The 24 solar terms are determined by changes in the sun's position in the zodiac during the year. They were first used in China and now are followed in many other parts of the world. In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. They also reflect China’s rich history through the seasonal festivals, special foods, cultural ceremonies, family gatherings and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.
Here is a peek into the 24 terms in 2015.
|
Solar Terms |
Date |
Meaning |
|
Start of Spring(立春) |
Feb 4 |
Spring begins. |
|
Rain Water（雨水） |
Feb 19 |
It begins to rain. |
|
March 6 |
Hibernating animals awaken. |
|
|
Spring Equinox(春分) |
March 21 |
Day and night are equally long. |
|
Clear and Bright(清明) |
April 5 |
It is warm and bright. |
|
Grain Rain(谷雨) |
April 20 |
Rainfall increases for grain to grow. |
|
Start of Summer(立夏) |
May 6 |
Summer begins. |
|
Grain Buds(小滿) |
May 21 |
Seeds of summer crops begin to plump. |
|
Grain in Ear(芒種) |
June 6 |
Wheat grows ripe. |
|
Summer Solstice(夏至) |
June 22 |
The longest daylight hours and the shortest night of the year. |
|
Minor Heat(小暑) |
July 7 |
Heat sets in. |
|
Major Heat(大暑) |
July 23 |
The hottest time of the of a year begins. |
|
Start of Autumn(立秋) |
Aug 8 |
Autumn begins. |
|
End of Heat(處暑) |
Aug 23 |
Heat recedes. |
|
White Dew(白露) |
Sept 8 |
Dew forms. |
|
Autumn Equinox(秋分) |
Sept 23 |
The middle of autumn comes. |
|
Cold Dew(寒露) |
Oct 8 |
Dew is very cold. |
|
Frost's Descent(霜降) |
Oct 24 |
Frost descends. |
|
Start of Winter(立冬) |
Nov 8 |
Winter begins. |
|
Minor Snow(小雪) |
Nov 22 |
It begins to snow. |
|
Major Snow(大雪) |
Dec 7 |
It snows heavily. |
|
Winter Solstice(冬至) |
Dec 22 |
It has the shortest daylight hours and the longest night of a year. |
|
Minor Cold(小寒) |
Jan 6 |
It is rather cold. |
|
Major Cold(大寒) |
Jan 20 |
The coldest time of the year begins. |
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 130349 
