Qiufen, or Autumn Equinox, the 16th of the 24 Solar Terms on the traditional Chinese calendar, begins on September 23 this year. On this day, the sun shines directly on the equator, causing day and night to have equal length across the globe. From this day onwards, days in the Northern Hemisphere gradually shorten while nights lengthen, temperatures drop steadily as late autumn officially sets in. Qiufen also signals the peak of the harvest season in agriculture as major grains are ripe for the picking.

Song of Autumn