The solar term of Li Qiu (Autumn Begins)

Liqiu, the thirteenth solar term in the twenty-four solar terms, marks the beginning of autumn. It signifies the sun’s celestial longitude reaching 135 degrees, falling around August 7, 8, or 9 in the Gregorian calendar. ’Li’ means the start, and ’qiu’ refers to the ripening of grains. The changes in nature occur gradually, with Liqiu representing the transition from the dominance of yang energy to the rise of yin energy. It is a time when all things in nature shift from growth to maturity.