White, white the reed,
Dew not yet dried.
Where’s she I need?
On the other side.
– The Reed (Exerpt), The Book of Songs
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
Image by lxn15676204370
The third solar term in autumn – Bailu (White Dew), falls on September 7, or the 20th of the seventh month of Chinese lunar calendar this year. Entering mid-autumn, it is getting increasingly cold with the arrival of autumn wind. Dew gathers in the morning and birds migrate to the south, suggesting that the cold season is coming.
Li River at Dawn
Worshiping Yu the Great
The legendary Yu the Great, tamer of China’s greatest floods, founder of the Xia dynasty – the first dynasty in Chinese recorded history, is known for his upright moral characters, as respected as Yao and Shun of the Five Emperors and worshiped as the “God of River” or “Bodhisattva of Waters”. By the Taihu Lake in Jingsu province, ceremonies to worship Yu the Great are held annually on the 8th of the first month and the 7th of the seventh month of Chinese lunar calendar and around Qingming (Fresh Green) and Bailu (White Dew). The rituals during these two solar terms are grander than the others and can last for one week.
Jade Mountain of Yu the Great Taming the Flood, Qianlong reign, Qing dynasty, 224 cm in height, 96 cm in width, 60 cm in height (base), the Palace Museum, Beijing
Drink Bailu tea
As the saying goes, spring tea is bitter, summer tea is harsh, Bailu tea in autumn tastes better. As summer heat recedes, tea trees enjoy more favorable environment around Bailu. Therefore, tea leaves picked during this period of time generate a uniquely rich and fragrant flavor that is preferred by many tea lovers.
Brew rice wine
Some southern regions, such as Zixing in Hunan province, preserve the tradition to brew wine with glutinous rice, sorghum and other grains during Bailu. Brew Baijiu (white liquor) and glutinous rice wine and mix the two at a ratio of 1:3. Rice wine can stimulate appetite, warm your body and supplement the loss in summer.
Guilin
In Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, now it is the time for 6-month-old cormorants to help fishermen go fishing. They are the great examples of fruitful cooperation between man and nature.
Where the serene Li River and Peach Blossom River meet, Elephant Trunk Hill stands still.
Image by Judith Scharnowski
Elephant Trunk Hill
Among the 1000-meter-high mountains, Longji Rice Terraces lie along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountain top, outlining the unique charm of the Zhuang and Yao peoples.
Longji Rice Terraces / Wei Yigang
Longji Rice Terraces
Reed Flute Cave, a colorful underground wonderland, houses countless stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes sculpted by nature.
Reed Flute Cave
Reed Flute Cave / Image by Tracey Wong
For hundreds of years, Jingjiang Royal Residence has been a witness of historical vicissitudes and modern development.
桂林逍遥楼 Xiaoyao Tower / 何绍连 He Shaolian
《桂林千古情》、《印象·刘三姐》,以山水为舞台,呈现目眩神迷的视觉盛宴,唱响震撼心灵的桂林千古传奇。
Guilin Romance Show, Impression – Sanjie Liu and a variety of shows present remarkable visual feasts of Guilin’s enduring legends of thousands of years.
桂林千古情 Guilin Romance Park
桂林千古情演出 Guilin Romance Show
印象 · 刘三姐 Impression – Sanjie Liu
白露时节,到桂林,享受“山—水—城”的安宁和谐。
Enjoy a peaceful and harmonious “mountain-river-city” lifestyle in Guilin around Bailu.
资料来源 / Sources:
http://www.ihchina.cn
广西壮族自治区文化和旅游厅
https://www.songcn.com