The first phase is the disappearance of thunder. It is thought that thunder is the sound of the power of yang qi, and after Autumn Equinox the yin qi gains momentum, resulting in no thunder.

The second phase is the hiding of worms from soil. As the weather gets colder, the insects start to hide in their caves and seal the cave mouth with soil to prevent the intrusion of cold air.

The third phase is the decrease of rainfall. Due to the dry weather, the water evaporates fast, and thus the amount of water in lakes decreases, and some swamps and pools go dry.