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▲Special Guest Host of the Apricot Forest Morning News〡Chief Director
01Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of “Cold Autumn”
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Today, “Autumn Equinox” is described in the “Spring and Autumn Fanlu” as: “The Autumn Equinox is when Yin and Yang are equal, hence day and night are balanced, and cold and heat are moderate.” The Autumn Equinox is the second and last day of the year when day and night are equal, and Yin and Yang are balanced.
After the Autumn Equinox, the seasonal energy between heaven and earth, as well as within the human body, will officially shift towards a predominance of Yin and a decline of Yang, marking the official onset of Cold Autumn.
Health preservation during the Autumn Equinox should follow the principle of Yin-Yang balance to maintain “Yin equilibrium and Yang secret”, as stated in the “Suwen: The Great Discussion on the True Essentials” which says, “Carefully observe the location of Yin and Yang, aiming for balance.”
Health preservation should take care of both Yang and Yin, achieving a dual nourishment of Yin and Yang. By replenishing Yang energy, we prevent it from quietly “weakening”, allowing us to enjoy the fruits of spring and summer and safely pass through the cool autumn and cold winter, just like squirrels storing “pine nuts” in their bodies.
By nourishing Yin energy, we enable the body to adapt to the increasing natural changes of Yin energy, allowing the Yin and Yang energies of the body to coordinate with nature, thereby reducing the likelihood of illness.
02A Bowl of Nourishing Soup: Dual Nourishment of Yin and Yang
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Here, we introduce a “Nourishing Soup for Autumn Equinox”, which is very suitable for this season.
🔸Ingredients: 1 pound of pork ribs, 250g of fresh Chinese yam (Shan Yao), 100g of lightly roasted chestnuts, 100g of lotus root, 10 red dates, a small handful of red-skinned peanuts, a small handful of goji berries (Gou Qi), 5 black fungus (Mu Er), and 3 slices of ginger. (Serves 2-3 people)
🔸Method:
1. Clean and peel the Chinese yam, cut into sections; shell the chestnuts; clean and cut the lotus root into pieces; soak the red dates and black fungus separately for 15 minutes; rinse the peanuts and goji berries slightly;
2. Clean the pork ribs and blanch them in boiling water, then add an appropriate amount of water to the pot, bring to a boil, and add the Chinese yam, lotus root, red dates, peanuts, black fungus, and ginger. After boiling, simmer on low heat for 40 minutes;
3. Finally, add the chestnuts and goji berries, bring to a boil again, then reduce to low heat and cook until the chestnuts are fully cooked, adding a little salt for seasoning.
During the Autumn Equinox, one must not miss chestnuts. Chestnuts are fruits harvested in autumn, with a sweet and warm nature. They not only nourish the stomach and strengthen the spleen, but also tonify the kidneys and strengthen the muscles, effectively dispelling internal cold, and are beneficial for kidney deficiency and weakness in the lower back and knees.
Lightly roasted chestnuts are more effective, as recorded in the “Compendium of Materia Medica”: “Dried chestnuts are superior to sun-dried ones, and those roasted in oil are superior to boiled or steamed ones.”
For nourishing Yin and strengthening the spleen, there is no better food than Chinese yam; lotus root, red dates, peanuts, goji berries, and black fungus can nourish blood, promote blood circulation, and are suitable for those with blood deficiency, blood stasis, skin itching, and eye fatigue or poor vision…
Ginger can eliminate the fishy smell of meat and also dispel cold and tonify Yang.
Note: Chestnuts can be purchased roasted or you can roast them yourself over low heat; for those with obvious kidney deficiency, adding 100g of pig kidneys to the soup will yield better results.
By combining these ingredients to make soup, it is gentle and warming, benefiting the kidneys and replenishing essence, taking care of both Yin and Yang. Why not give it a try?～
· Content reviewed for this issue ·
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