二十四节气之寒露和霜降

王洋帆

寒露

每年的公历10月7日至10月9日是寒露时令，随着这一时节的到来，气温逐渐下降，节气中也开始带上“寒”字。“寒”是个会意字，描绘的是古代临近冬季时人们躲避冰霜、藉草取暖的景象：在宝盖头“宀”的屋子里，人们正蜷卧在“”形的草堆中取暖，最下方的两点则表示屋外寒冷的冰霜。

The period from October 7th to October9th each year on the Gregorian calendarmarks Hanlu， or Cold Dew. During thisperiod， temperatures gradually decrease， andthe character  （coldness） becomes morefrequently used in solar terms. The character is an associative compound depictiondepicting ancient peoples avoidance of frostwhile seeking warmth with grass as winterapproaches： Under the roof represented by theradical 宀， individuals huddle together amonggrass symbolized by the configuration ， toretain heat. The two downward strokes at thebase signify the cold frost outside the dwelling.

寒露时节，中国大部分地区已经告别了炎热的暑气，南方秋意渐浓，而北方则已经步入深秋。寒露时节的首要任务是为即将到来的冬天做准备。农田里，秋收与秋播的繁忙景象随处可见。农谚“寒露不摘棉，霜打莫怨天”提醒人们在霜冻到来前将已经成熟的农作物收割入库。而“秋分早，霜降迟，寒露种麦正当时”的俗语则指导农民翻松土地，种下冬小麦等耐寒作物，期待着迎接新一轮的丰收。

By the Hanlu， most regions of China havebid farewell to the lingering heat of summer. Inthe south， autumn sets in gradually， while thenorth transitions into deep autumn. The primaryfocus during the Hanlu period is preparing for theimpending winter. Across fields， the lively scenes ofautumnal harvests and sowings unfold. There is anagricultural adage “If you dont pick cotton duringCold Dew， you only have yourself to blame whenfrost strikes，” advising that farmers should harvestthe mature crops and store them before the frostarrives. Another saying suggests that “Too earlyduring Autumn Equinox （late September） andtoo late during Frost Descent （late October）; theoptimal time for sowing wheat is during Cold Dew，”which guides farmers to till the soil and plant coldresistantcrops like winter wheat in anticipation ofanother bountiful harvest.

除了人类，动植物们也会在寒露时节为度过冬季早早打算起来。大雁们排成“一”字或“人”字向南飞去，到温暖的南方寻找过冬的乐土；熊、鹿等哺乳动物开始换上更加厚重的绒毛，这层细密的“毛绒外套”能够帮助它们抵御严寒；菊花作为这一时节最具代表性的花卉，竞相绽放。人们观赏菊花，品菊花酒，咏菊寄情，庆贺金秋，共度重阳佳节。

In addition to humans， animals and plants alsostart their preparations for winter during the ColdDew season. Geese form a 一 or 人 shape as theymigrate southward in search of warmer habitatsfor winter. Mammals such as bears and deer begingrowing thicker fur coats to endure the harsh coldconditions. Chrysanthemums， the quintessentialflowers of this season， bloom profusely. Peopleapprec iate chr ysanthemums ， i ndulge inchrysanthemum wine， compose poetry about theirblossoms， celebrate the resplendent autumn， andobserve the Double Ninth Festival together.

寒露时节，稻谷归仓，瓜果飘香。南宋诗人曹彦约在《寒露日阻风雨左里诗》中描写自己在归家途中感受到的寒露时节的美好秋意：

During the Hanlu period， rice is stored inbarns while melons and fruits emit a fragrantaroma. The Southern Song poet Cao Yanyuecaptured the essence of the enchanting autumnatmosphere during the Hanlu period in hispoem “Wind and Rain Blocking the Road onCold Dew Day in Zuoli1”：瓮白应浮酒，篱黄可著花。

一江三十里，直欲问仙槎（chá）。

As the wine in the jar turns pure white，the golden blossoms adorning the fence isready for picking.My home is only thirty miles away by water，which fills my heart with overwhelming joy.

斟满美酒，再摘下篱笆旁已经盛开的金黄菊花，想着家乡只与自己相隔三十里水路，归乡之情中满溢的快乐就足以令人飘飘欲仙了。

As he fills his jar with exquisite wineand plucks the golden chrysanthemumsblooming by the fence， the poet experiencedan overwhelming sense of elation upon hisimminent return， realizing that his hometownlies a mere thirty miles away by water.

寒露时令，登高望远，既能眺望朗朗秋光，也能透过即将来临的寒冬，望见来年又一个明媚的春天。

During the Hanlu period， by ascendingto great heights and gazing into the distance，one can appreciate the crisp autumn light andpeer through the approaching winter， eagerlyanticipating the arrival of another splendidspring in the forthcoming year.

霜降

霜降时节的到来，意味着秋天的结束和冬天的开始。这个节气通常在每年的公历10 月23日或24日。“霜”是由于气温骤降，加之昼夜温差大而形成的自然现象。“霜降杀百草”，寒霜的降临使得植物萧条衰败，此时大地逐渐褪去鲜艳的色彩，用一片淡色迎接冬天的到来。

The advent of Shuangjiang， or FrostDescent， signifies the end of autumn andthe beginning of winter. This solar termtypically occurs on October 23rd or 24th.“Frost” is a natural phenomenon triggeredby a sudden plummet in temperature，accentuated by substantial temperaturedifferentials between day and night. Theadage asserts， “The descending frost killsall plants，” as the onset of harsh frost resultsin the withering and decline of vegetation.During this period， the landscape graduallyloses its vivid hues， welcoming theencroachment of winter with a subduedpalette.

在枯槁的草木中，有两抹红色令人眼前一亮。一是柿子的红，“霜降摘柿子，立冬打软枣”，霜降正是柿子大批量成熟的时节。人们摘柿子、吃柿子，“柿”同“事”，寓意人们事事平安顺遂；“柿”也同“市”，寄托商人“利市”的美好愿望。二是枫叶的红，秋霜摧败了草木，却也催红了枫叶，构造出漫山霞似火的画面。唐代诗人杜牧的《山行》有云：

Amidst the desolate grasslands andtrees， two crimson splashes captivate thegaze. One emanates from persimmons，whose red hue shines prominent ly.“Harvest persimmons at Frost Descent，and gather soft dates at the Beginning ofWinter.” This is a tradition acknowledging the abundant ripening of persimmons during thisseason. People harvest and savor persimmons， asthe Chinese term for “persimmon” phoneticallyresembles “everything，” symbolizing wishes forsmooth progression in all endeavors. Furthermore，it phonetically resembles “profit” in Chinese，signifying aspirations for commercial prosperity.The other crimson allure arises from maple leaves.Despite the devastation wrought by autumn froston vegetation， it induces the vibrant transformationof maple leaves into fiery red， culminating in apicturesque vista reminiscent of hills ablaze withflames. In the Tang Dynasty， the poet Du Mupenned in his work “Autumn Glory”：

远上寒山石径斜，白云生处有人家。

停车坐爱枫林晚，霜叶红于二月花。

Off the main road runs a narrow stone path，winding， climbing， vanishing into the cloudyheights where perch a few tiny cottages.

Here I pull up my carriage， entranced. Forthe twilight mountainside is ablaze with crimsonmaples more vivid than spring flowers.

蜿蜒曲折的山间小路一直通向深秋山林的高处，高耸入云之处竟然还住着几户人家。诗人停下车马，长久地流连于此处，是为了欣赏眼前的枫林晚景，看那被寒霜浸染的枫叶，火红的颜色更胜二月鲜艳的春花。

The sinuous mountain track ascends towardsthe depths of the profound autumn woodlands，where surprisingly a few homesteads dot the loftyarea. The poet interrupted his journey， lingering inthis locale to admire the late autumnal spectacle of maple groves， beholding the frost-kissed mapleleaves with their incandescent hues eclipsingthe resplendent blossoms of early spring.在霜降时节要注意“秋补”，以抵御寒冬。“一年补透透，不如补霜降”，人们爱吃的牛羊肉，蛋白含量高，味道鲜美，还能温暖脾胃，是极佳的滋补食材。

During the Shuangjiang period， peoplepay attention to “autumn supplementation”to brace for the impending winter. “Better tosupplement at Frost Descent than to regret theentire year.” Beef and mutton consumption isfavored during this period for their rich proteincontent， delectable flavor， and capacity toinvigorate the spleen and stomach， renderingthem superior nourishing ingredients.

“天上繁霜降，人间秋色深”，从一年之初的万物复苏，再到如今冰霜出现，草木凋落，自然万物应候而荣，顺时而凋。霜降时节为这周而复始、生生不息的循环画上了短暂的休止符，预示着立冬的脚步已近。然而，待到来年霜雪消融、春暖花开之时，又有新的生命循环……

“As frost descends from the heavens，autumnal hues deepen on the earth.”2 From thereawakening of life at the years outset to theadvent of frost， which ushes in leaf fall， we havewitnessed the ebb and flow of the natural worldas ordained. The Shuangjiang phase constitutesa brief interlude in this perpetual cycle，heralding the imminent onset of Lidong， or theBeginning of Winter. Nonetheless， when thefrost and snow thaw in the approaching year，and the warmth of spring coaxes forth bloomsanew， a fresh life cycle shall commence.