As the summer heat softens into crisp autumn breezes, one of China’s most poetic solar terms arrives: Bailu, or White Dew. Falling on September 7, 2026 at 22:41 Beijing time, this 15th solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar marks the official shift from late summer to mid-autumn. Published on our company website, this feature is designed to help all new and existing customers around the world get a closer look at the gentle rhythms of Chinese seasonal culture and the everyday traditions that have shaped local life for thousands of years.
The Origin of White Dew: Rooted in Nature and Ancient Wisdom
The name “Bailu” comes directly from the most visible change in the natural world at this time of year. As day and night temperatures begin to widen sharply, cool night air turns water vapor into tiny, glistening white dewdrops that settle on grass blades, leaves and crop surfaces at dawn. In ancient Chinese philosophy, autumn corresponds to the “gold” element in the five-element system, and the color linked to gold is white — which is why people named this beautiful moment “White Dew”.
The earliest written record of the term “white dew” appears in The Book of Songs · Qin Feng · Jianjia, a classic poem more than 2,000 years old that describes dewdrops glistening on the riverbank. Later, the ancient agricultural text The 72 Collections of Descriptions for Monthly Order clearly noted: “Soil and water moisture condenses into dew; autumn belongs to gold, its color is white, this is the color of dew, and the air begins to turn cool.” By the Han Dynasty, Bailu had been formally established as one of the 24 solar terms, becoming an important guide for farmers to arrange harvest, sowing and seasonal life.
Traditional Chinese folklore divides Bailu into three distinct natural phases:
- The first phase sees wild geese flying south for the winter
- The second phase marks the return of swallows to warm southern regions
- The third phase finds all birds busy storing food for the coming cool season
These observable changes in nature remind people across the country that autumn has truly arrived.
Warm Local Customs That Have Lasted for Centuries
Over thousands of years, Bailu has grown into a season filled with gentle, warm folk customs that vary across different regions of China.
In southern China, many families brew a homemade sweet rice wine called “White Dew Rice Wine” right at this time. Made from glutinous rice and fermented grain, the light, mellow wine is stored in clay jars and shared with neighbors, family and visiting guests. Many old villages still keep the tradition of offering the first bowl of new wine to the elderly, as a way to wish everyone good health through the cool autumn.
In the southeastern coastal provinces, people always collect fresh white tea leaves picked around Bailu. Tea made at this moment carries the fresh aroma of early autumn, with a mild, sweet taste that does not irritate the stomach even when drunk warm. Local tea lovers often say “Bailu tea tastes better than all the spring teas after the Mid-Autumn Festival”.
In northern China, especially around our local region of Handan, Hebei, families will pick fresh walnuts, chestnuts and newly harvested jujubes right after Bailu. Children love to crack open the thin-shelled fresh walnuts to taste the tender, sweet kernel inside, while elders will boil pears with crystal sugar to moisten the throat and protect the lungs from the dry autumn air.
Seasonal Wisdom That Still Guides Daily Life Today
One of the most well-known old sayings about Bailu in China goes: “After White Dew, do not show your skin exposed.” As the temperature difference between day and night can easily reach 10 degrees Celsius or more, people no longer wear summer shorts and sleeveless tops. Instead, they add a thin long-sleeve shirt in the morning and evening, to avoid catching a cold when the cool wind blows.
Traditional Chinese medicine also reminds people that this is a season of “cool dryness”. It is better to eat more fresh pears, white fungus, lotus root and honey, and reduce the amount of spicy, fried food, to keep the body comfortable and adapted to the changing season. Even in modern cities today, millions of Chinese families still follow these simple, gentle seasonal habits passed down from their grandparents.
Post time: Sep-03-2026
