The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (节气，jié qì). Cold Dew (寒露，hán lù), the 17th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct 8 and ends on Oct 22.
At this time, temperatures are much lower than in White Dew (白露，bái lù) in most areas of China. The dew is greater and colder and there will be less rain. Autumn crops will be ripe.
Here are eight things you should know about Cold Dew.
Foggy autumn
Temperatures drop significantly in October. When the cold air (冷空气，lěng kōng qì) encounters autumn rain, the abundant water vapor in the air soon reaches saturation, and then it turns into misty rain (烟雨，yān yǔ) or fog (雾，wù). When the humidity (湿度，shī dù) is high, there will be foggy regions formed in many areas of China.
Season for fishing
People always say that fishing in shallow (浅，qiǎn) water in autumn does make sense. That’s because during the Cold Dew period, temperatures decrease quickly and sunshine cannot reach the deep (深，shēn) water thoroughly. Fish all swim to shallow water areas where the water temperature is relatively high.
Season for eating pomegranates
Pomegranates (石榴，shí liú) are ripe during Cold Dew. Pomegranates have been cherished for their exquisite beauty, flavor, color, and health benefits for centuries.
Season for drinking chrysanthemum wine
Chrysanthemum is the iconic flower of Cold Dew. To prevent autumn dryness (秋燥，qiū zào), many regions in China have the custom of drinking chrysanthemum wine (菊花酒，jú huā jiǔ). This is a tradition of the Double Ninth Festival (on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, 重阳[chóng yáng]), which often falls around Cold Dew. According to ancient records, drinking the wine made with chrysanthemums, poria cocos (茯苓，fú líng) and pine oleoresin (松脂，sōng zhī) grants people long lasting youth.
Season for eating hawthorns
There is a saying that goes ''It is time to harvest hawthorn during Cold Dew (寒露收山楂，hán lù shōu shān zhā).'' Extracts of the berries have long been used in herbal medicine. The antioxidants (抗氧化剂，kàng yǎng huà jì) in hawthorn are thought to boost heart health by strengthening blood vessels (血管，xuè guǎn) and stimulating blood flow.
A great time for hiking
During Cold Dew, North China takes on a look of late autumn with white clouds, red leaves and early frost. On the day of the Double Ninth Festival, people often climb hills with cornels (茱萸，zhū yú), a kind of plant. This custom aims to dispel evils (驱邪，qū xié), and originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220).
Season for making kippers
People of the Dong ethnic group (侗族，dòng zú) in western Hunan province have the custom of making kippers during Cold Dew. It is said that the kipper (熏鱼，xūn yú) made on the day of the Cold Dew with accessory foods such as rice wine (米酒，mǐ jiǔ), salt, glutinous rice (糯米，nuò mǐ), pepper powder, paprika powder and ginger are especially delicious.
Season for picking camellia seeds
Southern Hunan province is a famous area for producing tea seed oil (茶籽油，chá zǐ yóu). People are not allowed to go to the mountains to pick the seeds until Cold Dew comes around.
联系客服
