In ancient China, the arrival of fall called for ritual and restoration. At Liqiu (Start of Fall, the 13th of the 24 solar terms, which fell on August 7 this year), people practiced tieqiubiao (literally "putting on fall fat"), eating rich foods to prepare for the cold weather ahead. They also went out for shangqiu, admiring the turning leaves. For Hanlu (Cold Dew, a later solar term which started on October 8 this year), people eat sesame cakes to nourish the lungs and ward off the chill.

Today, these practices have been rebranded. Consumers now celebrate Start of Fall and later solar terms with "the first cup of milk tea in fall" or "the first roasted sweet potato of fall." Data from leading online services platform Meituan showed that since this year's Start of Fall, nationwide searches for "putting on fall fat" had surged by 93.5 percent year on year. On August 7 alone, milk tea beverage brands sold over 56.62 million cups across all channels.

"I first learned about the 'first cup of milk tea' meme three years ago and thought it was odd. People order milk tea every week, so why highlight this one day?" Zhou Hanfei, a Beijing-based professional, told Beijing Review. "But then I started participating. Merchants launch limited-edition fall flavors—chestnut, osmanthus, persimmon. It's both an imitation of our ancestors' rituals and a small treat for office workers. A cup costs less than 20 yuan ($2.97), but the satisfaction is so much more."

"The rise of solar-term consumption is inseparable from digital platforms. Search, recommendation, social sharing and instant ordering, this chain amplifies fall spending emotions and triggers impulse purchases," Ouyang Rihui, Vice President of the China Center for Internet Economy Research at the Central University of Finance and Economics, told China Media Group. "The 'first fall drink' represents an emotional ritual born of digital social interaction. Searches, photo-sharing and posts create a positive feedback loop. "

Seasons and flavors 

The change of seasons is driving service consumption growth. Merchants have seized the opportunity and use seasonal ingredients to capture attention.

According to a 2025 report by the China Cuisine Association, long-standing restaurants like Ziguangyuan, Chenji Shunhe and Shaguoju launched dishes including winter melon clay pot, beef bone winter melon cup, and "clay pot four treasures." Data from Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) showed that group-buying orders for braised pork and pork knuckle grew 103 percent and 48 percent year on year, respectively, while mutton rose 32 percent, reflecting people's recognition of the "putting on fall fat" tradition.

The baking and dessert industry also capitalized on the opportunity at the start of the fall. A 2026 analysis by newspaper Consumption Daily noted that seasonal ingredients such as osmanthus, chestnut, pumpkin, sweet potato and snow pear have become the star products. Unlike everyday desserts, fall-themed treats feature exquisite appearance and rich flavors, catering to young people's social sharing needs. Brands like the iconic dim sum teahouse Taotaoju have launched "the first box of fall pastries."

Glutinous rice dumpling brand Wufangzhai saw its pastry sales peak in Wuhan, Hubei Province, during this year's Cold Dew solar term, as people follow the seasonal custom of eating sesame.

Beijing TV, in collaboration with COFCO Fortune, the flagship food brand and core business entity of COFCO Corp. (China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp.), China's largest state-owned food and agriculture conglomerate, even aired a special episode to promote sesame soft cakes for Cold Dew, quoting the traditional saying: "Eat sesame for Cold Dew and don't get chilly on winter days."

Fu Yifu, a special researcher at Suzhou Bank, told China Media Group: "Solar terms naturally create consumption motivation, triggering three needs: cultural identity, emotional healing and social expression. Essentially, it's about finding a perceptible time anchor in a fast-paced life. Suppliers and merchants can keenly capture changes and transform folk symbols into products."

Seasons and scenery 

Beyond food, fall's seasonal landscapes and activities are driving cultural tourism consumption.

Jilin City in Jilin Province, northeast China, a place famous for its winter snowscapes, is now attracting visitors with fall colors. According to data from leading Chinese financial services company UnionPay Merchant Services, during this year's National Day holiday (on October 1-7), the city received 6.78 million domestic tourists, up 18.18 percent year on year; total domestic tourist spending reached 3.69 billion yuan ($548 million), up 13.15 percent. The two major ski resorts, Songhua Lake and Beidahu, are highly favored for their fall scenery.

Songhua Lake Resort launched a Trendy National Day, Enjoy the Green Mountains event, covering over 20 special activities, including folk intangible cultural heritage and night tours. During the day, visitors could hike, join mountain bike races and browse specialty markets; at night, they could watch intangible heritage iron-flower fireworks, join bonfire parties and take cable cars to overlook the fall-colored valley after dark.

But classic fall spots are also stepping up their game. The Ejina Banner poplar forest in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, boasts about 29,333 hectares of natural poplar forest, one of the world's only three remaining poplar forests. Poplars are hailed as "living fossil trees" and every golden fall, the forest attracts many domestic and foreign tourists.

The region entered its best viewing period around October 4, lasting until late this month. Several travel agencies have launched three-to-five-night packages of 1,500-5,000 yuan ($224-746) to view the scenery from its finest angles.

Hunan Province's eco-tourism also heated up during the National Day holiday, with nature reserves blending mountain and water resources with intangible cultural heritage and folk performances. The province received 20.6 million eco-tourists and generated 11.23 billion yuan ($1.67 billion) in revenue. The Greater Zhangjiajie area continued to rise in popularity, linking the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain and Xuefeng Mountain into a pearl-string route.

As seasonal consumption continues to thrive, the government is making efforts to encourage these trends.

On July 2, the State Council, the highest state administrative organ, issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption, proposing to promote the quality and benefit of service consumption. Responding to new consumption demands generated by seasonal changes, it encourages markets across the country to seek innovation and change, transforming fall scenery, rural resources and cultural connotations into related products and services. Tasting fall flavors, enjoying fall scenery and experiencing fall fun are not only lifestyles for the public to perceive fall but also an opportunity for the continuous upgrading of the consumer market.

Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, released a report on Leaf-Viewing Tourism Development Trends and Market Insights in Chongqing in 2025. He noted that government, industry and the academic community must take shared, differentiated responsibilities to expand the market, unlock tourism consumption and advance the construction of a strong modern tourism industry.

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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