秋分（Autumn Equinox）

秋分（Autumn Equinox或Autumnal Equinox）是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第十六个节气。

传统农历将一年划分为24个节气。秋分，拼音为Qiūfēn，是一年中第16个节气。它始于太阳到达黄经180°，结束于太阳到达黄经195°。它更常指的是太阳正处于黄经180°的日子，在公历中，通常在9月23日左右。

The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Qiūfēn (pīnyīn), is the 16th solar term. It begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 180° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 195°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 180°, which in the solar calendar is around September 23.

每个节气可分为三候：初候、次候和末候。秋分的三候为：雷始收声，蛰虫坯户，水始涸。

Each solar term can be divided into 3 times. They are:  

First time: Thunder begins to soften

Second time: Insects make nests

Last time: Water begins to solidify

秋分节气习俗

蟹肥美 

Eating Crabs

秋天的蟹，膏满黄肥，民间素有“秋风起，蟹脚痒”一说。《红楼梦》中的一场“螃蟹宴”中，曹雪芹更是借黛玉之口咏出“螯封嫩玉双双满，壳凸红脂块块香”的美句，不知馋得多少人深夜里吞口水。

秋分时节，正是螃黄肥美之时。吃螃蟹可益阴补髓，清热解毒。

In this season, crabs are delicious. Eating crabs helps nourish the marrow and clear the heat inside the body.

品桂香 

Enjoying Sweet Olive

“桂树婆娑影，天香满世闻。” 秋分正是闻桂香、赏桂花的好时节。

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。

The Autumn Equinox is the time for smelling the fragrance of sweet olive. At this time, it is hot in the day and cool in the night in South China, so people wear a single layer in the day, and have to put on another layer in the night. This period is named "Guihuazheng" in Chinese, which means it becomes stuffy when sweet olive is blooming.

赏菊花 

Enjoying Chrysanthemums

古人云：“寒花开已尽，菊蕊独盈枝。”秋风萧瑟，万花憔悴失色，此时盛放的菊花一簇簇站在天地间，耀眼得让人敬佩。

秋分前后，正是菊花盛放时，赏菊品香好时节。

It is also a good season to enjoy chrysanthemums in full blossom around Autumn Equinox.

吃秋菜

Eating Qiucai

在中国南方，秋分“吃秋菜”也是广受欢迎的习俗。秋菜是一种野苋菜。每到秋分这天，村民们都会去野外采摘秋菜。田野中的秋菜青翠纤细，可与鱼一起熬成汤。

采摘的秋菜和鱼一起熬成汤，这种汤被叫做“秋汤”。有句关于秋汤的顺口溜：“秋汤灌脏，洗涤肝肠，阖家老少，平安健康。”

Qiucai is taken back and made into soup with fish, named "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."

立鸡蛋

Standing an Egg

秋分这天，世界各地成千上万的人在参与“竖蛋”游戏。而相传这一习俗，起源于中国。

关于“竖蛋”的原理，有两种不同的说法：一种说法是，春秋分时期，地球地轴与地球绕太阳公转的轨道平面正好处于一种力的相对平衡状态，有利于“竖蛋”；另外一种观点则表明，“竖蛋”的成功率与日期无关，关键需要使蛋的重心下移。

“竖蛋”的诀窍是握住鸡蛋，使其蛋黄尽可能下沉。为了达成这个条件，最好选择生出来4-5天的鸡蛋，蛋黄更易沉降。

The trick is holding the egg until the yolk sinks as much as possible. For this, you’d better choose an egg of about 4 or 5 days old, whose yolk is easier to sink down.