White Dew (Bailu)

The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. White Dew (Bailu) is the 15th solar term of the year. It usually begins around September 7 or 8 and ends around September 21 or 22.

White Dew indicates the real beginning of cool autumn. As the name suggests, temperatures decline gradually, and vapors in the air often condense into white dew on grass and trees at night. Although daytime can still be hot, after sunset temperatures drop rapidly.

Customs and Food:

• Eating Longan – In Fuzhou, Fujian province, people eat longan on the first day of White Dew, believing it nourishes the body.
• White Dew Tea – Tea lovers in Nanjing favor tea harvested around this time, which tastes sweet with a lasting fragrance.
• White Dew Wine – In some parts of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, people make wine from cereals like glutinous rice and sorghum.
• Eating Sweet Potatoes – Many believe sweet potatoes are the best food during White Dew.

Source：Chinajob