
Difference between Frost's Descent and White Dew
Time Difference:White Dew is the fifteenth of the twenty-four solar terms in the lunar calendar. When the sun reaches 165 degrees of the ecliptic, it is White Dew. Frost's Descent is the eighteenth solar term, which occurs between October 23rd and 24th on the Gregorian calendar each year.
Difference in Three Periods:
The three periods of White Dew refer to: first period, swans come; second period, black birds return; third period, flocks of birds store food. The three periods of Frost's Descent are: first period, jackals offer sacrifices to beasts; second period, grass and trees wither and fall; third period, all hibernating insects lie still.
Climate Difference:
After White Dew, the temperature difference between day and night gradually increases. According to the standards of climatic seasons, various regions begin to enter autumn. Frost's Descent is the last solar term of autumn, marking the transition from autumn to winter. During the time of Frost's Descent, everything is completed, and enters the period of the dog (戌), where yang energy descends into the earth and yin energy begins to condense. The weather becomes colder starting from Frost's Descent.

Are They in the Same Season?
Frost's Descent and White Dew belong to autumn, and are solar terms of the same season.The twenty-four solar terms refer to specific seasonal, phenological, and climatic changes in the branch calendar, used to establish the "twelve-month system." These terms reflect the impact of the sun on the Earth and have been listed as a representative work of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The twenty-four solar terms were established in the pre-Qin period of China and were fully established during the Han dynasty as a supplementary calendar to guide agricultural activities. It is a knowledge system formed by observing the annual movement of the sun to understand the changing patterns of seasons, climate, and phenology throughout the year. It divides the annual movement of the sun into 24 equal parts, with each part being a solar term, starting with Start of Spring and ending with Great Cold, and then repeating cyclically.











