the 18th solar term in the 24 solar terms
What is Frost Descent
Frost Descent is the 18th solar term in the 24 solar terms, and the last solar term in autumn. It comes on a day between October 22 and 24 of the Gregorian calendar every year. Frost is not a sign of "frost", but a sudden drop in temperature and a large temperature difference between day and night. On average in China, "Frost Descent" is the season with the largest temperature difference between day and night in a year.
A History Story
In ancient times, the solar terms were divided according to the direction of the "handle of the Big Dipper". When the handle of the Big Dipper points to the northwest of the X position, it is the Frost fall Solar Term. From the Han Dynasty to the end of the Ming Dynasty, the solar terms were divided using the "time-averaging method of the 'flat qi' method", and the winter solstice was determined using the gnomon to measure the shadow of the sun. Starting from the winter solstice, each solar term was approximately 15 days apart, and the frost fall was approximately 300 days after the winter solstice. In the season of Frost Descent, all things have come to fruition and entered the Xù. The Yang energy descends into the earth, and the Yin energy begins to condense. The weather gradually turns cold, starting with the arrival of Frost Descent. The characteristics of the Frost Descent Solar Term are that the weather is colder in the morning and evening, and warmer at noon, with a large temperature difference between day and night, and obvious autumn dryness. The ancients divided the frost into three phases: the first phase is the sacrifice of animals, the second phase is the yellowing of plants, and the third phase is the salty and stinging of insects.
In the season of Frost Descent, most of the northern regions have completed the autumn harvest. The Chinese cabbage in North China is about to be harvested, and it is necessary to strengthen the management in the later stage. In the south, it is the busy season of "three autumn", when single-season hybrid rice and late rice are harvested, and early wheat and rapeseed are planted; Picking cotton and removing cotton stalks. People attach great importance to the Frost Descent, and there are customs such as exorcising evil spirits, sweeping tombs, admiring chrysanthemums, and climbing high to overlook the distant view. Meanwhile, in some places in China, there are food customs such as eating red persimmons, "cooking lamb", "cooking sheep's head", and "cooking rabbit meat in the face of frost" during the season of Frost Descent. In addition, during the frost, it is necessary to pay attention to preventing autumn dryness, autumn depression, and coldness. At 6:15 on October 23, 2024, the frost will fall.
