Twenty-fourChineseSolarTermsBy

文振帆王恒俊24SolarTermsBasedonthechangesofthesun'spositioninthezodiacthroughouttheyearandpracticalneedsofagricultureinancientChina,the

“24solarterms”

isanimportantkindofcalendarinChina.Itindicatesdifferentperiodsofseasons,thechangesofweather,somenaturalphenomenaandmore,guidingfarmersinagricultureproductiongreatly.Commonpeoplealsofollowthecalendartowatchoutweatherchangesandliveahealthylife.

GraininearOriginAsearlyastheShangDynasty(17thcenturyBC-1046BC),theChineseancestorshadalreadyestablishedfourmajorsolarterms.DuringtheZhouDynasty(1046-256BC),eightsolartermsmarkingthefourseasonswereestablished:StartofSpring,SpringEquinox,StartofSummer,SummerSolstice,StartofAutumn,AutumnEquinox,StartofWinter,andWinterSolstice.UntiltheHanDynasty(202BC-220AD),thepresent24solartermswasestablishedcompletely.

TherainsThetwenty-foursolartermscanbedividedintothreegroups:Onegroupreflectstheseasonalchanges(including8terms):StartofSpring,StartofSummer,StartofAutumnandStartofWintermarkthefourseasons;SpringEquinox,SummerSolstice,AutumnEquinox,andWinterSolsticereflecttheheightchangesofthesunfromtheastronomyaspect.

InsectsawakenOneembodiesnaturalphenomena(including4terms):InsectsAwaken,PureBrightness,GrainFullandGraininEarVernalEquinoxTherestreflectstheclimatechanges(including12terms):SlightHeat,GreatHeat,TheEndofHeat,LesserColdandGreaterColdtellthetemperaturechanges;RainWater,GrainRain,LightSnowandHeavySnowreflecttheprecipitationlevels;WhiteDew,ColdDewandFrostDescentreflectthedroppingprocessanddegreeofthetemperature.

PureBrightnessThedateofeachsolartermisbasicallyfixedwithminordifferencesofwithinoneortwodays.

Eachmonthhastwosolarterms.GrainrainFollowing,letuschecktheexactdatesfor24solartermsin2023anddetailedmeaningsforeachterm.GrainFullSpringStartofSpringFeb.4Thespringseasonbegins.RainWaterFeb.19Theamountofrainfallincreases.InsectsAwakenMar.6Insectsareawakeningfromwintersleepbythespringthunder.SpringEquinoxMar.21Themid-pointforthespringseason;

Dayandnightareequallylongontheday.PureBrightnessApr.5Itiswarm,brightandeverywheregetsgreen;

Itisalsothetimefortendinggraves.GrainRainApr.20Rainfallincreaseswhichishelpfultograincrops.

StartofSpringSummerStartofSummerMay6Thesummerseasonbegins.GrainFullMay21Grainsaregettingplumpbutnotripeyet.GraininEarJun.6Wheatgrowsripemarkingthebeginningofabusyfarmingseason.SummerSolsticeJun.22Thesunaltitudearrivethehighestinnorth;

Ithasthelongestdaytimeoftheyear.

SlightHeatJul.7Thehottestdaysareyettocome.GreatheatJul.23Thehottesttimeofayear.StartofSummerAutumnStartofAutumnAug.7Theautumnseasonbegins.TheEndofHeatAug.23Thehotsummeriscomingtoanendandheatstops.WhiteDewSep.8Itisgettingcooleranddewdropsappearongrassandtreesinthemorning.AutumnEquinoxSep.23Themid-pointfortheautumnseason;

Thetemperaturebeginstodecrease;

Dayandnightareequallylongontheday.ColdDewOct.8Thedewsarebecomingfrost.FrostDescentOct.24Frostappearsandthetemperaturebeginstodescent.StartofAutumnWinterStartofWinterNov.8Thewinterseasonbegins.LightSnowNov.22Itbeginstosnowbutcan'taccumulatealotontheground.HeavySnowDec.7Itbeginstosnowheavily.WinterSolsticeDec.22Ithastheshortestdaytimeofayear;

Aftertheday,manyplacesinChinagointothecoldestperiod;

PeopleinnorthernChinaeatdumplingsonthedayandsweetsoupballsforthepeopleintheSouth.LesserColdJan.6Itisgettingcolder,butthecoldestdaysareyettocome.GreaterColdJan.20Itisth