Frost's Descent

霜降 · ShuāngjiàngGregorian Oct 23–24Solar longitude 210°

The air sharpens; dew crystallizes into frost. Leaves yellow and fall — yet the frosted maple burns redder than spring blossoms.

I stop my cart to sit with the maple wood at dusk —

its frosted leaves outredden the flowers of spring.

— Du Mu (Tang), “Mountain Travel”

停车坐爱枫林晚
霜叶红于二月花
杜牧 · 山行

Deep Maple Red

Three Pentads

三候

The ancients divided each solar term into three pentads of five days, recording nature's subtle changes.

一候豺乃祭兽

First pentad — Jackals lay out their prey

二候草木黄落

Second pentad — Plants yellow, leaves descend

III

三候蛰虫咸俯

Third pentad — All creatures bow into dormancy

节气色谱

One leading color with three companions, all drawn from the traditional Chinese color canon.

殷红#A24343

yānhóng · Deep Maple Red

柿红#D2691E

shìhóng · Persimmon

霜白#EBEFEF

shuāngbái · Frost White

枯木褐#8A6B52

kūmùhè · Bare Branch Brown

风物

Eating persimmons at their frost-sweetened best.

吃柿子——霜降摘柿,皮薄肉甜,御寒又润燥。

Viewing red leaves as frost sets whole hillsides ablaze.

赏红叶——霜打枫林,层林尽染,正是观叶时节。