The 24 solar terms, consisting of 12 major solar terms and 12 minor solar terms, were created thousands of years ago by the ancient Chinese to guide agricultural production.
Today, the culture behind the terms provides useful guidance to people's lives as each term features special food, cultural ceremonies and healthy living tips.
"Qiufen," or Autumn Equinox, is the 16th solar term on the Chinese lunar calendar. It falls on Sept. 23 this year. The Autumn Equinox day sees the sun directly over the Equator, with the day and the night approximately equal in length. Ancient Chinese believe that Yin and Yang energies are balanced on the day. So are the cold and hot weather.
As it is neither hot nor cold, it is an ideal season for sporting activities.
Sept. 23 also marks the opening of Hangzhou Asian Games. Let's feel the passion of Hangzhou Asian Games with Xinhua images!
Photos by: Du Xiaoyi, Chen Bin, Jiang Han, Xu Yu, Yan Linyun■
