The autumnal equinox is an important solar term in the twenty-four solar terms of the China lunar calendar, which generally occurs on September 22nd or 23rd every year. It marks the official start of autumn and is the midpoint of autumn. The origin of the solar term autumnal equinox is related to ancient agricultural production and astronomical phenomena.
In ancient China, agriculture was an important foundation of people's lives, and farmers needed to decide the timing of farming and planting according to the changes of seasons. As an important solar term, the autumnal equinox means that farmers need to take corresponding agricultural measures in time to ensure a bumper harvest.
The origin of the autumnal equinox can be traced back to ancient astronomical observations. At the autumnal equinox, the sun is over the equator, and the solar radiation received by the earth reaches the lowest point in the whole year. This is also because at the autumnal equinox, the direct point of the sun is located in the middle of the eastern hemisphere on the equatorial line. Due to the weakening of direct sunlight on the equator, the temperature in the northern hemisphere gradually drops and enters autumn.
In agriculture, the autumnal equinox is an important period for farmers to complete autumn harvest and farmland consolidation. Autumn harvest refers to the harvest season, and farmers store the harvested crops for use in winter. Farmland consolidation is to plow and rake the farmland after harvesting the crops, so as to prepare for the spring ploughing in the coming year.
In addition, the autumnal equinox is also related to ancient sacrificial activities. In ancient China, people thought that autumn was a period when the yang gradually closed and the yin gradually grew, and everything went into a dormant state. In order to pay tribute to the gods and pray for a bumper harvest in the coming year, people will hold various sacrificial ceremonies on the autumn equinox.
Data expansion
Historical origin
Twenty-four solar term: "See the vernal equinox in mid-August". "Minute" means to divide the day and night equally. Like the vernal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator of the earth, and day and night are equal. After that, the days are shorter than the nights.
In the first part of the Spring and Autumn Period, it is said: "The autumn equinox, yin and yang are also half-phase, so day and night are both cold and hot." The autumnal equinox is just in the middle of 90 days in autumn, which means "equal share", so it is called "autumnal equinox".
The autumnal equinox used to be the traditional "Festival of Sacrificing the Moon".
Now the Mid-Autumn Festival comes from the traditional autumnal equinox "offering sacrifices to the moon". According to textual research, the "Moon Festival" was originally set on the day of "Autumn Equinox", but since there is not always a full moon on this day, the "Moon Festival" was later transferred from the twenty-four solar terms "Autumn Equinox" to the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.
In a word, the autumnal equinox, as one of the traditional solar terms in China, is closely related to agricultural production and astronomical phenomena. It not only marks the official start of autumn, but also is an important period for farmers to complete autumn harvest and farmland consolidation. In addition, the autumnal equinox also carries people's good expectations for bumper harvest and blessing in the coming year.