秋分：阴阳相半，昼夜均长
秋分，作为二十四节气中的第十六个节气，通常在公历 9 月 22 – 24 日交节。这一天，太阳直射赤道，全球昼夜平分，此后太阳直射点继续南移，北半球昼渐短，夜渐长。秋分不仅在天文学上有着特殊意义，还标志着秋季已经过半，自然界的阴阳之气也达到了相对平衡的状态，万物开始进入秋收、秋耕、秋种的大忙季节，呈现出一片繁忙而又充实的景象。
一、秋分的历史渊源
秋分在我国有着悠久的历史，早在周朝时期，就有了 “春分祭日，秋分祭月” 的礼仪制度。据《礼记》记载：“天子春朝日，秋夕月。朝日以朝，夕月以夕。” 这里的 “夕月” 即秋分夜晚祭月的仪式，这表明古人已将秋分视为一个极为重要的祭祀时节，通过祭月来祈求风调雨顺、五谷丰登。在古代农业社会，秋分是农业生产的关键节点，此时，北方地区的冬小麦等农作物开始播种，而南方的水稻也陆续进入收割期，农民们依据秋分的节气特点，精心安排农事活动，这种对天时的精准把握和遵循，反映了古人对自然规律的深刻认识以及对农业生产的高度重视，秋分也因此成为传承千年的农耕文化的重要组成部分。
二、秋分的民俗文化
（一）饮食习俗
秋分有着独特的饮食习俗。吃秋菜是较为普遍的习俗之一，秋菜通常是一种野生苋菜，在秋分这一天，人们会到田野间采摘秋菜，回家后与鱼片一起煮成 “秋菜汤”，民间有 “秋汤灌脏，洗涤肝肠。阖家老少，平安健康” 的说法，认为食用秋菜可以清除体内的污垢，保佑家人健康。此外，在一些地区还有吃汤圆的习俗，秋分时节的汤圆多没有馅料，人们会将汤圆煮好后用竹签串起来，插在田间地头，这被称为 “粘雀子嘴”，寓意是防止麻雀来破坏庄稼，反映了农民们对丰收的祈愿与守护。还有吃螃蟹的习俗，秋分时节，螃蟹肥美，正是品尝的好时机，人们会蒸煮螃蟹，一家人围坐在一起，享受这一美味佳肴，感受秋日的惬意与富足。
（二）传统活动
秋分期间的传统活动丰富多样。竖蛋是一项趣味性十足的活动，在秋分这一天，由于地球地轴与公转轨道平面处于一种相对平衡的状态，鸡蛋更容易竖立起来，世界各地都有许多人尝试在这一天进行竖蛋挑战，这一活动不仅考验人们的耐心和技巧，也为秋分增添了一份独特的乐趣。祭月也是秋分的重要传统活动，在古代，皇家有专门的祭月场所和仪式，而民间则多在庭院中摆上月饼、西瓜、苹果等祭品，朝着月亮的方向祭拜，表达对月神的崇敬与感恩之情，随着时间的推移，祭月逐渐演变成了中秋节赏月、吃月饼等更为大众熟知的活动形式。此外，在一些农村地区，秋分还有送秋牛图的习俗，秋牛图是一种印有二十四节气和耕牛图案的图画，送图者会在秋分时节走村串户，一边向农民们讲解节气和农事知识，一边送上秋牛图，祈求来年风调雨顺、农业丰收，这体现了民间对农业生产知识的传播与重视。
三、秋分的文化意义
秋分蕴含着深厚的文化意义。从自然规律角度看，它是地球公转与季节变化的重要体现，昼夜平分的现象反映了自然界阴阳平衡的状态，这种平衡是万物生长、发展的基础，也启示人们在生活中追求和谐与适度。在文化层面，秋分的民俗活动反映了人们对自然的敬畏、对家庭的重视以及对美好生活的向往。无论是吃秋菜、汤圆、螃蟹等饮食习俗，还是竖蛋、祭月、送秋牛图等传统活动，都凝聚着人们对丰收的期盼、对健康的祝愿以及对传统文化的传承与延续。秋分就像一个文化符号，将天文现象、农业生产与民俗文化紧密相连，在岁月的长河中，它承载着中华民族的记忆与情感，使人们在遵循自然规律的同时，也能感受到传统文化的魅力与温暖，从而更加珍惜自然的馈赠和家庭的团聚，积极营造和谐美满的生活氛围。
Autumn Equinox: The Balance of Yin and Yang, Equal Day and Night
The Autumn Equinox, the sixteenth solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, usually occurs around September 22 – 24 in the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the day and night are of equal length all over the world. After that, the direct point of the sun continues to move southward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually become shorter and the nights longer. The Autumn Equinox not only has a special significance in astronomy but also marks that autumn has passed halfway. The yin and yang qi in nature has reached a relatively balanced state. All things start to enter the busy season of autumn harvest, autumn ploughing and autumn sowing, presenting a busy and fulfilling scene.
1. Historical Origin of the Autumn Equinox
The Autumn Equinox has a long history in China. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, there was an etiquette system of “sacrificing to the sun at the Spring Equinox and sacrificing to the moon at the Autumn Equinox”. According to “The Book of Rites”: “The Son of Heaven sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn. Sacrificing to the sun is in the morning, and sacrificing to the moon is in the evening.” Here, “sacrificing to the moon” is the ceremony of sacrificing to the moon on the night of the Autumn Equinox. This shows that the ancients regarded the Autumn Equinox as an extremely important sacrificial season. They prayed for favorable weather and a bumper harvest by sacrificing to the moon. In ancient agricultural society, the Autumn Equinox was a key node of agricultural production. At this time, winter wheat and other crops in the northern region began to be sown, and rice in the southern region successively entered the harvest period. Farmers arranged farming activities carefully according to the characteristics of the Autumn Equinox solar term. This accurate grasp and compliance with the opportune time reflect the ancients’ profound understanding of the laws of nature and their high attention to agricultural production. Therefore, the Autumn Equinox has become an important part of the agricultural culture that has been passed down for thousands of years.
2. Folk Culture of the Autumn Equinox
(1) Dietary Customs
The Autumn Equinox has unique dietary customs. Eating autumn vegetables is one of the more common customs. Autumn vegetables are usually a kind of wild amaranth. On the day of the Autumn Equinox, people will go to the fields to pick autumn vegetables and cook them with fish slices into “autumn vegetable soup”. There is a folk saying that “autumn soup cleans the internal organs and washes the liver and intestines. The whole family, old and young, is safe and healthy”. It is believed that eating autumn vegetables can remove the dirt in the body and bless the family’s health. In addition, in some regions, there is a custom of eating glutinous rice balls. Glutinous rice balls in the Autumn Equinox season mostly have no fillings. People will string the cooked glutinous rice balls with bamboo sticks and insert them in the fields. This is called “sticking the sparrow’s beak”, which implies preventing sparrows from damaging the crops and reflects the farmers’ prayers and protection for the harvest. There is also a custom of eating crabs. In the Autumn Equinox season, crabs are plump and it is a good time to taste them. People will steam or boil crabs and the whole family will sit around and enjoy this delicious dish, feeling the comfort and abundance of autumn.
(2) Traditional Activities
The traditional activities during the Autumn Equinox are rich and diverse. Standing an egg is a very interesting activity. On the day of the Autumn Equinox, due to the relatively balanced state of the earth’s axis and the plane of its orbit, eggs are easier to stand upright. Many people around the world try to stand eggs on this day. This activity not only tests people’s patience and skills but also adds a unique fun to the Autumn Equinox. Sacrificing to the moon is also an important traditional activity of the Autumn Equinox. In ancient times, the royal family had special sacrificial places and ceremonies, while among the people, they usually placed offerings such as mooncakes, watermelons and apples in the courtyard and worshiped in the direction of the moon to express their respect and gratitude to the moon god. With the passage of time, sacrificing to the moon has gradually evolved into more popular forms such as enjoying the moon and eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. In addition, in some rural areas, there is a custom of presenting autumn ox pictures during the Autumn Equinox. Autumn ox pictures are pictures printed with the twenty-four solar terms and the pattern of an ox. The presenter will go from house to house in the Autumn Equinox season, explaining the solar terms and farming knowledge to farmers while presenting the autumn ox pictures, praying for favorable weather and a good harvest of agriculture in the coming year. This reflects the spread and attention to agricultural production knowledge among the people.
3. Cultural Significance of the Autumn Equinox
The Autumn Equinox contains profound cultural significance. From the perspective of natural laws, it is an important manifestation of the earth’s revolution and seasonal change. The phenomenon of equal day and night reflects the balanced state of yin and yang in nature. This balance is the basis for the growth and development of all things and also inspires people to pursue harmony and moderation in life. On a cultural level, the folk activities of the Autumn Equinox reflect people’s awe of nature, attention to family and longing for a beautiful life. Whether it is the dietary customs of eating autumn vegetables, glutinous rice balls and crabs or the traditional activities of standing an egg, sacrificing to the moon and presenting autumn ox pictures, they all embody people’s expectations for a bumper harvest, wishes for health, and the inheritance and continuation of traditional culture. The Autumn Equinox is like a cultural symbol that closely connects astronomical phenomena, agricultural production and folk culture. In the long river of history, it carries the memories and emotions of the Chinese nation. It makes people feel the charm and warmth of traditional culture while following the laws of nature, and thus cherish the gifts of nature and family reunions more and actively create a harmonious and beautiful living atmosphere