白bái露lù身shēn不bù露lù,，寒hán露lù腳jiǎo不bù露lù

What does 白露身不露，寒露腳不露 (bái lù shēn bù lù, hán lù jiǎo bù lù) mean?

白露身不露，寒露腳不露 (bái lù shēn bù lù, hán lù jiǎo bù lù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "At White Dew don't expose the body; at Cold Dew don't expose the feet." In use it means: As autumn deepens through the solar terms, progressively cover the body. First protect the torso from the initial autumn chill at White Dew, then keep feet warm as temperatures drop further by Cold Dew. Dressing by the calendar prevents seasonal illness. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.

Literally: "At White Dew don't expose the body; at Cold Dew don't expose the feet."

The reading

The solar terms provide a precise calendar for adjusting how the body is covered and protected. At White Dew in early September, the torso should no longer be left bare. By Cold Dew in early October, even the feet deserve warmth. Each shift in temperature asks for a matching shift in clothing. Those who dress by the calendar rather than by vanity carry fewer autumn colds into winter.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeyànyǔ 諺語
• FocusPresent-minded
• Element金 Metal
• Zodiac tie雞 Year of the Rooster

Source Traditional agricultural almanac health saying (nongyan), common in northern Chinese regions

Sits beside

Keep reading

Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.