Why does beginning of autumn eat watermelon at four o'clock in the morning?

The custom of eating watermelon in beginning of autumn originates from two allusions.

According to "Baner Qiuyuzhai Essay", women in the western regions choose to touch melons in the fields at the beginning of autumn night, which is called "touching autumn". It may be related to the shape of watermelon like a pregnant woman's stomach. Melon has a son, which symbolizes having a son. In the custom of China, "melon" is always closely related to reproduction. It is said that ripe melons can be touched in autumn, which indicates that girls can find good husbands and women can have more sons. In order to ensure a good touch of melons, melons are generally placed in a certain position during the day and women are allowed to "touch" at night. At this time, "touching the autumn" is like a divination activity. With the expansion of watermelon planting, people in the city began to eat watermelon in early autumn.

There is another origin, which is more credible and scientific: although watermelons were introduced into the Central Plains from the Song Dynasty, they were not widely planted, so the custom of eating watermelons in beginning of autumn did not form at that time. However, in the western region, in the origin of watermelon, the custom of eating watermelon in beginning of autumn is prevalent. Because the Western Regions are located in the northwest of China, and the latitude is high, watermelons have just entered the picking period around beginning of autumn, so it is an early adopter to eat watermelons in beginning of autumn. This custom influenced the south in Qing Dynasty, when watermelons in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai had entered the final market. People gave various explanations for why beginning of autumn ate watermelons. Some people say that eating watermelon in beginning of autumn can eliminate the stagnant air accumulated in summer, while others say that it can accumulate "prestige" for winter. In fact, it is only the influence of northern customs. However, it should be admitted that after beginning of autumn, the weather became colder and the number of watermelons on the market decreased. People eat watermelon again in early autumn, which means saying goodbye.