中國玄學基礎知識: 二十四節氣

Chinese Metaphysics Basics: twenty-four solar terms or twenty-four seasons

 

處暑End of heat (Chu Shu)

（The English version is available below)

 

氣候變涼的象徵，表示暑天終止，夏季火熱已經到了盡頭。

處暑，是二十四節氣之第十四個節氣，也是秋季的第二個節氣，太陽黃經達150°。

處暑後，太陽直射點繼續南移、太陽輻射減弱，副熱帶高壓也向南撤退，暑意漸消。雷暴活動也不及炎夏那般活躍，全國各地的暴雨總趨勢減弱。處暑的民俗活動很多，如吃鴨子、放河燈、開漁節、煎藥茶、拜土地公等。

處暑以後民間會有慶讚中元的民俗活動，俗稱「作七月半」，從七月初一起，就有開鬼門的儀式，直到月底關鬼門止，都會舉行普渡布施。普度活動由開鬼門開始，然後豎燈篙，放水燈招致孤魂；而主體則在搭建普度壇，架設孤棚，穿插搶孤等行事，最後以關鬼門結束。

暑熱余威明顯，但氣溫開始慢慢轉涼。

調整睡眠時間，飲食偏向清熱安神。

處暑，中國南方大部分地區這時正是收穫中稻的大忙時節。一般年辰處暑節氣內，華南日照仍然比較充足，除了華南西部以外，雨日不多，有利於中稻割曬和棉花吐絮。

 

“End of heat” is the fourteenth solar term of the twenty-four solar terms and the second solar term in autumn. The yellow meridian of the sun reaches 150°. It is a symbol of cooler climate, it means the end of summer and the heat has come to an end.

 

The point of direct sunlight continues to move southward, the solar radiation weakens, the subtropical high pressure also retreats southward, and the heat gradually disappears. Thunderstorm is not as active as in hot summer, and the general trend of heavy rain across China has weakened. There are many folk activities during the summer heat, such as eating ducks, releasing river lanterns, fishing, worshiping the land god, etc.

 

The whole 7^th lunar month is believed the month of the ghosts, the gate of the hell will be opened at the beginning of the month and closed at the end of it, people release water lamps to attract lonely souls; they build altars, sheds, etc. to rescue the suffering hungry ghosts.

 

In most parts of southern China, this is the busy season for harvesting mid-season rice. Generally, there is still sufficient sunshine except for the more western part of South China, there are not many rainy days, which is conducive to harvesting and drying of mid-season rice and cottons.

 

The temperature is slowly turning cooler. Please adjust your sleep time, and the diet should be toward clearing away heat and calming the nerves.