24 Solar Terms 二十四节气

The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar that takes into account the movement of Sun and Moon. In a monthly basis, it follows the Moon's movement strictly while in a year basis, it follows the Sun's movement. That explains the reason for leap month after some time to correct the calendar.

The Chinese uses the Solar Terms (节气), which is a calendar of 24 periods and climate, to govern agricultural arrangements and functions in China. One of the significant similarity of Chinese calendar and Gregorian calendar is that both takes into account the longest (Summer Solstice) and the shortest days (Winter Solstice) of the year as well as two days eah year when the length of the day is equal to that of the night (Spring and Autumn Equinoxes).

During the Shang Dynasty, the Chinese had used only 4 solar terms. The number was increased to 8 during the Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 221BC). It was until the Western Han Dynasty (206BC - AD24) that the 24 terms were finally decided upon, which is the same as what it is today.

The 24 Solar Terms (二十四节气)


The date of Solar Terms are better described by the Gregorian Calendar as both follow the Sun's movement. However, there is a range of date for each terms as the Gregorian Calendar is not accurate on a year basis. (It has an error of around 6 hrs per year. That's why there is a leap day correction every 4 years and every 400 years)

Solar Terms	节气	Mth	Dates	Meaning
Beginning of Spring	立春	Feb	03 - 05	Spring begins
Rain Water	雨水	Feb	18 - 20	It begins to rain
Waking of Insects	惊蛰	Mar	05 - 07	Hibernating animals come to sense
Spring Equinox	春分	Mar	20 - 21	Day and night are equally long. Mid Spring
Pure Brightness	清明	Apr	04 - 06	It is warm and bright
Grain Rain	谷雨	Apr	19 - 21	Rainfall is helpful to grain
Beginning of Summer	立夏	May	05 -07	Summer begins
Lesser Fullness of Grain	小满	May	20 - 22	Kernels plump
Grain in Beard	芒种	Jun	05 - 07	Wheat grows ripe
Summer Solstice	夏至	Jun	21 - 22	Longest daytime and shortest night
Lesser Heat	小暑	Jul	06 - 08	Torridity comes
Greater Heat	大署	Jul	22 - 24	Hottest moment of a year
Beginning of Autumn	立秋	Aug	07 - 09	Autumn begins
End of Heat	处暑	Aug	22 -24	Heat hides
White Dew	白露	Sep	07 - 09	Dew curdles
Autumn Equinox	秋分	Sep	22 - 24	Day and night are equally long. Mid Autumn
Cold Dew	寒露	Oct	08 - 09	Dew is very cold
Frost's Descent	霜降	Oct	23 - 24	Frost descends
Beginning of Winter	立冬	Nov	07 - 08	Winter begins
Lesser Snow	小雪	Nov	22 - 23	It begins to snow
Greater Snow	大雪	Dec	06 - 08	It snows heavily
Winter Solstice	冬至	Dec	21 - 23	Shortest daytime and longest night
Lesser Cold	小寒	Jan	05 - 07	It is rather cold
Greater Cold	大寒	Jan	20 - 21	Coldest moment of a year

Two important Solar Terms to the Chinese are the Pure Brightness (清明) and Winter Solstice (冬至) which happen around 5th Apr and 22nd Dec on Gregorian Calendar each year respectively.