Chinese Solar Terms①中国节气

   Solar terms (Jieqi)are days marking one of the 24 time zones of the solar year in the traditional Chinese calendar. The traditional Chinese lunar year is divided into 24 solar terms according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic(黄道) in relation to the earth. They were used to indicate the alternation of seasons and climate changes in ancient China. It is a unique component and creative invention of the Chinese traditional calendar.

   Originated in the Yellow River reaches, Solar terms reflected Chinese ancestors’ knowledge about climate changes during their farming activities. Over the years, Solar terms have played an important role in China’s agricultural and animal husbandry production. 

   The 24 solar divisions begin with “the Beginning of Spring”(Li Chun), which is followed in turn by “Rain Water”(Yu Shui), when preparations for planting are made; “The Waking of Insects”(Jing Zhe), a time of spring thunder and the stirring of new life; the Spring Equinox(Chun Fen); “Pure Brightness”(Qing Ming), marked by the howling of southeasterly winds; and “Grain Rains”(Gu Yu), reminding the farmers that the seasonal downpours are beginning. The summer divisions begin with “the Beginning of Summer”(Li Xia); “Grain Fills”(Xiao Man), when the grain swells on the stalks; “Grain in Ear”(Mang Zhong), marking the time of harvest; the Summer Solstice②(Xia Zhi), a day with the longest daytime and shortest night of the year; and “Slight Heat”(Xiao Shu) and “Great Heat”(Da Shu), when the warmth of summer becomes increasingly more oppressive.

   The Autumn divisions are followed in turn by “the Beginning of Autumn”(Li Qiu), the day on which the temperature begins to cool; then “the limit of heat”(Chu Shu); and “White Dew”(Bai Lu), when the moisture congeals to frost; the Autumn Equinox(Qiu Fen), the mid of autumn and the true start of the fall season; and followed with “Cold Dew”(Han Lu) and “Frost Descends”(Shuang Jiang), the weather turns cold as winter nears. The “Beginning of Winter” is followed by “Light Snow”(Xiao Xue) and “Heavy Snow”(Da Xue), which marks the beginning of deep winter. The next division in the year, Winter Solstice (Dong Zhi ), is a day with the shortest daytime and the longest night of a year, also of deep significance in preparation for the biting frost of “Slight Cold” and “Severe Cold”, the final two divisions of the cycle before beginning the new year.

   These solar terms have meaningful titles. Some of them reflect the change of seasons such as the Beginning of Spring, the Beginning of Summer, the Beginning of Autumn, and the Beginning of Winter; some indicate the changing weather conditions like Rain Water, Grain Rain, White Dew, Cold Dew and so on; some indicates changes in temperature such as Slight Heat, Great Heat, Limit of Heat, Slight Cold and Severe Cold. Some embody the recurring natural phenomena like the Waking of Insects, Pure Brightness, Grain Fills (Xiao Man) and Grain in Ear (Mang Zhong).

   In China, there are many customs concerning the 24 solar terms. The Beginning of Spring symbolizes the start of a lunar year and warmer weather. Looking forward to good fortune and running the business smoothly, people used to eat radishes believing that they would generate calmness. This may be because of their effect to soothe the stomach. Pure Brightness Festival is a date of importance for it is the day to worship ancestors. Many poets have written works on the theme of that day. It is also called the “Cold Food Festival” as on that day cooking is forbidden and people are only allowed to eat only cold food, for fear of being chastised (惩罚) by the immortals in heaven. Around the Pure Brightness Festival, there is often a lot of rain, thus it is a crucial time for planting grain or trees. The Beginning of Summer will bring abundant rain and lead directly to the harvest. Thus an agricultural adage(谚语) is that “no rain, no rice” and “no rain, we will hang up the hoe.” In imperial China, the emperors would perform a special rite to greet summer on that day. As the hot weather would cause people to lose weight and become exhausted it became the custom to weigh and drink tea as this was considered a guard against the hot weather. The Winter Solstice indicates the period of winter and people always want to keep themselves warm. In northern China where the weather can be bitterly cold, our ancestors lacked sufficient warm clothing and would eat hot food to keep warm. Gradually there came a saying that only by eating dumplings can you avoid becoming so frozen that your ears drop off. Thus this custom is still widespread and on that day we eat steaming hot and delicious dumplings.

                                                            Abridged and revised from 

                           http://www.chinaculture.org/created/2003-09/24/content_72423.htm

Notes: 

①Chinese Solar Terms: 节气，农历的二十四节气：立春、雨水、惊蛰、春分、清明、谷雨、立夏、小满、芒种、夏至、小暑、大暑、立秋、处暑、白露、秋分、寒露、霜降、立冬、小雪、大雪、冬至、小寒、大寒。

②solstice: （冬/夏）至，一年中太阳离地球赤道距离最远的两次中的任何一次。Summer Solstice，夏至，在每年公历6月21日或22日，这天北半球的日照时间最长、夜晚最短。Winter Solstice，冬至，在每年的公历12月21日至23日之间，这天是北半球全年中白天最短、夜晚最长的一天。