苏说文化二十节气之霜降（英文版）
霜降
Frost’s Descent, or Shuangjiang in Chinese
二十四节气的第十八个
is the 18th of the 24 Solar Terms
秋季的最后一个节气
and the last of the autumn
每年阳历10月23日前后
Shuangjiang usually happens around October 23
太阳到达黄经210°
when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 210 degrees
气温骤降 秋意渐浓
and the temperature is plummeting rapidly
《二十四节气解》有云
According to the Interpretations of the Twenty Four Solar Terms
气肃而霜降
cold air and descending frost herald
阴始凝也
the coming of the frigidity
秋日夜晚
On autumn nights
空气温度骤降
the temperature can abruptly plummet below zero
地面热量散失
causing drastic heat loss at ground level
空气中的水蒸气在地面或叶面上
then vapor in the air freezes either on the ground or the leaves
凝结形成细小的冰针
in the form of white tiny ice needles
或洁白松软的六角形霜花
or fragile hexagons
此时
By the time of Shuangjiang
中国北方大部 秋收已经结束
farm work has been completed in northern China
而南方 正是秋忙季节
while in south, it is still in its heyday
收割晚稻
as farmers have to take home the late rice
平整土地
plow the fields
播种春小麦和油菜
and plant the spring wheat and oilseed rape
霜降时节 正值菊花傲霜绽放
The early frost is also known as Chrysanthemum Frost
因此 早霜又叫“菊花霜”
since Shuangjiang is the time that chrysanthemum blossoms
中国人爱菊
Chinese express their adoration for chrysanthemum
各种菊展粉墨登场
through such costumes as hosting chrysanthemum fairs
古诗云
As a Chinese poem goes
“霜叶红于二月花”
the frosted autumn leaves outshine February flowers in redness
霜降过后
After Shuangjiang
枫树、黄栌树等在秋霜的洗礼下
the leaves of the maple tree and smoke tree
漫山红遍
will turn the landscape
如火似锦 非常壮观
into spectacular fire-like red
吸引游人前来观光
attracting people to go hiking and sightseeing
北京著名的香山红叶
The famous Fragrant Hill of Beijing
随着霜降的到来
with the advent of Shuangjiang
开始变幻
is about to usher in the season
由粉红到火红慢慢变成紫红
when the leaves turn from slight red to fire-like red
霜降前后 柿子成熟
Shuangjiang is also the time that persimmons get ripe
柿子性暖
With the property of warming
是上好的霜降水果
persimmons are the best fruit to eat during Shuangjiang
常吃可以御寒保暖
not only to keep off the coldness
强身健骨
but also strengthen the muscles and bones
秋已逝
The autumn almost comes to an end
冬将至
and the winter is just around the corner
天气渐凉
With the temperature becoming lower and lower
秋燥明显
the atmosphere is becoming drier
燥 易伤津
so dehydration becomes a problem for many people
此时
That is why Chinese have been attached great importance
养生保健尤为重要
to health care during Shuangjiang
民间谚语
which is shown in a Chinese saying that
“一年补透透 不如补霜降”
no nourishing body is better than that
正是此意
during Shuangjiang
霜降养生首先要重视保暖
The first thing on the to-do list is keeping warm
其次要防秋燥
followed by precautions against dehydration
运动量可适当加大
People should also increase the amount of physical exercise
饮食调养方面
As for diet
此时宜平补
people are instructed to eat the foods
可多吃健脾养阴润燥的食物
that help nourish the spleen and fend off dehydration
萝卜、栗子、秋梨
Radish, chestnut, pear
百合、蜂蜜、牛肉、鸡肉等
lily, honey, beef and chicken etc.
都是不错的选择
are the best choices
