The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Autumn Equinox, the 16th solar term of the year, begins this year on Sept 23 and ends on Oct 8.
中國傳統農曆將一年分為24個節氣。秋分，是二十四節氣中的第十六個節氣，今年的秋分節氣始於9月23日，止於10月8日。
Autumn Equinox lies at the midpoint of autumn, dividing autumn into two equal parts. After that day, the location of direct sunlight moves to the south, making days shorter and nights longer in the northern hemisphere.
秋分這天，正在秋季的中間，將秋天分成了兩半。秋分之後，陽光直射位置繼續南移，北半球晝短夜長。下面為你分享有關秋分的8個小知識。
As it is said in the ancient book, The Detailed Records of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), "It is on the Autumn Equinox day that the Yin and Yang are in a balance of power. Thus the day and night are of equal length, and so are the cold and hot weather."
據古書《春秋繁露》(公元前770到476年)記載：秋分者，陰陽相伴也，故晝夜均而寒暑平。
Since the Autumn Equinox, most of the areas in China have entered the cool autumn. When the cold air southward meets the declining warm and wet air, precipitation is the result. The temperature also drops frequently.
秋分以後，中國大部地區進入涼秋。南下的冷空氣與逐漸衰減的暖溼空氣相遇，產生降雨。氣溫也頻頻下降。
In this season, crab is delicious. It helps nourish the marrow and clear the heat inside the body.
秋分時節，正是螃黃肥美之時。吃螃蟹可補骨添髓，清熱解毒。
In South China, there is a custom popularly known as "having Qiucai (autumn vegetable) on the Autumn Equinox day". Qiucai is a kind of wild amaranth. Every Autumn Equinox day, all the villagers go to pick Qiucai in the wild. Qiucai is verdant in the field, thin, and about 20 cm in length.
中國南方，逢秋分有「吃秋菜」的習俗。秋菜是一種野莧菜。每到秋分這天，全村人都去野外採摘秋菜，這時田野裡的青菜碧綠纖瘦，約20公分高。
Qiucai is taken back and made into soup with fish, named "Qiutang" (autumn soup). There is a verse about the soup: "Drink the soup to clear the liver and intestines, thus the whole family will be safe and healthy".
秋菜採回家，與魚片煮湯，名曰：秋湯。關於秋湯，還有一首打油詩：秋湯灌髒，洗滌肝腸。闔家老少，平安健康。
Season for eating various plants
In the Autumn Equinox time, olives, pears, papaya, chestnut, bean, and other plants enter their phase of maturation. It is time to pick and eat them.
秋分時節，橄欖、香梨、木瓜、慄子、大豆等食物相繼進入成熟期。正是採摘品嘗之際。
Season for enjoying osmanthus
The Autumn Equinox is the time for smelling the fragrance of osmanthug. At this time, it is hot in the day and cool in the night in South China, so people have to wear a single layer when it is hot, and lined clothing when it is cool. This period is named "Guihuazheng" in Chinese, which means osmanthus mugginess.
秋分，桂花飄香，聞芳美時。這個時候的南方，日暖夜涼，因此白天穿單衣，晚間就得加件衣裳。這個時期，也謂之為「桂花蒸」，意為桂花綻放之時，出現的悶熱天氣。
Season for enjoying chrysanthemums
It is also a good season to enjoy chrysanthemums in full blossom around Autumn Equinox.
秋分前後，正是菊花盛放時，賞菊品香好時節。
On Autumn Equinox day, there are thousands of people in the world trying to make eggs stand on end. This Chinese custom has become the world’s game.
秋分這天，世界各地成千上萬的人在做豎蛋試驗。這種中國習俗已成為世界遊戲。
According to experts, on the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox, the day and night are of equal time both in the southern and northern hemispheres. The earth’s axis, on its 66.5 degree tilt, is in a relative balance of power with the earth’s orbit around the sun. Thus it is a very conducive time for standing eggs on end.
據專家介紹，春分、秋分當日，南、北半球日夜均等。呈66.5度傾斜的地軸與地球日公轉的軌道平面處於一種力的相對平衡狀態，因此，有助於雞蛋豎立起來。
But some also say that standing the egg has nothing to do with the time. The most important thing is to shift the egg『s center of gravity to the lowest part of the egg. In this way, the trick is holding the egg until the yolk sinks as much as possible. For this, you’re better off choosing an egg that’s about 4 or 5 days old, whose yolk is inclined to sink down.
但也有人認為能否豎蛋與秋分無關。最關鍵的是要把雞蛋重心下移。如此一來，只有蛋黃儘可能下沉，才能完成這個惡作劇了。豎蛋時候，最好選擇剛出生4、5天的雞蛋，這樣的雞蛋蛋黃下沉，重心下降，更有利於豎蛋的成功。
Originally, the festival of sacrificing to the moon was set on the Autumnal Equinox day. According to historical records, as early as the Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256BC), the ancient kings by custom sacrificed to the sun on the Spring Equinox, and to the moon on the Autumn Equinox.
原本祭月節是設定在秋分這天的。據史實記載，早在周朝（公元前11世紀至256年），古代君王便依照習俗於春分祭日，秋分祭月。
But since it is not a fixed day in lunar August, there might be no full moon on the Autumnal Equinox. During the festival, if there was no moon to make sacrifices to, it would spoil the fun. Thus, the day was changed to the Mid-Autumn Day.
但因每年農曆八月，這一天並不固定，秋分當日並不一定都出現圓月，而祭月若無月，則大煞風景，故而，將祭月節由秋分改為中秋舉行。
因此，秋分的譯文是：
Autumn Equinox
學霸從來都不是天生的，通過後天的努力，每一位孩子都有學霸的潛力。
但同時，每一個學霸背後都有一個或者幾個適合孩子的老師，因材施教，讓孩子自主學習，才能事半功倍，提升能力與成績。
天學1對1匹配式輔導，為孩子找到適合的老師，課前提醒課程時間、上課內容，還能隨時答疑，培養孩子自主學習能力，幫助他們提升能力與成績。
為了惠及廣大學子，點擊左下角「閱讀原文」就能免費領取天學1對1價值299元的測評課程，狀元筆記等優質備考資料。聲明：內容來源於China Daily