Solar Terms 101: All About Hanlu, aka "The Cold Dew"

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 节气 jiéqì solar terms based on seasonal changes and natural phenomenon. They play an important role in guiding agricultural activities, even to this day. But even city-dwellers like us can enjoy them. Each solar term has its own associated customs, traditions, and even recipes. In Solar Terms 101, we delve into what makes each one special...

Name of the solar term: 寒露 hánlù lit. “The Cold Dew"
Gregorian date: Oct 8 +/- a day (Oct 8, 2024)

What is hanlu all about

After the autumn equinox, the sun will show more of its power and grace residents in the southern hemisphere while leaving the north to bask in cooler nights. Hanlu is the first solar term after this change happens, and the fifth for autumn, which usually occurs around the end of the Golden Week holiday. 

Even southern China’s average temperature will drop below 20 degrees Celsius during hanlu, not to mention some regions in the north will enter the meteorological winter by this period. Compared to one of our previous solar terms, 白露 bailu, when the north is still transitioning from summer to fall, you may notice that the modifier for dew has turned from white to cold. No wonder there's an old adage that goes, “Do not expose your body during bailu, and cover your feet when hanlu comes.”

The micro seasons of hanlu

The first micro season 鸿雁来宾 hóngyàn láibīn the wild geese comes as the guest in hanlu is named for these migrating birds. Whereas the first group of geese begin their migration during the micro season 鸿雁来 hóngyàn lái in bailu, those who travel during  hongyan laibin mark the end of this annual migration.

The second micro season 雀入大水为蛤 què rù dà shuǐ wéi há the siskin transforms into clams in the big water (ocean) is a testament to the vivid imagination of ancient Chinese, who figured that the reason these passerine birds disappeared from the woods is that they would dive into the ocean and become clams, thus avoiding the cold. Bolstering their theory was the similar patterns on the siskin’s feathers and the shells of some clams. The last micro season 菊有黄华 jú yǒu huáng huá the chrysanthemum blooms focuses on the iconic autumn flower. Unlike other flora that usually unfolds its beauty in the warm spring when the yang energy rises from the ground, this maverick flower chooses to paint the world with its color only when others have withered under the influence of yin energy, ultimately leaving a deep impression on the anicnet Chinese psyche who revered it as a symbol of a noble and unsullied spirit.

Hiking with your elders

One important date that may fall within the span of hanlu is the ninth day of the ninth month in the agricultural calendar. 9, as the largest single digit, is a very important number in Chinese numerology and is thought to have the strongest yang energy. Therefore, the ninth day of the ninth month is believed to be an auspicious date since the two 9s in the date double the already mighty yang energy, hence its name 重阳节 chóngyáng jié Double Yang Day.

The pronunciation of 9 is also the same as the character 久 jiǔ last long, which turned this simple digit into a symbol of longevity and dignity. As such, on Double Yang Day, people celebrate the health of the elder members in their family and pay respects to their ancestors. According to traditional TCM, clean air usually rises higher while pollution is lower around this day. Hiking to the mountains nearby is one way that ancient Chinese avoided pollution and got a bit of exercise. Moreover, it was also a chance to say goodbye to any lingering vegetation before the land is blanketed by snow later in the year. 

What to eat for hanlu 

Before the winter feast starts, it's necessary to undergo a little time-honored detox regiment, recommended by one of the most renowned poets in Chinese History, Qu Yuan. In one of his poems, he claimed to drink the dew from magnolias at dawn and munch on fallen chrysanthemum petals to cultivate his moral strength. Despite common folks tending to memorialize Qu Yuan's words about meaty zong zi fillings during Dragon Boat Festival, the poet seems to have preferred a more resolutely vegan diet.

Nevertheless, to stave off any sort of malnutrition and keep the chrysanthemums in your compound from dying out, we suggest you drink chrysanthemum scented alcohol or tea as a modern substitution. Sometimes, ancient Chinese will also add a few 茱萸 zhūyú cornels into their drink to enhance the fragrance and open the appetite.

READ: Solar Terms 101: The Night Grows Longer, The Moon Shines Brighter

Images: Zol, Ywcy, Zhihu, Bilibili