may prefer, for example, Liqiu, I prefer Lichun, so he may behave more in the spring and autumn seasons, so he will express people's wishes through some of his own behaviors, so he brings a lot of joy.
Reporting by reporter Wang Shibo from Beijing
Responsible Editor: [Ye Pan]