[ChinaMaxxing] The Weather We're Having Now Is Called Hanlu

The 17th of China's 24 solar terms, Hanlu (寒露, hánlù) means "cold dew" – a name that describes the point when morning dew is cold enough to signal a more serious drop in temperature, but not yet cold enough to become frost. Traditionally, that comes with the next solar term, Shuangjiang, or Frost's Descent.

What it feels like right now

This year, Cold Dew falls on Thursday, October 8 – the day after the National Day holiday ends, so most of Shanghai is back at work just in time to notice that the weather has actually turned. That "cold" is relative in Shanghai, though; Hanlu isn't really cold yet.

Mornings and evenings are cooler, daytime temperatures are easing off, and the muggy, drawn-out tail of Shanghai summer should, finally, be on its way out. The change in daylight is becoming harder to miss, too. The equinox was only two weeks ago, but by Hanlu, Shanghai's nights are already longer than its days.

Things people do (or used to do) during this term

Admiring chrysanthemums: Chrysanthemums are one of this term's clearest seasonal markers, flowering as many other plants are beginning to fade. The flowers, as well as chrysanthemum wine, are also closely associated with the Double Ninth Festival, which falls during Hanlu this year.

Heading uphill: Climbing mountains or other high places is a traditional activity for the Double Ninth Festival (重阳节, Chóngyáng Jié), an autumn festival held on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, traditionally associated with longevity and paying respects to elders. This year, Double Ninth falls on October 18, right in the middle of Hanlu. With Shanghai's summer heat finally easing off, the timing makes practical sense, too.

Eating female hairy crabs: Back at Qiufen, we mentioned the old "nine females, 10 males" principle: female crabs are traditionally considered best in the ninth lunar month and males in the 10th. By Hanlu, hairy crab season is properly underway, with females maturing ahead of the males. The roe's not at its absolute peak yet, but it's getting there fast.

What's in season

October is prime persimmon season, with Shanghai-grown varieties harvested through much of the month. Local orchards in Jiading, for example, continue picking into late October. Chestnuts and hawthorn are also hitting their stride, and pomegranates are still around.

Chrysanthemums aren't only for looking at, either. Dried flowers go into tea and infusions, while chrysanthemum wine has long been associated with the season (although this custom belongs more specifically to the Double Ninth Festival).

The traditional Chinese medicine concern with autumn dryness continues into Hanlu. Sesame (芝麻, zhīma), pears, lily bulb (百合, bǎihé) and white fungus (银耳, yín'ěr) are among the foods commonly eaten for runzao (润燥), or countering dryness.

Lotus root also changes along with the weather. The younger, crisp lotus roots of earlier in the season give way to starchier mature roots, with a denser texture and more pronounced sweetness. The kind you might have eaten cold and crunchy a few weeks ago is now better suited to braising, steaming, and long-simmered soups – lotus root and pork ribs, for instance, are an autumn favorite.