The Health Preservation Chapter of the Start of Autumn in the 24 Solar Terms

After the Major Heat, the season turned to the Beginning of Autumn. Autumn is a season of withering and desolation, heralding the arrival of autumn. The Almanacs state: "When the Big Dipper points to the southwest, it marks the beginning of Autumn. The Yin meaning emerges from the earth and starts to kill all things. According to the instructions of autumn, the grains are ripe." At this time, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 135 degrees. From this day on, the sky was clear and the air was crisp, the moon was bright and the wind was gentle. The temperature gradually dropped from hot. There is a saying that goes, "On the day of the Start of Autumn, cool breezes arrive," meaning that the Start of Autumn marks the beginning of the cool season. However, due to China's vast territory and different latitudes and altitudes, it is actually impossible to enter the cool autumn simultaneously on the day of the Start of Autumn. From the perspective of its climatic characteristics, the Start of Autumn, due to the lingering heat of midsummer and the rampant autumn sun, especially around the time of the Start of Autumn, many areas are still in a state of extreme heat. Therefore, it is thus known as the "Autumn Tiger". Meteorological data indicates that this hot climate often persists until the middle and late September when the weather can truly cool down. The Start of Autumn is particularly important for farmers. There is a farming proverb that goes, "A thunderclap in autumn means half a harvest in winter," and "A sunny day on the Start of Autumn means no effort for farmers." This means that if thunder is heard on the Start of Autumn, crops will have a poor harvest in winter. If the weather is clear on the day of the Start of Autumn, one is sure to enjoy favorable weather and abundant harvests. There will be no worries about drought or flood in farming, and one can just wait for a bountiful harvest. Besides, there is the saying, "In July, all autumn is harvested; in June, all autumn is lost." and "North wind before autumn, rain after autumn." The saying "The north wind dries up the riverbed after autumn." That is to say, the Start of Autumn in the seventh lunar month is expected to bring a bountiful harvest of grains. However, if the Start of Autumn falls in the sixth lunar month, the grains will not be ripe and will surely be reaped. If the north wind blows before the Start of Autumn, it is bound to rain after the Start of Autumn. If the north wind blows after the Start of Autumn, drought may occur this winter. During the feudal society of our country, there was also the custom of welcoming autumn on the Start of Autumn. On this day, feudal emperors would personally lead civil and military officials to the suburbs of the city to set up altars to welcome the autumn. This is also the season when soldiers start to diligently practice their combat skills and prepare for battle. From this, it can be seen that the weather on the Start of Autumn is so important. The Beginning of Autumn marks the start of the autumn season. As recorded in "Guanzi", "In autumn, the Yin energy begins to descend, and thus all things are reaped." In autumn health preservation, the "Suwen: Great Treatise on the Regulation of the Four Qi and the Spirit" points out: "The Yin and Yang of the four seasons are the foundation of all things. Therefore, the sage nourishes Yang in spring and summer and Yin in autumn and winter to follow their roots. Thus, they float and sink with all things at the gate of growth. Going against their roots will cut off their essence and destroy their true nature." This is the ancient people's principle of regulating the four seasons, warning people that to maintain health in accordance with the four seasons, one should understand the natural laws of spring growth, summer flourishing, autumn harvest and winter storage. To achieve the goal of prolonging one's life, one must follow and adapt to it. The changes in the entire natural world are a gradual process. The Start of Autumn is a transitional solar term when the climate transitions from hot to cool. It is also a period when the Yang energy gradually recesses and the Yin energy gradually increases, transitioning from the dominance of Yang to that of Yin. It is the season when all things ripen and are harvested, and also a transitional period when the metabolism of Yin and Yang in the human body shows the decline of Yang and the growth of Yin. Therefore, for health preservation in autumn, all aspects of mental and emotional well-being, diet and daily routine, and physical exercise should follow the principle of nourishing and conserving. Specifically, the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) of things in traditional Chinese medicine theory should be classified and summarized, such as the five tones (Jiao, Zhi, Gong, Shang, and Yu) in nature. Five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty); Five colors (cyan, red, yellow, white, black); The Five Transformations (generation, growth, transformation, collection, and storage); The five qi (wind, heat, dampness, dryness, and cold); Five directions (east, south, center, west, north); Five seasons (spring, summer, long summer, autumn and winter). The five internal organs in the human body (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys); The six viscera (gallbladder, small intestine, stomach, large intestine, bladder, and triple burner); Five senses (eyes, tongue, mouth, nose, ears); Five forms (tendons, veins, flesh, skin and hair, bones); Five emotions (anger, joy, pensiveness, sorrow and fear); The five sounds (Shouting, laughing, singing, crying and moaning). From this, it can be seen that autumn corresponds to the lungs, and the lungs are associated with sadness (worry). Sadness and worry can easily harm the lungs. When lung qi is weak, the body's tolerance to adverse stimuli decreases, and it is easy to generate emotions of sadness and worry. Therefore, when self-regulating, one must not deviate from the natural laws and follow the ancient guidelines: "Calm the mind to alleviate the autumn punishment, gather the spirit, and make the autumn qi balanced." To have no external aspirations and keep the lung qi clear, this is the response to the autumn qi and the way of nourishing and conserving. I. Mental Adjustment: One should achieve inner peace, mental tranquility, and a pleasant mood. It is essential to avoid feelings of sadness and sorrow. Even when encountering sad events, one should actively seek to relieve them to avoid the oppressive and bleak atmosphere. At the same time, one should also restrain one's spirit to adapt to the calm and peaceful atmosphere of autumn. Second, daily life adjustment: The season of the Start of Autumn is already a time of clear and crisp weather. One should start to "go to bed early and get up early, and rise with the rooster". Going to bed early is to follow the contraction of Yang energy, and getting up early is to allow the lung energy to expand and prevent excessive contraction. The Beginning of Autumn marks the early autumn season. The summer heat has not yet subsided. Although cool breezes have arrived, the weather is unpredictable. Even in the same area, there can be a situation where "there are four seasons in one day and different weather every ten miles". Therefore, one should not wear too many clothes, otherwise it will affect the body's adaptability to the colder climate and make one prone to catching a cold. Iii. Dietary Adjustment; The "Suwen: Zangqi Fa Shi Lun" states: "The lung governs autumn..." The lungs have contracted. In a hurry, sour food can be consumed to contract them. Sour food can be used to nourish them, and pungent food can be used to purge them. It can be seen that sour flavors astringe lung qi, while pungent flavors disperse and purge the lungs. In autumn, it is better to contract rather than disperse. Therefore, one should try to eat less pungent foods like scallions and ginger, and consume more sour fruits and vegetables appropriately. In autumn, the lung metal is dominant. If the lung metal is too strong, it will harm the liver wood. Therefore, the "Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet" also states that "one should not eat the lung in autumn." In autumn, dryness is dominant and it is easy to deplet body fluids. Therefore, the diet should focus on nourishing Yin and moistening the lungs. The Essentials of Yinshan states: "In autumn, the air is dry. It is advisable to consume hemp to moisten the dryness and avoid cold drinks." There are even those who advocate eating raw rehmannia porridge in autumn to nourish Yin and moisten dryness. In conclusion, during the autumn season, one can appropriately consume soft and moistening foods such as sesame, glutinous rice, common rice, honey, loquat, pineapple, and dairy products to benefit the stomach and generate body fluids. Iv. Exercise for Health Preservation: As autumn approaches, it is an excellent time to engage in various forms of exercise. Each person can choose different exercise programs based on their own specific conditions. Here, we would like to introduce an autumn health preservation exercise, namely the "Autumn Breathing and Fitness Method" recorded in the "Daozang Yuzhujing". The specific approach is as follows: After washing up in the early morning, sit quietly with your eyes closed indoors. First, clench your teeth 36 times, then stir your mouth with your tongue. When your mouth is full of liquid, rinse it several times, swallow it in three portions and send it to your dantian with your mind. Pause for a moment and then slowly do abdominal deep breathing. When inhaling, lick the upper palate with your tongue, inhale through your nose, and send your mind to the dantian. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. While exhaling, silently recite the word "xin", but do not make a sound. Repeat this process 30 times. If you persist in doing this exercise in autumn, it will have the effect of protecting the lungs and strengthening the body. Autumn Start Recipe: Rehmannia Porridge: [Recipe] 25 grams of rehmannia, 75 grams of rice, a little sugar. [Preparation] Fresh rehmannia glutinosa (wash the fresh product, cut it finely, and then boil it in an appropriate amount of water over fire for about 30 minutes. Strain out the liquid and boil it again. Combine the two batches of liquid and concentrate it to 100 milliliters for later use.) Wash the rice and cook it into white porridge. While it's still hot, add the rehmannia juice and stir well. When serving, add an appropriate amount of sugar to taste. [Functions] Nourishes Yin and benefits the stomach, cools the blood and generates body fluids. This prescription can also be used as a diet for patients with tuberculosis and diabetes. Polygonatum odoratum braised Elbow: [Recipe] 9 grams of Polygonatum odoratum, 9 grams of Codonopsis pilosula, 5 jujubes, 750 grams of pork knuckles, 15 grams of ginger, and an appropriate amount of scallions. [Preparation] Cut the Polygonatum odoratum into thin slices and the Codonopsis pilosula into short sections. Put them in a gauze bag and tie the opening. Wash the jujubes and set them aside. Scrape and wash the pig's elbow thoroughly, blanch it in boiling water to remove the blood water, then take it out and set it aside. Wash the ginger and scallions, smash them and set them aside. Put all the ingredients in a clay pot together, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, remove the scum, then simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens and the elbow sticks. Remove the medicine bag, and put the elbow, soup and jujubes into a bowl at the same time to complete. [Functions] Tonifies the spleen and moistens the lungs. It is particularly suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach, poor appetite, lung deficiency cough, and those who are physically weak after illness. Five-color Honey Pearl Fruit: [Ingredients] 1 apple, 1 pear, half a pineapple, 10 bayberries, 10 water chestnuts, 1 lemon, and an appropriate amount of white sugar. [Method] Wash and peel the apples, pears and pineapples. Use a round spoon to scoop them into round beads respectively. Wash and peel the water chestnuts. Wash the bayberries and set them aside. Add white sugar to 50 milliliters of clear water, heat it in a pot until it dissolves. After cooling, add lemon juice. Arrange the five kinds of fruits into your favorite patterns. When eating, pour the sugar syrup over the fruits and it's done. [Functions] Quenching thirst and promoting saliva production, harmonizing the stomach and aiding digestion. Vinegar and Pepper Fish: [Ingredients] 1 yellow croaker, coriander, scallions, ginger, pepper powder, yellow wine, sesame oil, monosodium glutamate, fresh soup, white vinegar, salt, and vegetable oil in appropriate amounts. [Method] Wash the yellow croaker and then 剞 cut it into flower patterns and set aside. Wash the scallions and ginger and cut them into thin shreds. Heat the oil in a wok, fry the fish on both sides until they turn golden brown, then remove and drain the oil. Heat a small amount of oil in a pot. When it's hot, add pepper and shredded ginger and stir-fry slightly. Then add fresh soup, wine, salt and fish. Cook until the fish is done. Remove it and place it in a deep plate. Sprinkle with shredded scallions and coriander. When the soup in the pot boils, add white vinegar, monosodium glutamate and sesame oil, stir well and pour it into the fish plate. [Functions] It can invigorate the spleen and stimulate the appetite, replenish essence and benefit qi. From China.org.cn