Having Qiucai (Autumn Vegetables)

In South China, there is a custom for the local citizens, popularly known as "having Qiucai (autumn vegetable) on the Autumn Equinox". "Qiucai" is a kind of wild amaranth. Local people call it “Qiuybihao” (autumn Blue Artemisia). Every Autumn Equinox day, all the villagers go to pick Qiucai in the wild. Qiucai is verdant in the field, thin, and about 20 cm in length. Qiucai is taken back and made soup with fish, named “Qiutang” (autumn soup). There is a burlesque verse about the soup: "Drink the soup, washing liver sausage. The whole family will be safe and healthy". These are the best wishes of people for their families on this special day.