Customs and traditions of White Dew

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. White Dew, (Chinese: 白露), the 15th solar term of the year, begins this year on Sept. 7 and ends on Sept. 22.

White Dew indicates the real beginning of cool autumn. The temperature declines gradually and the vapors in the air often condense into white dew on the grass and trees at night.

Here are 10 things you should know about White Dew.

Touring during September 九月出游

Varying by geographical location, autumn comes earlier in the west and northeast of China. Right now Kanas in Xinjiang, Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan and the Greater Hinggan Mountains in Northeastern China are entering the most beautiful season of the year. Forests ingorgeous colors and minority groups with their diversity of cultural styles have attracted a huge number of visitors.     

More white dews 白露渐多

From the first day of the White Dew on, there are more and more dews. Although sunshine in the day is still hot, after sunset, temperatures decrease rapidly. At night, water vapors in the air turn into small water-drops when it encounters cold temperatures.These white water-drops adhere to flowers, grass and trees. When the morning comes, sunshine makes them look crystal clear, spotless white and adorable.

Eating grapes 吃葡萄

The White Dew season is just the time when grapes become widely available for sale. Eating grapes in autumn can help dispel one’s internal heat and expel toxins.

Eating Longan 吃龙眼

Longan around White Dew is big, sweet and tastes great. There is a tradition in Fuzhou, Fujian province, that eating longan on the firstday of White Dew can help nourish the human body. It is said that one longan is as nutritious as an egg. Although this sounds exaggerated, Longan does reinforce the spleen, nourish the blood, calm the nerves and improve one’s looks.

White Dew Tea 喝白露茶

Many regular tea drinkers in Nanjing favor White Dew Tea. Tea during White Dew has gone 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 doesn’t last long. It is also different from summer tea, which is dry and has a bitter flavor. White Dew Tea instead tastes sweet with its sweet fragrance.

White Dew Wine 喝白露酒

For some people in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, whose hometowns are in Zhejiang province or the southern part of Jiangsu province, it is traditional to make White Dew Wine during this season. The wine is made of cereals such as polished glutinous rice and kaoliang (aspecific type of sorghum) and tastes a little sweet. In the past, country people in those regions all made the wine and served it to guests when entertaining.

Eating sweet potatoes 吃番薯

Many Chinese believe that the best food during White Dew is sweet potatoes. In the old days, the peasants had the custom of eating sweet potato on the first day of White Dew.

Besides being the No.1 vegetable against cancer, according to Chinese medicine, sweet potato can nourish the spleen. It can prolong life and reduce the risks of disease.

Ten "white" herbal medicines 十种“白色”草药

People in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province have a tradition of gathering 10 herbal medicines on the first day of White Dew. The names ofthese herbal medicines all contain the Chinese word "bai" which means white, such as baimujin (white hibiscus). People believe that stewing these herbal medicines with black-bone chicken or duck can nourish the human body and cure arthritis.

Playing with swallow carts 推燕车

In Tancheng County, Shandong province, children play with swallow handcarts, a sharpened wooden cart in the shape of a swallow, on the first day of White Dew.

People of every household there can make this kind of wooden toy, which can even make pleasing sounds. Pushing the swallow cars while running can help the children resist coldness and improve their bodily constitutions.

Offer sacrifices to Da Yu 祭禹 

White Dew is a time for people in the Taihu Lake area of East China to offer sacrifices to Da Yu, a hero who tamed floods by regulating rivers and watercourses. Besides on the first day of White Dew, people also hold sacrificial rites for Da Yu on the eighth day of the first lunar month, on Tomb-sweeping Day, and on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.