White Dew(Bai Lu) is the 15th of the 24 solar terms. The White Dew arrives around September 8th every year, when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 165 degrees.The temperature begins to decline gradually, and wild geese start their southward journey. The name of White Dew comes from that fact that crystal white dew can be seen on grass leaves and tree leaves in the morning. The period of White Dew has the greatest diurnal temperature variations. White Dew was divided into three pentads in ancient times. The first pentad was when the wild geese came; the second pentad was when the dark birds returned; and the last pentad started when birds stocked their hoards. “The wild geese come” refers to southward migration of the wild geese and “dark birds” in this case are swallows. Many migratory birds,including the wild geese and the swallows, begin to migrate to the south. “Hoard” means the store of food, and “stock their hoards” indicates they are in preparation for winter. In other words, birds start to stock food for the long winter.

白露时节，晴朗的白昼温度虽然仍旧可以达到30多摄氏度，但夜晚会降到20多摄氏度，其温差达10多度。此时，人们会明显地感觉到炎热的夏天已经过去，凉爽的秋天来了。专家提醒说，白露是典型的秋季气候，秋季的气候特点就是干燥，因此要当心“秋燥”伤人。

Though the temperature can still reach above 30℃ on a sunny day, it tends to drop sharply by around 20℃ at night. The temperature difference between day and night is around 10℃ once White Dew arrives. At this time, people feel that the hot summer has been replaced by the cool autumn. Health experts suggest that there is typically autumn weather during White Dew period, which is characterized by dryness, therefore, autumn pathogenic dryness becomes the biggest threat to health.

俗语说：“处暑十八盆，白露勿露身。”这两句话的意思是说，处暑仍热，每天须用一盆水洗澡，过了十八天，到了白露节，就不要赤膊裸体了，以免着凉。还有句俗话：“白露白迷迷，秋分稻秀齐。”意思是说，白露节前后若有露，则晚稻将有好收成。

An ancient Chinese proverb goes, “Take a shower during the 18-day period after Limit of Heat, but do not expose your skin once White Dew arrives”.It means, the weather is still hot in the following eighteen days after Limit of Heat, and people should take a shower every day, however, when White Dew arrives, the skin should not be exposed any more, since people may catch cold due to the cold temperature. There is another old saying in Chinese, “spotless white in White Dew, good harvest in Autumnal Equinox”, which indicates, the drops of dew during this period are a good sign for late rice to have a rich harvest. 

一、节气习俗有哪些

相较于“两至”“两分”，白露节气在民间的地位并不算高，但其民俗活动却是异常的丰富多彩。

White Dew is not highly placed in folk culture, compared with Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, and Autumnal Equinox.However, its folk customs are in rich variety.

1.浙江温州过白露节

浙江温州等地有过白露节的习俗。苍南、平阳等地民间，人们于此日采集“十样白”(也有“三样白”的说法)，以煨乌骨白毛鸡(或鸭子)，据说食后可滋补身体，去风气(关节炎)。这“十样白”乃是十种带“白”字的草药，如白木槿、白毛苦等，以与“白露”字面上相应。

    Celebrating White Dew in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

    There are varied customs associated with the celebration of White Dew in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. In Cangnan, Pingyang and other local areas, people have a tradition of gathering “ten white herbs” (or “three white herbs”) on the first day of White Dew. People believe that stewing these herbal medicines with black-bone chicken with white feather (or duck) can reinforce energy and relieve arthritis. The “ten white herbs” are all named after “bai” (Chinese for white), such as Bai Mu Jin (Chinese for white rose-mallow) and Bai Mao Ku (Chinese for white ajuga), which correspond to White Dew (Bai Lu) literally. 

福州吃龙眼

福州有个传统“白露必吃龙眼”。民间的意思为，在白露这一天吃龙眼有大补身体的奇效，在这一天吃一颗龙眼相当于吃一只鸡那么补，因为龙眼本身就有益气补脾，养血安神等多种功效，且白露之前的龙眼个个大颗，核小甜味口感好，所以白露吃龙眼是再好不过的了，不管是不是真正大补，吃了就是补，所以福州人也习惯了这一传统习俗。

    Eating Longans in Fuzhou

There is a tradition in Fuzhou, Fujian Province that people should eat longans on the first day of White Dew. It is especially energy-reinforcing to eat longans on White Dew, as believed by the local residents. They believe that eating a longan on the particular day will benefit health as much as eating a chicken. Longans can help reinforce energy and benefit the spleen, while nourishing the blood and soothing the nerves. In addition, longans before White Dew are big with fairly small seeds, and have a sweet and rich flavor. Hence, it is quite beneficial to eat longans, for the fruit can help nourish the body. Therefore, eating longans is preserved as a tradition in Fuzhou.

南京喝白露茶

老南京人都十分青睐“白露茶”，此时的茶树经过夏季的酷热，白露前后正是它生长的极好时期。白露茶既不像春茶那样鲜嫩，不经泡，也不像夏茶那样干涩味苦，而是有一种独特甘醇清香味，尤受老茶客喜爱。再者，家中存放的春茶已基本“消耗”得差不多了，此时白露茶正接上，所以到了白露前后，有的茶客就托人买点白露茶。

Drinking White Dew Tea in Nanjing

Many tea lovers in Nanjing favor “White Dew Tea”. Tea during White Dew has been through the hot summer and is in its best state of growth. White Dew Tea is different from spring tea, which is usually too tender and does not last long. It is also different from summer tea, which is dry and has a bitter flavor. White Dew Tea tastes sweet with its strong scent favored by many tea lovers. In addition, the stock of tea collected in spring is greatly depleted.Therefore, tea lovers may send others to purchase White Dew Tea around this period.

二、白露节气养生

当心“秋燥”伤人

白露时节，秋燥伤人，容易耗人津液，因此常会出现口咽干苦、大便干结、皮肤干裂的现象。中医认为，这是肺气大肠相表里，肺主皮毛的缘故。因此，从饮食上看，应注意滋阴，此时养生应“顺四时”。秋季对应的是肺，因此白露时节要注意养肺。

Regimen during White Dew

Preventing Autumn Pathogenic Dryness

When autumn pathogenic dryness threatens people’s health and consumes body fluid, people have symptoms such as a dry throat with a bitter taste, constipation and dry skin. Most Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners believe these symptoms are caused by disorder in the interior and exterior relationship between the lung and the large intestine and the lung governing power of skin and hair. Nourishing the yin (cold) energy within the human body is a priority for healthy diets. At this point, the regimen should be adapted to the season. Autumn is associated with the lung, therefore, moistening and nourishing the lung is critical for preserving one’s health in White Dew period.

“秋冻”应有度

 “白露秋分夜，一夜冷一夜”，养生专家称白露实际上是表明天气已经转凉，到了白露，就不要赤膊露体，不要洗冷水澡，以免着凉。另外，白露之后天气冷暖多变，尤其是早晚温差较大，很容易诱发伤风感冒或导致旧病复发。如果这时候贪食寒凉，更容易把脾胃的机能变得不正常，损伤脾胃阳气，尤其是脾胃虚寒者更应禁忌。

 Acclimating to Autumn Cold

“The nights of White Dew and Autumnal Equinox are becoming colder night after night.” TCM experts suggest that White Dew signals the real beginning of cool weather, while people should protect their skin from exposure and from cold showers to prevent colds. In addition, after White Dew, rapid temperature fluctuations may trigger colds or other respiratory problems, especially the widening temperature gap between day and night. An excessive consumption of cold and raw foods can damage the function of the spleen and the stomach, leading to yang (warm) deficiency, which is especially harmful for the infirm who are weak in digestive function.

多喝粥水慎重药补

白露时节，很多人认为炎热的夏季已过去，秋冬季节已经到来，所以刚到秋天，就开始大量进补，却忽略了季节性的易发病，如秋天好发的过敏性鼻炎、气管炎和哮喘等，所以在进补的同时要因人而异。特别是对于那些因体质过敏而引发的上述疾病，在饮食调节上更要慎重。对于体虚者，这时候，最好通过食补代替药补，而食补首推粥。

Promoting Hydration and Avoiding Medication

During White Dew period, people believe that the hot summer has gone and the cool autumn has come. Some start the TCM dietary therapy, while they are exposed to seasonal respiratory problems at the same time, such as allergic rhinitis, bronchitis and asthma. Hence, the dietary therapy should vary by individual. Especially for those with allergies that cause the above diseases, dietary intervention should be approached with great delicacy. It is recommended for the infirm to use dietary therapy rather than medication, while congee is especially suggested as a healthy diet.

三、白露相关诗词（欢迎读者试译）

诗经·蒹葭

蒹葭苍苍，白露为霜。所谓伊人，在水一方。

溯洄从之，道阻且长。溯游从之，宛在水中央。

蒹葭萋萋，白露未晞。所谓伊人，在水之湄。

溯洄从之，道阻且跻。溯游从之，宛在水中坻。

蒹葭采采，白露未已。所谓伊人，在水之涘。

溯洄从之，道阻且右。溯游从之，宛在水中沚。

南湖晚秋

唐五代·白居易

八月白露降，湖中水方老。旦夕秋风多，衰荷半倾倒。

手攀青枫树，足蹋黄芦草。惨澹老容颜，冷落秋怀抱。

有兄在淮楚，有弟在蜀道。万里何时来，烟波白浩浩。

白露

唐·杜甫

白露团甘子，清晨散马蹄。圃开连石树，船渡入江溪。

凭几看鱼乐，回鞭急鸟栖。渐知秋实美，幽径恐多蹊。