Watermelon has just entered the picking period around beginning of autumn, and eating watermelon in beginning of autumn is an early adopter. Watermelon has entered the last market in early autumn in some areas of central China. Eating watermelon can dispel the evil spirits in early autumn and nourish the five internal organs.

According to legend, one year in the Ming Dynasty, many people in Nanjing suffered from dysentery and sores. Some people followed the example of Cui Xianggong's daughter in Luzhou to eat watermelon to make the dysentery heal itself. The result was really like this. Since then, this custom has gradually formed. In Qiu Lai, every household cuts watermelons every year, which is called "eating autumn".