Grain and Fire as Autumn: The Severance of Heaven and Earth and the Onset of Solemn Killing at Liqiu
This article offers an in-depth interpretation of Liqiu (Start of Autumn) among the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, drawing on pre-Qin Confucian and Daoist philosophy, the original meanings of Chinese characters, and astronomical-phenological perspectives. By examining the etymological roots of 'qiu' (autumn) as grain-and-fire, the astronomical coordinate of 135° solar longitude, and the image of Hexagram Pi (Standstill) from the Yijing — 'Heaven and Earth do not interact' — it reveals Liqiu as the pivotal moment when all things shift from 'growth' to 'gathering,' illuminating the virtue of Metal, the onset of solemn killing, and the ancient roots of the autumnal grief tradition.
Chapter Eleven: Liqiu and Agriculture — Harvest and Preparation on the Great Earth
I. From "Growth" to "Gathering": The Fundamental Turn in Agricultural Work
Liqiu occupies a position of paramount importance in agrarian civilization. The proverb says: "Eighteen days after Liqiu, even an inch of grass sets its crown" — after Liqiu, all plants begin to "set seed," shifting from vegetative growth to reproductive growth.
Yet Liqiu's agricultural work is not simply "gathering" alone. It is the critical season of both "gathering" and "preparing" (bei 备) in tandem — protecting maturing crops against insects, flooding, and early frost, while also beginning autumn plantings.
II. The Autumn Harvest Scene in "Seventh Month" of the Shijing
The most vivid literary depiction of agricultural life around Liqiu comes from the Shijing, "Binfeng: Qi yue" ("Seventh Month"). "In the seventh month, the Fire Star declines; in the ninth month, garments are distributed." The "declining Fire Star" (liu huo) — the westward descent of the great star Antares (Heart Lodge 2) — corresponds precisely to the seventh month of Liqiu. This astronomical-phenological marker signals autumn's arrival.
"In the seventh month, eat melons; in the eighth, cut gourds; in the ninth, gather hemp seeds" — depicting the busy scene of autumn harvests. "In the ninth month, prepare the threshing ground; in the tenth, bring in the grain" — recording the complete process from harvest to storage.
III. Military Preparations: Autumn's Solemn Killing in Human Affairs
As noted in the Monthly Ordinances, after Liqiu the Son of Heaven's core commands are to "select soldiers and sharpen weapons" and "punish the unjust." Autumn is suitable for military campaigns: spring and summer are too busy with farming, while after the autumn harvest, grain is plentiful (provisions are secured), labor becomes available, and autumn Metal provides the propitious celestial timing.
IV. Autumn Thanksgiving and Honoring the Spirits
"Spring prayers, autumn thanksgiving" (chunqi qiubao) is the fundamental rhythm of ancient agrarian sacrifice. At spring planting, one "prays" to the spirits for a bountiful harvest; at autumn reaping, one "gives thanks" for the harvest received. Liqiu stands precisely at the node where "prayer" shifts to "thanksgiving." This gratitude and the "autumn grief" tradition together constitute two emotions before the season of autumn — one of thankfulness and joy for the harvest, one of sorrow and melancholy over decline.