There is a song titled "Beginning of Autumn," which never mentions the words "Beginning of Autumn" throughout, yet it distinctly makes one feel the gradual departure of summer and the coolness of autumn.
"Beginning of Autumn" should be like this—subtle and almost intangible, it arrives, and sometimes passes by in an instant. Besides gaining some weight for autumn and having a dumpling meal, there seems to be nothing much else to do. In fact, you could go see a play called "Beginning of Autumn," go shopping for some new autumn outfits, or catch the last of summer to enjoy the heat; of course, you could also seriously study some light and nourishing delicacies to deal with the "Autumn Tiger."
Sour Soup—Astringing Lung Qi
The *Suwen·Zangqi Fashilun* says: "The lung governs autumn... The lung astringes, so one should urgently eat sour things to astringe it, use sour things to supplement it, and pungent things to purge it." This shows that sour flavor astringes lung qi, while pungent flavor disperses and purges the lungs. Autumn is a time for astringing, not dispersing, so using sour soup to whet the appetite at this time is the best thing one can do.
Mushrooms—Nourishing Skin
The air humidity in autumn is significantly lower than in summer, and the temperature drops. The skin's metabolism also needs time to adapt to the changing climate. Mushrooms are nutritious, rich in protein and vitamins, low in fat, and cholesterol-free. They can prevent aging and keep the skin vibrant and beautiful.
Glutinous Rice—Benefiting the Stomach and Generating Fluids
During the autumn season, one can appropriately eat soft and moistening foods such as sesame, glutinous rice, japonica rice, honey, loquat, pineapple, and dairy products to benefit the stomach and generate fluids.
Eggplant—To Be Eaten Fresh for Nourishment
"Plant eggplant in the start of summer, eat eggplant in the start of autumn." This is a farmer's proverb that expresses the growth characteristics of eggplant and also summarizes the life philosophy of enjoying delicious food. Freshly harvested eggplant in autumn contains various vitamins, fats, proteins, sugars, and minerals. It is not only inexpensive and good, but also rich in nutrients.
Tea Banquet—Calming the Mind and Nourishing the Body
In autumn, tea cuisine is a simple method for health preservation and treating illnesses. In recent years, the nutritional components and pharmacological effects of tea have been continuously discovered, and its health-preserving functions and disease-prevention and treatment effects have been affirmed.
Nourishing Soup—A Necessity for Health
Autumn is a season when all things flourish throughout the year, and the body's physiology also changes with the seasons. Stewing soup involves adding plenty of water to the ingredients, simmering them slowly and gently over low heat, without adding more water, lifting the lid, or adding complex seasonings during the process. This concentrates the essence of the food into the soup, creating a pot of nourishing soup.