China Naming Network - Almanac query - What did the ancients use to determine the 24 solar terms?

What did the ancients use to determine the 24 solar terms?

Beidou bucket handle branch

Where the sun sets.

What did the ancestors of Ant Manor initially rely on to determine the answer to the 24 solar terms?

The 24 solar terms reflect the wisdom of our ancient ancestors. Twenty-four solar terms played a very important role in ancient agricultural production. In the past, many farmers used them to judge when to harvest and plant crops. Now we are also using the 24 solar terms, which is of great significance to modern society.

The 24 solar terms are beginning of spring, rain, sting, vernal equinox, Qingming Festival, Grain Rain, Long Summer, Xiaoman, Mangzhong, Summer Solstice, Summer Solstice, beginning of autumn, Early Summer, Millennium, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, Early Frost, beginning of winter, Light Snow, Heavy Snow, Winter Solstice, Slight Cold and Great Cold. In ancient times, the twenty-four solar terms were of great significance to the development of agriculture. This is also one of the important reasons for the invention of the twenty-four solar terms.

Twenty-four solar terms are an important part of China's traditional calendar. So how did people in ancient China divide the 24 solar terms? Because this method is really accurate.

Twenty-four solar terms are a time knowledge system formed by observing and summarizing the annual movement of the sun in China. Some ancient books recorded the style of painting. There are three main ways to use the 24 solar terms, namely, the variable star method, the sundial method and the public law of Huang Chi.

They judge some time laws by observing some astronomical movements. These three methods are different. The shadow measurement method of standard chart is to insert a straight rod on the ground. Every day at noon, when the sun is shining directly, look at the length of the pole shadow. Take the day with the longest shadow as the winter solstice and the day with the shortest shadow as the summer solstice.

Then take the winter solstice as the starting point, set the time between two winter solstice days as one year, and then calculate the 24 solar terms according to the time from summer solstice day.

The twenty-four solar terms were not discovered at once, but were explored by several generations over a period of time, because the development of science and technology was limited at that time. So this can really be called the wisdom and wealth of our ancient people.