Beginning of autumn eats watermelon: Why does beginning of autumn eat watermelon in 24 solar terms?

Watermelon in early autumn can eliminate stagnant air accumulated in summer and accumulate "yang" for winter.

According to legend, one year in the Ming Dynasty, many people in Nanjing suffered from dysentery and sores. Some people followed the example of Cui Xianggong's daughter in Luzhou to eat melons to make "dysentery" heal itself. As a result, a custom gradually formed. In Qiu Lai, every household has to cut watermelons every year, which is called "eating autumn".

Watermelon was introduced into the Central Plains from the Western Regions, and the northwest just entered the picking period around beginning of autumn, so it is an early adopter to eat watermelon in beginning of autumn. This custom influenced the south of Qing Dynasty. Since autumn, watermelons from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai have entered the final market. People have various explanations for why beginning of autumn eats watermelon. Some people say that eating watermelon in beginning of autumn can eliminate stagnant gas accumulated in summer, while others say that it can accumulate "stomach nourishing" for winter.