立秋是一年中的第十三个节气，今年是阴历六月十八日，对应公历8月7日，标志着秋季伊始，暑去凉来，禾谷成熟。古人容易悲秋，一到秋风起，心中就升起落寞惆怅之感。春天鸟语花香、夏季草木争荣的繁华一去不复返。在他们心目中，秋季开始万物凋零，随后就是严冬的肃杀。但是唐朝诗人刘禹锡却独树一帜，吟诵出千古绝唱：
自古逢秋悲寂寥，
我言秋日胜春朝。
晴空一鹤排云上，
便引诗情到碧霄。
——《秋词二首》
贵州 威宁草海 黑颈鹤故乡 Home of Black-necked Crane, Weining county, Guizhou province
Liqiu (Beginning of Autumn), the thirteenth of 24 solar terms, falls on the 18th of the sixth month of Chinese lunar calendar, which is August 7 this year. Liqiu signifies the end of summer and ripening of crops. Chinese ancients are inclined to be sorrowful in autumn – a sense of desolation and melancholy emerges as the autumn wind arrives, carrying away the chirping birds, fragrant spring flowers and lush summer trees. In their hearts, when autumn begins, everything starts to wither, and severe winter follows. But for Liu Yuxi, a celebrated poet in the Tang dynasty, it evokes a completely different sentiment. He says:
Since olden days we feel in autumn sad and drear,
But I say spring cannot compete with autumn clear.
On a fine day a crane cleaves the clouds and soars high;
It leads the poet’s lofty mind to azure sky.
– Song of Autumn / Translated by Xu Yuanchong
吉林 向海仙鹤 Cranes in Xianghai National Nature Reserve, Jilin province / 颜国良 Yan Guoliang
在二十四节气的时令划分中，“五天为一候，三候为一气”。立秋“一候凉风至；二候白露生；三候寒蝉鸣。”其实，立秋之始，暑热仍盛，尤其今年立秋较早，还未出伏，之后通常还会出现“秋老虎”（立秋后短期回热至35℃以上的天气）。况且秋天瓜甜果熟，成熟的金黄和酡红，给世界增添了比春夏更缤纷的色彩，让人们可以感受大自然给予的更丰富的馈赠。
广西壮族自治区 东兰月亮河长寿村 Moon River Longevity Village, Donglan county, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Each solar term consists of 3 units ( “hou” in Chinese) with 5 days in each unit. Cool breeze comes in the first five days of Liqiu; white dew appears in the second five days and winter cicadas begin to sing in the third. However, it can still be hot around Liqiu, especially when Liqiu arrives during the three periods of the hot season this year. After the Beginning of Autumn, temperature is also expected to rise to more than 35℃ – a phenomenon literally translated as “autumn tiger”, meaning that the heat is as strong as the tiger. Moreover, the ripe fruits add a touch of color brighter than spring and summer to the world, enabling people to enjoy precious gifts of the nature.
福建龙岩 永定初溪土楼群 Tulou Cluster of Chuxi Village, Yongding county, Fujian province
– 祭祀 / Offering Sacrifices
贵州 占里 Zhanli village, Guizhou province / 张琪 Zhang Qi
贵州 金秋侗寨 Dong village in Autumn, Guizhou province / 张建钊 Zhang Jianzhao
福建 三明尤溪县桂峰村 Guifeng village, Youxi county, Fujian province
北京 烤鸭 Peking Duck / 世界中餐业联合会 World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
浙江 霉干菜焖肉 Pork Stewed with Preserved Vegetables, Zhejiang province
海南 咖喱蟹 Curry crab, Hainan province
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绿豆百合粥 Porridge with mung beans and dried lily petals
雪梨银耳羹 Pear and Tremella Soup
The first records of cricket in China can be found in The Book of Songs, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry. Cricket fighting can date back to the Tang dynasty as a game loved by all walks of life, from emperors to ordinary people. Jia Sidao, a grand chancellor in the Southern Song dynasty, complied The Book of Cricket. Today, China’s largest cricket-beeding site in Ningjin county, Shandong province attracts people across the nation to search for the cricket king.
月季小虫 / Chinese Rose and Insects
作者 / Artist：居廉 / Ju Lian
创作年代 / Year：不祥 / Unknown
规格 / Dimension：23×28.8cm
材质 / Technique：纸本水墨设色 / Ink and color on paper
现藏于中国美术馆 / In the collection of National Art Museum of China
残叶工虫 / Autumn Leaves and Insects
作者 / Artist：齐白石 / Qi Baishi
创作年代 / Year：1920s
规格 / Dimension：90.3×41.4cm
材质 / Technique：纸本水墨设色 / Ink and color on paper
现藏于中国美术馆 / In the collection of National Art Museum of China
牵牛花工虫 / Morning Glory and Insects
作者 / Artist：齐白石 / Qi Baishi
创作年代 / Year：不详 / Unknown
规格 / Dimension：115×50cm
材质 / Technique：纸本水墨设色 / Ink and color on paper
现藏于中国美术馆 / In the collection of National Art Museum of China
花卉草虫 / Flowers and Insect
作者 / Artist：齐白石 / Qi Baishi
创作年代 / Year：1920
规格 / Dimension：22.5×18.5cm
材质 / Technique：纸本水墨设色 / Ink and color on paper
现藏于中国美术馆 / In the collection of National Art Museum of China
仿汝釉蟋蟀罐 / Cricket Jar with Ru Glaze
明 / Ming dynasty
现藏于故宫博物院 / In the collection of the Palace Museum
青花云龙纹蟋蟀罐 / Blue-and-white Cricket Pot with the Design of Dragon among Clouds
明 / Ming dynasty
现藏于故宫博物院 / In the collection of the Palace Museum
万历款五彩海水云龙纹六棱蟋蟀罐 /
Polychrome Cricket Jar with Waves and Dragon-among-Clouds Design
明 / Ming dynasty
现藏于故宫博物院 / In the collection of the Palace Museum
资料来源 / Sources：
http://www.ihchina.cn
贵州省文化和旅游厅
吉林省文化和旅游厅
广西壮族自治区文化和旅游厅
福建省文化和旅游厅
浙江省文化和旅游厅
海南省旅游和文化广电体育厅
故宫博物院
中国美术馆
