24 Solar Terms

Date: 2019-08-09

Article Link: China Daily 24 Solar Terms

Start of spring (Chinese: 立春)

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of spring, is the first solar term in the lunar calendar.

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Spring is a season of growth, surrounded by birds' twitter and fragrance of flowers. The day gets longer and the weather warmer. It is also a turning point for increased rainfall.

Rain water (Chinese: 雨水)

Rain water, the second solar term of the year, signals a gradually warmer climate with less snow and more rain.

A saying goes: "Spring rain is as precious as oil". Rain in spring is crucial for the growth of crops. Some dry areas depend heavily on spring rain to assure a year worth of harvest.

It is said that during rain water, others starts fishing, wild goose fly back to the north and plants begin to sprout amidst the silent and soft spring rain.

Awakening of the Insects (Chinese: 惊蛰)

Awakening of the Insects, the third solar term of the year, instructing ancient Chinese people's daily lives and farming.

The Chinese classics recorded a time when spring thunder revived insects that had been hibernating for the winter. They rise up from the earth, and plenty of other creatures also put in their first appearance of the year. Soon, peach blossoms will be in full bloom while orioles will sing from tree branches.

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Chinese farmers attach great importance to Jingzhe, since it kicks off spring plowing, one of the busiest time in the farmlands. With insects buzzing, it is time to protect the crops from these pests. Poultry and livestock also need to be protected from diseases.

Spring is considered the most precious time of the year for agriculture. At the beginning of the year, farmers till the soil, giving crops the best possible environment and more nutrition.

Spring equinox (Chinese: 春分)

Spring equinox, the fourth solar term of the year, signals we have reached halfway through spring.

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The Spring Equinox signals the equal length of the day and night time. On the day of the Spring Equinox, sun is directly above the equator. After the equinox, the sun moves northwards, resulting in gradually longer day time in the Northern Hemisphere and longer night in the Southern Hemisphere.

Clear and Bright (Chinese: 清明)

Clear and Bright, the 5th solar term of the year.

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Of all the 24 solar terms, Clear and Bright is the only one whose first day is also a traditional Chinese festival, Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day. The words "clear" and "bright" describe the weather during this period. Temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, making it a crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring.

Clear and Bright is a period in which Chinese people honor nature and the ancestors of the Chinese nation. The worship of nature and ancestors can be traced to ancient times, and still matters a lot in modern society.

Cleaning the tombs and paying respect to the dead with offerings are the two important practices to remember late relatives. Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care for the dead.

The dead person's favorite food, wine and chopsticks are offered on their tombs, along with paper money. These sacrifices are all burned in the hope that the deceased will not lack food and money in the afterlife.

Grain Rain (Chinese: 谷雨)

Grain Rain, as the last term in spring, the 6th solar term of the year.

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Grain Rain originates from the old saying, "Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains," which shows that this period of rainfall is extremely important for the growth of crops. The Grain Rain signals the end of cold weather and a rapid rise in temperature.

Start of Summer (Chinese: 立夏)

Start of Summer, the 7th solar term of the year.

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Start of Summer signals the transition of seasons. On this day, the sun's rays reach an angle of 45 degrees to the earth. The temperature will rise quickly during this period, yet in northern China weather remains mild, not tropical.

Grain Buds (Chinese: 小满)

Grain Buds, the 8th solar term of the year, means that the seeds from the grain are becoming full but are not ripe.

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In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. But the solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies, gardening and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.

Grain in Ear (Chinese: 芒种)

Grain in Ear, the 9th solar term of the year.

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The arrival of Grain in Ear signifies the ripening of crops such as barley and wheat. It is also a busy period for farmers.

Rainfall increases during Grain in Ear compared to the previous eight solar terms. Regions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are about to enter the Plum Rains season.

Plum Rains, often occurring during June and July, refer to the long period of continuous rainy or cloudy weather. This happens to be the time for plums to ripen, which explains the origin of its name. Plum Rains is a good period for growing rice, vegetables and fruits.

Summer Solstice (Chinese: 夏至)

Summer Solstice, the 10th solar term of the year.

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At this time, much of the northern hemisphere receives the most hours of daylight, but it does not bring the hottest temperatures which will come only 20 to 30 days later.

On the Summer Solstice itself, daylight lasts the longest for the whole year in the northern hemisphere. After this day, daylight hours get shorter and shorter and temperatures become higher in the northern hemisphere.

Minor Heat (Chinese: 小暑)

Minor Heat, the 11th solar term of the year.

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Minor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive.

Major Heat (Chinese: 大暑)

Major Heat, the 12th solar term of the year.

During Major Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year.

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During Major Heat, the sunshine, high temperatures, and heavy rainfall are good for agricultural crops. But like Minor Heat, many natural calamities such as floods, droughts and typhoons also happen during Major Heat. Therefore, it's important to harvest and plant in time to avoid setbacks caused by natural disasters.

Start of Autumn (Chinese: 立秋)

Start of Autumn, the 13th solar term of the year.

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Start of Autumn reflects the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The fruitful season is approaching.

Although Start of Autumn indicates the beginning of autumn, hot weather will not come to an end. The period of hot days after Start of Autumn, usually lasting for 30 days, is called "Autumn Tiger" or "Indian Summer." Because of decreasing precipitation, it is even more sweltering during this period than during Major Heat.

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