双语英语阅读：节气立秋

【节气词汇】

Autumn Begins 立秋

“Autumn Begins” is the 13th solar term in the 24 solar terms. It’s on August 8 or 9 every year meaning the beginning of the fall."立秋“是24节气中的第13个节气。它发生在每年的8月8日或8月9日，意味着秋天的开始。

【节气百科】

When it comes to this season, the leaves of the firmiana tree start to fall, thus there is a saying of “One leave falls, autumn arrives.” When the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 135 degrees, the summer is passing away and the weather turns cold gradually. People can feel the wind is getting cool and see fogs in the morning sometimes. It’s also a season of harvest.每到这个季节，梧桐树开始落叶，由此得来一种说法”一叶知秋。”当太阳直射点到达天文经度135°时，夏天就过去了，天气也逐渐转冷。人们可以感觉到风渐冷，时而早上会见到雾。这同时也是个丰收的季节。

【传统习俗】

Traditions around this time include “touch the autumn”, “get the autumn fat” and so on. “Touch the autumn” happens on the day of August 15,when all the married women who still haven’t got children go to the filed in the midnight, find and touch the melon seeds, with the accompany of her sister-in-law or other females. It’s also popular to “get the autumn fat”. Since people have little appetite during the hot summer and often lose some weight, the beginning of autumn will simulate appetite again.这段时间的传统习俗包括“摸秋”、“贴秋膘”等。“摸秋”是在8月15日，在当天所有结了婚但还没孩子的女人在午夜来到天地中，在弟媳或其他女性的'陪伴下摸瓜苗。“贴秋膘”也同样十分流行。因为在炎热的夏季人们食欲不佳，通常都会减重，秋天到来又能刺激食欲。

【健康小贴士】

“Autumn Begins” is the season of transformation. The Yang Qi gets less and Yin Qi grows. It’s the most important time to protect one’s lung. People should not eat too much spring onions and ginger. Food such as sesame, sticky rice, honey, loquat and dairy food will be very good to the stomach.“立秋”是个转换的季节。阳气减少，阴气加重。这是养肺的最关键时期。人们不应多吃小葱和姜。诸如芝麻、糯米、蜂蜜、枇杷和奶制品这类食物是非常养胃的。