I just returned yesterday afternoon from Australia where we had another fantastic class. I thought the students were all great, and I hope we were all engaged enough that I’ll return in the next year or so for more lectures. Returning home the weather was surprisingly warm for this time of year. However, although today is also unseasonably warm, starting tomorrow the temperatures here are going to drop, and at night it will be just barely above the freezing mark. This is just in time, as today, Wednesday, October 23rd, starts the next seasonal node - Hoarfrost Descends (Shuang Jiang 霜降).
Hoarfrost Descends Daoyin Posture
We are now in the last segment of Autumn as the next seasonal node is the beginning of Winter. The days are clearly getting shorter and darker and soon here in most of the United States we go off Daylight Saving Time. When that happens the sun will be setting much earlier. The name Hoarfrost Descends refers to the frost that happens early morning when we have much colder overnight temperatures, and is derived from the Old English meaning of frost resembling an old man's beard. Anyone who lives in colder climates will know that this looks like, and this is the time of year when we start seeing it.
The shorter 5-day segments of Hoarfrost Descends are Chai nai ji shou 犲乃祭獸 (Dholes Start to Sacrifice Beasts), Caomu huangluo 草木黃落 (Vegetation Withers and Defoliates), and Zhechong xianfu 蟄蟲咸附 (Hibernating Insects Stop Up Their Burrows). A dhole is a type of wild dog native to many parts of Asia, and the image of them sacrificing beasts is an image of the harvesting of food. Autumn is harvest time, which is why the Neijing says in many chapters that Spring Engenders, Summer Flourishes, Autumn Harvest, and Winter Stores (春生，夏長，秋收，冬藏). Interestingly, in Chinese astrology, the dog is associated with the Earthly Branch Xu (戌), which goes with the 9th lunar month (i.e., October in the solar calendar). The other two segments of Hoarfrost Descends offer additional images of the closing down and increasing Yin of the season.
The ancient text Yue Jin Qi Shi Er Hou Ji Jie says, “the Qi is solemn during Hoarfrost Descends. It is when the Yin starts to condense.” Since we are moving into the Yin and colder part of the year, the first traditional recommendation for Hoarfrost Descends is to protect against the cold and preserve internal warmth. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather on any given day. When eating, keeping the Spleen and Stomach warm helps warm the entire body. Traditional Chinese foods for Autumn include lamb and rabbit, and this is the time to eat more stews and soups. Spices such as ginger and cinnamon can also warm the body. Hoarfrost Descends is a traditional time to take tonics. Therefore, this time of year most people can take small doses of Spleen and Stomach tonics such as the Four Gentlemen (Si Jun Zi Tang), or other similar formulas. Generally speaking, for asymptomatic people, taking tonics in pill form at a lower but consistent dose is beneficial.
While it is important to keep the Spleen and Stomach warm, since Autumn is the Metal and therefore Lung season, supplementing the Lungs and preventing upper respiratory tract infections is a key seasonal strategy. One of the traditional teas for late Autumn is called Jin Qi Hua Cha (金芪花茶). To make this tea take 5g Huang Qi and 3g Jin Yin Hua and simmer in 1 cup of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. When finished, remove the herbs and let cool to just below boiling. Add 3g of good quality Jasmine Tea and let steep for only about 2 minutes. Strain and enjoy! Alternately, this can be made with granular concentrates that approximate the same dosage of raw herbs. Jin Qi Hua Cha gently clears heat and drains fire, but at the same time it supplements and rectifies the Qi, and harmonizes the center.
In addition to herbal teas or other formulas we can continue thinking of what acupuncture points or protocols would be appropriate for this time of year. Since Autumn is still the Metal time associated with the Lungs, for generally healthy patients we can needle the Zu Si Ma (Leg Four Horses 足駟馬) Dao Ma group. This is the main group of points in Tung’s acupuncture for the Lungs. It also can treat chronic sinus congestion or nasal dryness associated with seasonal allergies. For other allergy patients (a common complaint still) consider adding in point such as San Jian LI-3 or Mu (木穴11.07).
One traditional recipe for Hoarfrost Descends is Angelica and Ginger Lamb Stew (Dang Gui Sheng Jiang Dun Yang Rou 當歸生薑燉羊肉).
Angelica and Ginger Lamb Stew
Ingredients:
1lb. Boneless lamb meat, cut into cubes
6-8 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken broth
20g Chinese Angelica (Dang Gui 當歸)
15g Fresh ginger root (peeled and sliced)
Cooking oil (peanut oil is traditional)
Black pepper
Directions:
Coat a thick metal pot with some cooking oil and heat over medium flame. Place cubed lamb meat in the pot and brown.
Add water (or broth), angelica and ginger. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a medium simmer (other vegetables can be added as desired).
Cover part way with a lid and simmer for about 90 minutes. Add black pepper and salt to taste.
Remove Angelica before eating (or just eat around it!). Ginger can be eaten.
This dish warms the yang and scatters cold, moves Qi and quickens the Blood – the perfect recipe for the season!
Stay warm and stay healthy. Next blog posts will be for Winter…