Autumn Metal Season: TCM Congee & Tea for the Lungs
As we move deeper into fall, we shift from the center of Indian Summer, the Earth element, containing the Stomach and Spleen season into the Lung and Large Intestine season, the Metal element in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
In TCM, each season has two organs that are most active. Eighteen days before the transition of the season, the Earth element recenters before the primary seasons shift. The Stomach and Spleen are the dominant organs during this time, and any imbalances in these areas will be the loudest such as digestive issues, shoulder pain, frontal headaches, and acid reflux.
As we move into the Autumn Equinox, we enter the season of dryness, which governs both the Lungs and the Large Intestine. Energetically and emotionally, it is a season tied to grief and letting go. So alongside physical dryness, this can be a time when unprocessed grief starts to surface. There are many ways to support our grieving process, nourish our immune system, and moisten the internal lining of the digestive tract.
Common Experiences During Metal Season
When Lung and Large Intestine energy takes center stage, imbalances in these systems tend to speak the loudest. Common experiences during this transition include:
Dry cough or scratchy throat — often with little to no phlegm, a hallmark sign of Lung Yin deficiency
Dry skin, chapped lips, and dry sinuses — the body mirroring the dryness of the outer environment
Seasonal allergies and sensitivity to change — sneezing, itchy eyes, and a "reactive" immune system as it adjusts
Constipation or irregular bowel movements — the Large Intestine's fluids becoming depleted with not enough moisture to move bowel movements
Shallow breathing or a tight chest — the Lungs governing qi and respiration, easily constricted by dryness or grief. This feels like an elephant sitting on your chest.
Low mood, wistfulness, or a resurfacing of old grief — the emotional terrain of the Metal element
Susceptibility to colds and respiratory bugs — as Wei qi (protective qi, closely tied to Lung function) is challenged by the changing season. The Wei Qi is the 1st line of defense of the immune system.
Recognizing these patterns early makes it easier to meet them with warmth, moisture, and nourishment rather than letting them build into something more stubborn as the weather turns colder.
Key Ingredients for Moisture & Lung Support
The herbs and foods that traditionally show up again and again for this season are pears, lily bulb, white or snow fungus, and jujube, alongside almonds, sesame seeds, and honey.
White fungus (snow fungus) nourishes the Yin of the Lung and Stomach. Yin is described as fluids, moisture, darkness, density, nourishment, and rest with everything the dry, brisk energy of autumn tends to deplete.
Lily bulb gently moistens the Lungs, relieves dryness, and soothes persistent cough or throat discomfort.
Jujube (red dates) strengthens the Spleen, nourishes and builds blood (improving the nutrients the blood carries), harmonizes other herbs, and supports qi. When we talk about "qi," we are talking about how the body influences the exchange of gases across tissues — oxygen, nitric oxide, and more.
Almonds and sesame seeds are classically used to moisten the Large Intestine and ease dryness-related constipation, while also nourishing Lung tissue.
Honey, taken warm (never boiled at high heat, which destroys its properties), soothes a dry throat and lubricates the Lungs and intestines alike.
Herbs to Nourish and Boost Immunity
Alongside the moistening ingredients above, a few herbs are traditionally added specifically to strengthen Wei qi, the protective layer of qi that TCM associates with immune resilience:
Astragalus root (huang qi) is one of the most widely used qi tonics in Chinese herbalism, traditionally taken to fortify the body's defenses before cold and flu season sets in. It's often added to soups and congees rather than taken alone.
Reishi mushroom is considered a Shen (spirit) and qi tonic, used to support resilience, calm the nervous system, and build long-term vitality which is fitting for a season that asks us to slow down.
Schisandra berry (wu wei zi), "the five-flavor fruit," is used to astringe Lung qi, ease chronic cough, and support the body's stress response.
Ginger and scallion, added in small amounts, help the body stay adaptable as temperatures swing between warm days and cool mornings.
These are typically simmered into broths, teas, or the congee base itself rather than eaten on their own. TCM favors slow, cumulative nourishment over single "hits" of any one ingredient.
Congee Formula
Traditionally known as hsi-fan, or "rice water," congee is eaten throughout China as a breakfast food. It is a thin porridge consisting of a handful of rice simmered in five to six times the amount of water. Many ingredients can be added to congee for a variety of therapeutic properties, but the following is a recipe for moisture and Lung support.
Soak snow fungus in warm water until soft, then trim away the hard center. Combine it in a pot with pear slices, lily bulbs, almonds, and red dates (jujube). Simmer gently on low heat for 4–6 hours, letting the ingredients soften into the rice for a warming, moistening breakfast or evening bowl.
For an immune-supportive variation, add a few slices of astragalus root and a small piece of reishi mushroom to the pot at the start of the simmer, then remove both before serving (they're typically too tough and bitter to eat directly. Their properties infuse into the congee itself. A few thin slices of fresh ginger can be added in the last 30 minutes for warmth and digestibility.
This slow-simmer method is intentional. In TCM, long, gentle cooking is thought to make the nutritive properties of the ingredients more bioavailable and easier on the Spleen and Stomach which, as the supporting organs of this transition, need to stay strong in order for the body to properly absorb and circulate the moisture and nourishment we're feeding it.
Pear & Lily Bulb Tea
A simple tea: simmer pear and lily bulb in two cups of water for twenty minutes, then strain and drink warm. Enjoy one cup daily during dry or cool weather to support the Lungs through the season.
Tending to Grief as the Leaves Let Go
Metal season doesn't only ask something of the body, it asks something of the heart. The Lungs are said to house the Po, the "corporeal soul," which governs our capacity to be present in the physical body and to process loss. As the natural world sheds its leaves, we're invited to do the same with whatever we've been holding onto: old grief, outworn habits, relationships or identities that no longer serve us.
A few simple practices to support this alongside the food and herbs above:
Breathwork — slow, deep breathing directly nourishes Lung qi and can help move stagnant grief that's settled in the chest.
Time outdoors in the crisp air — brief, mindful exposure to the season's dryness and coolness, rather than avoidance of it, can help the body acclimate
Journaling or ritual release — writing down what you're ready to let go of, a practice that echoes the Metal element's association with clarity, structure, and release
Rest — Yin-nourishing foods work best paired with actual rest; this is not a season to push through exhaustion
As the air turns crisp and the days shorten, Metal season offers a quiet invitation: to moisten what's dry, strengthen what protects us, and gently release what we no longer need to carry into winter.