Cold Dew, known as Hanlu in Chinese, is the 17th of China’s 24 solar terms and the fifth during autumn, signifying the official end of autumn.

寒露，中国传统二十四节气中的第17个节气，也是秋季第5个节气，意味着秋季正式结束。



During this period, the chill deepens markedly from the earlier White Dew, and the dew on the ground turns into frost, a clear sign that winter is approaching.

在这段期间，寒意比早些时候的白露明显加深，地表的露水凝结成霜，这是冬天即将来临的明显迹象。

A Chinese proverb describes the days after Cold Dew as the “three phenological phenomena” — first, wild geese arrive south; second, sparrows disappear and clams begin to appear; third, chrysanthemums bloom in yellow.

中国谚语用“三候”来描述寒露后的日子—— 一候，鸿雁来宾；二候，雀入大水为蛤；三候，菊有黄华。



Chrysanthemum Wine and Tea

菊花酒与菊花茶

Ancient Chinese celebrated the chrysanthemum as a member of the "Four Noble Ones," a group of plants that also includes the plum blossom, orchid, and bamboo. Poets and scholars often used the chrysanthemum to represent hermits, embodying the ideal of maintaining one's independence and purity,remaining uncorrupted by power or wealth.

古代中国人将菊花与梅、兰、竹并列为“四君子”。诗人和学者经常用菊花隐喻那些特立独行、不为权势金钱左右的隐士。



In many parts of southern China, it's a tradition to make wine from glutinous rice, yeast, and chrysanthemums around Cold Dew. This chrysanthemum wine is then aged for a full year before being served.

寒露前后，在中国南方许多地区，有用糯米、酒曲和菊花酿酒的传统。这种菊花酒需密封一年才能饮用。

Chrysanthemum wine, traditionally known as "longevity wine," is believed to offer multiple health benefits. It is said to reduce internal heat, nourish the liver, enhance eyesight, detoxify the body, and reduce inflammation. Other medicinal herbs, such as wolfberry, angelica, and rehmannia root, are often added to enhance its therapeutic value.

菊花酒，传统中也被称为“长寿酒”，人们认为其对健康有益。菊花酒可以疏散风热、养肝明目、解毒消炎。与其他草药如枸杞、当归和地黄相搭配时，可提高其药用价值。




Autumn Fishing

秋钓

The Cold Dew brings a sharp drop in temperature, causing fish to move from the sun-starved depths to the warmer shallow areas. This natural rhythm makes it an exceptionally favorable time for fishermen to cast their lines.

寒露带来急剧下降的气温，这使导致鱼类从缺乏阳光的深水区游向温暖的浅水区。这种自然的节奏使寒露成为钓鱼人垂钓的绝佳时机。



Cold Dew also kicks off another round of hairy crab feast. The optimal time to enjoy female crabs is actually earlier, around the ninth lunar month, when female crabs are incredibly fat and delicious. The peak season for male crabs usually arrives about a month later.

寒露也拉开了新一轮的大闸蟹盛宴。雌蟹的最佳赏味期实际上更早，大约在农历九月左右，那时雌蟹非常肥美。雄蟹的最佳赏味期则在一个月后到来。

Steaming is the most common method for preparing hairy crabs. Another popular technique is soaking them in wine, which can enhance their taste and create a savory, stronger flavor.

清蒸大闸蟹是最常见的烹饪方式。另一种颇受欢迎的方式是将大闸蟹浸入酒中，这可以使它们的味道更加鲜美浓郁。




Sesame Snacks

芝麻糕

When the colder days arrive, nothing beats popular seasonal snacks such as sesame crispy cakes, mung bean cakes, and pancakes.

随着天气越来越冷，没有什么比芝麻酥饼、绿豆糕、芝麻煎饼更受欢迎的时令小吃了。



According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, sesame is believed to nourish the kidneys and liver, improve the digestive system, calm the nerves and slow down the aging process. Black sesame, in particular, is traditionally used to keep hair black and nourish the skin.

中医认为，芝麻可以益肾益肝，促进消化，舒缓神经，延缓衰老。尤其是黑芝麻，还能使头发乌黑，肌肤滋润。



话题词汇

solar term 节气

lunar year 太阴年

proverb n 谚语

phenological /ˌfiːnəˈlɒdʒᵻkl/ adj 物候学的

phenomena /fᵻˈnɒmᵻnən/ n 现象（phenomenon 的复数）

dew /duː/ n 露

signify /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/ v 表示；说明

embody /ɪmˈbɑːdi/ v 体现

purity /ˈpjʊrəti/ n 纯洁

bloom /bluːm/ v 开花

celebrate /ˈselɪbreɪt/ v 赞美

age /eɪdʒ/ v （使）成熟，变陈

serve /sɜːrv/ v 提供；端上

longevity /lɔːnˈdʒevəti/ n 长寿

nourish /ˈnɜːrɪʃ/ v 滋养

enhance /ɪnˈhæns/ v 增强

favorable /ˈfeɪvərəbl/ adj 有利的

cast /kæst/ v 投（钓线）；抛（钓钩）

kick off 开始

optimal /ˈɑːptɪməl/ adj 最佳的

prepare /prɪˈper/ v 预备（菜）；做（饭）

soak /səʊk/ v 浸泡

kidney /ˈkɪdni/ n 肾

liver /ˈlɪvər/ n 肝

digestive /daɪˈdʒestɪv/ adj 消化的

clam /klæm/ n 蛤蜊

chrysanthemum /krɪˈzænθəməm/ n 菊花

plum blossom n 梅花

orchid /ˈɔːrkɪd/ n 兰花

hermit /ˈhɜːrmɪt/ n 隐士

yeast /jiːst/ n 酵母

internal /ɪnˈtɜːrnl/ adj 体内的

detoxify /diːˈtɑːksɪfaɪ/ v 排毒

savory /ˈseɪvəri/ adj 美味的

sesame /ˈsesəmi/ n 芝麻

mung bean n 绿豆

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