Autumn begins with Start of Autumn, followed by Limit of Heat, White Dew, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost Descent, ending the day before Start of Winter.
During autumn, plants mature, vegetation withers, and the year transitions from yang to yin. How should one live during this season? According to *The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine – Plain Questions*: “In the three months of autumn, this period is called ‘Harmony and Balance.’ The weather grows sharp, the qi becomes clear. Early to bed, early to rise, rise with chickens, keep the mind tranquil, slow down the autumn’s severity, gather inward, let the autumn qi settle, do not let the mind wander outward, maintain clarity of lung qi. This is the proper way to adapt to autumn’s harvest phase. Violating this leads to lung injury, resulting in stubborn diarrhea in winter, and reduced ability to store energy.”
Autumn winds are strong, earth qi turns clear, and everything changes color. People should go to bed early and rise early to avoid the harmful influence of the bleak autumn energy. Health preservation requires mental tranquility and serenity—the spirit gradually withdraws, adapting to the cool climate. Do not let the will scatter outward; preserve lung qi clarity. This is the essence of nurturing autumn’s gathering energy. Disregarding this principle damages lung qi, leading to persistent diarrhea in winter and weakening the body’s ability to conserve energy during winter.
Autumn is a transitional season from summer to winter, growing cooler gradually—meaning yang energy begins to decline. Thus, “the weather grows sharp.” Generally, those with insufficient yang energy can rely on summer’s warmth to nourish yang, while those with deficient yin can utilize autumn and winter’s storage to nourish yin. Though autumn is cool, cold is approaching. Clothing should be added gradually—not all at once. As the saying goes: “Wear more in spring, endure some chill in autumn.”
As the old saying goes: “Be cautious when going out in the third and ninth months.” In northern regions, September brings chilly winds and rain, with strengthening cold fronts easily causing colds—not just a warning for those outdoors, but also for those indoors who must guard against catching cold. “To stay comfortable, dress and undress frequently.” Especially for the elderly, whose metabolism is low and circulation poor, they fear both cold and heat and are highly sensitive to weather changes. They should promptly adjust clothing. Elderly people often suffer from poor circulation in extremities, making hands and feet prone to coldness—thus extra attention to warmth is essential. “Prevent disease before it occurs”—prevention is key. Treating illness after it appears is less effective than timely adjustment to maintain balance between yin and yang, ensuring overall well-being.
In some years, autumn should be cool but instead turns hot—this abnormal climate phenomenon is known as “too late arrival.” Extra caution is required in such cases to avoid epidemic diseases. The elderly especially must not ignore weather changes due to perceived strength. “Following nature brings harmony; adhering to it prevents illness; defying it causes disasters.” This is the underlying truth.
Autumn brings clear skies and dry weather. Dryness is the dominant feature of autumn. One must “prevent autumn dryness.” Dryness in autumn can be either warm or cool. Prolonged sunny days without rain, scorching sun—this is warm dryness. Late autumn, with west winds blowing coldly—this is cool dryness. Regardless of type, the common feature is dry skin and depleted body fluids. Therefore, elderly people should limit bathing in autumn to prevent skin dryness and subsequent pruritus. Due to the dry climate, coughing or dry cough without phlegm, and dry mouth and tongue are common. Eating snow pears or white pears raw can clear heat; steaming them can nourish yin. If possible, consuming products like pear syrup or nourishing-yin-clearing-lung paste can help prevent dryness.
Autumn sees a surge in fruit availability. Special attention must be paid to “autumn melons harm the belly.” After Start of Autumn, whether watermelon or cantaloupe or other melons, they should not be eaten excessively, as doing so damages the spleen and stomach’s yang energy. Generally, fruits are beneficial to health. Apples contain various vitamins, but their nature is mostly cold and cool. Consumption should be moderate—avoid overindulgence to prevent damage to spleen-stomach yang energy.
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