諺語 · a single proverb
霜降殺百草
Simplified: 霜降杀百草
What does 霜降殺百草 (shuāng jiàng shā bǎi cǎo) mean?
霜降殺百草 (shuāng jiàng shā bǎi cǎo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Frost Descent kills a hundred grasses." In use it means: The solar term Shuangjiang (Frost Descent, around October 23) marks when frost begins to kill off remaining vegetation. It is a stark reminder that every growing season has a firm end. 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 Dog.
Literally: "Frost Descent kills a hundred grasses.."
The reading
Endings are not failures; they are the natural conclusion of a cycle that ran its full course. A field cleared by frost is not destroyed but made ready for rest and future planting. Letting go of what has finished is as important as nurturing what is growing. The grasses do not mourn; they simply return to root.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Solar term proverb from northern Chinese agricultural tradition
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 霜降殺百草 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 霜降殺百草 (shuāng jiàng shā bǎi cǎo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Solar term proverb from northern Chinese agricultural tradition. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 霜降殺百草?
In Mandarin it is shuāng jiàng shā bǎi cǎo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 霜降殺百草 aloud in Mandarin.