立秋

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Autumn, the 13th solar term of the year, begins this year on Aug 7 and ends on Aug 22.
中国传统农历将一年分为24个节气。立秋是一年中的第13个节气，今年的立秋从8月7日开始，到8月22日结束。
"秋"指暑去凉来，意味着秋天的开始。到了立秋，梧桐树开始落叶，因此有"落叶知秋"这一成语。
Start of Autumn reflects the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The fruitful season is approaching.
立秋反映了夏天的结束和秋天的开始。收获的季节即将来临。

The following are 6 things you should know about Start of Autumn.

"AutumnTiger"
秋老虎
Although Start of Autumn indicates the beginning of autumn, hot weather will not come to an end. The period of hot days after Start of Autumn, usually lasting for 30 days, is called "Autumn Tiger" or "Indian Summer". Because of decreasing precipitation, it is even more sweltering during this period than during Major Heat.
虽然立秋意味着秋天开始了，但炎热的天气并不会结束。立秋之后的炎热天气通常持续30天左右，被大家称为“秋老虎”或“印第安夏”。由于降水的减少，这段时间甚至会比大暑期间更加闷热。
precipitation n. 降水；冰雹
sweltering adj. 闷热的；热得难受的
气象小常识：
秋老虎（old wives' summer），在气象学上是指三伏出伏以后短期回热后的35℃以上的天气。秋老虎属立秋后的短期回热天气，一般发生在每年公历8月至9月之间。天气特征是早晚清凉、午后高温暴晒。由于我国地域辽阔，“秋老虎”的表现略有所不同，如华南的秋老虎要比长江流域的来得迟，一般推迟2-4个节令。

Fleshing out inautumn
贴秋膘
On the first day of the Start of Autumn, usually people will weigh themselves and compare their weight to what it was at the Start of Summer. If one has lost weight during the summer, then at the beginning of autumn, he or she needs to flesh out by eating many different kinds of delicious food, especially meat.
在立秋的第一天，人们通常会称体重，并将自己的体重与立夏时的体重进行比较。如果一个人在夏天减重了，那么在立秋的时候，就会用“贴秋膘”的方式补回来，“以肉贴膘”。
flesh out 长胖；充实，具体化
lose weight v. 减肥；体重减轻

Gathering crops
收割农作物
Start of Autumn is a big solar term for farmers. It is time to gather crops. There is a saying :"If it rains on the day of the Start of Autumn, a good harvest isexpected."
立秋对农民来说是一个十分重要的节气。因为是时候去收割庄稼了，俗话说:“立秋雨淋淋，遍地是黄金。”

Eating peaches
食秋桃
In Hangzhou, people eat peaches on the Start of Autumn day. The peach stones are kept until New Year's Eve and thrown into the stove, burned into ash. People believed that in this way, plagues could be prevented for the whole year.
在浙江杭州一带有立秋日食秋桃的习俗。每到立秋日，人人都要吃秋桃，每人一个，桃子吃完要把桃核留下来。等到除夕，把桃核丢进火炉中烧成灰烬，人们认为这样就可以免除一年的瘟疫。
plague n. 瘟疫，鼠疫；愿上天降灾难于……（用于诅咒）


Eating dumplings
“吃秋”——吃饺子
In East China’s Shandong province, people make dumplings during the Start of Autumn, and they call it "Eating the Autumn". On the day of Start of Autumn, senior members of the family will stand in the middle of the hall, worshiping a bowl of cereal, and praying for the harvest in autumn. Most of the families will eat dumplings together after Start of Autumn day.
在山东，人们会在立秋包饺子，称之为“吃秋”。立秋那天，家里的长辈会站在大厅中间，敬奉一碗谷物，祈求秋天的丰收。立秋之后，大多数家庭都会一起吃饺子。

"TouchingAutumn"
摸秋
There is the custom of "Touching Autumn" in the northern part of Yancheng, East China’s Jiangsu province. On the eve of Start of Autumn, people can touch and take for free all kinds of fruits as they like in private or public gardens, and the owners will not be angry, no matter how much they lose. Many gardeners even leave some mellow fruits in the field on purpose for guests during the night.
在江苏盐城北部，有“摸秋”的习俗。在立秋前夕，人们可以在私人或公共花园免费摸取各种水果，无论损失多少，主人都不会生气。许多园丁会特意在夜间把一些已经成熟了的果实留在地里给客人吃。民间有句俗语，"八月半摸秋不算偷。