Qiufen, or the Autumn Equinox, is the 16th solar term, beginning around September 22nd and concluding around October 8th, when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 180°. It marks the true arrival of autumn’s balance, when day and night are equal in length and the world tilts gently toward the darker half of the year. Though the sun still warms the earth at noon, the mornings and evenings carry a crisp chill, and the air grows drier as northern winds sweep away the last traces of summer humidity.
Agriculturally, Qiufen is a season of harvest and sowing in equal measure. In the Yellow River basin, corn and soybeans reach full maturity, while cotton and late rice await the final ripening sun. In the Yangtze River region, fields hum with the busy rhythm of “autumn harvest, autumn plowing, and autumn planting,” as farmers race to bring in the grain before the first frost and sow winter wheat in the same breath. The old saying, “At Qiufen, harvest the grain and plant the wheat,” captures the farmer’s delicate balancing act—gathering the year’s bounty while laying the groundwork for the next.
Culturally, Qiufen carries traditions that honor both nature’s harmony and human community. The ancient custom of “offering sacrifices to the moon” dates back to the Zhou Dynasty, when emperors worshipped the moon on this night and common people gathered to admire its full, luminous face. In many regions, families eat “autumn vegetables”—wild greens harvested at this time—believing they cleanse the body and ward off illness. The custom of standing eggs, an ancient game said to be easier at this balanced moment, symbolizes the harmony between heaven and earth. These age-old rituals, woven into daily life, reflect a profound understanding: that the autumn equinox is not merely a turning point, but a quiet invitation—to savor the balance of light and dark, to give thanks for the earth’s generosity, and to prepare in serene gratitude for the slower, deeper rhythms ahead.
By Yuan Ruichen/ Zhang Yishuo
