When are those 24 solar terms?
The twenty-four solar terms are divided according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic (that is, the orbit of the earth around the sun). Depending on the sun starting from the vernal equinox (longitude zero, at this moment the sun shines vertically on the equator), every advance of 15 degrees is a solar term; After a week's operation, I returned to the vernal equinox, which is a tropical year with 360 degrees, so it is divided into 24 solar terms. The dates of solar terms are relatively fixed in the solar calendar. For example, beginning of spring in the solar calendar always falls between February 3rd and 5th. However, in the lunar calendar, the date of solar terms is not easy to determine. Take beginning of spring as an example. It can be the first day of the lunar calendar in the previous year, 65438+February 15, and the latest is the first month, 15.
Literal meaning of the twenty-four solar terms
Beginning of spring, Changchun, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter-also known as "Li Si"-respectively represent the beginning of the four seasons. "Stand" means to start. The Gregorian calendar is generally around February 4th, May 5th, August 7th and165438+1October 7th every year. "Li Si" indicates the beginning of the astronomical season. As far as climate is concerned, it is still in the last season. For example, the Yellow River Basin in early spring is still in the middle of winter.
Summer solstice and winter solstice-collectively referred to as the "second solstice", represent the extremes of summer and winter in astronomy. "ambition" means extreme and most important. The summer solstice and winter solstice are generally on June 2 1 day and February 22 12 of the Gregorian calendar every year.
The vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox-collectively referred to as "dichotomy", mean that day and night are equal in length. "Divide" is equal share. These two solar terms are generally around March 20 and September 23 of the Gregorian calendar every year.
Rain-indicates that the precipitation begins and the rainfall gradually increases. It rains around February 18 in Gregorian calendar every year.
Sting-the sudden movement of spring thunder woke the hibernating animals in the soil. At this time, the temperature rose rapidly, and the spring thunder gradually sprouted. Every year around March 5 of the Gregorian calendar is a shock.
Qingming-includes the meaning of sunny weather, fresh air, gradually warming climate and lush vegetation. The Gregorian calendar is Qingming around April 5 every year.
Grain Rain —— The increase of rainfall is very beneficial to the growth of cereal crops. Grain Rain is around April 20th of the Gregorian calendar every year.
Xiaoman-refers to the summer crops with full seeds, but not yet mature, just small and not yet full. Every year on May 2 1 day of the Gregorian calendar, it is full.
Crops with awns, such as awn seed wheat, mature and summer sowing begins. Around June 5 every year, it is a mango.
Hot in summer, hot in summer, hot in summer-hot in summer means hot. The heat is not the hottest time, but the heat is the hottest season, and the heat is the day when summer is coming to an end. They are around July 7, July 23 and August 23 of the Gregorian calendar every year.
White dew-the temperature began to drop, the weather turned cold, and there was dew on the vegetation in the morning. The Millennium is around September 7 of the Gregorian calendar every year.
Cold dew-the temperature drops, there is condensation in the air, and there is a chill gradually. This day is usually on June 8 10 every year.
First frost-it's getting colder and colder, and it's frosting. The first frost usually occurs on the 23rd day of the Gregorian calendar 10 year 10.
Light snow, heavy snow-it's starting to snow, with small and large indicating the degree of snowfall. Light snow falls on Gregorian calendar165438+1October 22nd, and heavy snow falls around 65438+February 7th.
Slight cold, severe cold-the weather is getting colder and colder. Slight cold is not the coldest, but severe cold is the coldest time of the year. The Gregorian calendar 65438+1October 5th and 20th are mild and severe cold.
The twenty-four solar terms reflect the annual apparent movement of the sun, so in the current Gregorian calendar, the dates of the solar terms are basically fixed. The first half of the year is on the 6th and 2nd1,and the second half is on the 8th and 23rd, with a difference of 1 ~ 2 days.
The 24 Solar Terms
Beginning of spring: Dou refers to the Northeast. The meridian of the sun is 3 15 degrees. It is the first of the 24 solar terms. It means to begin to enter the spring, "yang and thorns, everything is spring." After beginning of spring, everything is full of vitality, and the four seasons begin now.
The rain bucket refers to the ring. The meridian of the sun is 330 degrees. At this time, the spring breeze blows all over, the ice and snow melt, the air is moist, and the rain is increasing, so it is called rain. People often say: "Spring blossoms, and rain is busy to send fertilizer."
Stunned: fight with your fingers. The meridian of the sun is 345 degrees. This solar term means that after beginning of spring, the weather gets warmer, the spring thunder starts to shake, and all kinds of hibernating animals that are dormant in the soil will wake up and start to move, so it is called a fright. During this period, the eggs laid by overwintering insects will also begin to hatch. Some parts of China have entered the spring ploughing season. As the saying goes, "After being shocked, it is warm and harmonious, and the old toad sings folk songs." "I was startled by a plow, and the vernal equinox was full of air." "Before the thunder comes, the rain is like a dragon."
Vernal equinox: fighting refers to shackles. The meridian of the sun is 0 degrees. The sun is above the equator at the vernal equinox. This is the 90-day vernal equinox of spring. On this day, the northern and southern hemispheres are equal in day and night, so it is called the vernal equinox. After this day, the direct position of the sun moves northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere are long and the nights are short. So the vernal equinox is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. Overwintering crops in most parts of China have entered the spring growth stage. Agricultural proverbs in various places include: "The spring equinox comes first, and rice competes for money" (Guangdong), "The spring equinox never stops raining, but the summer equinox never stops burning" (Sichuan), "When it rains, every family is busy, planting melons and beans first, then transplanting them" (Hubei), "Planting vegetables at the spring equinox, picking melons in summer" (Hunan) and "Planting beans at the spring equinox, and planting them at the autumn equinox.
Qingming: fighting refers to Ding. The solar calendar is 15. At this time, the climate is refreshing and warm, flowers and trees grow new branches, everything begins to grow, and farmers are busy ploughing and planting in spring. Once upon a time, on this day in Tomb-Sweeping Day, some families would plant willows at the door and go for an outing to sweep the graves in the suburbs. This is an ancient custom.
Grain Rain: There's a fight. The meridian of the sun is 30 degrees. It means that rain breeds grain. Because rain nourishes the earth, five grains can grow, so Grain Rain is "rain gives birth to hundreds of grains". As the saying goes, "Before and after Grain Rain, you reap what you sow".
Long summer: the bucket refers to the southeast. The meridian of the sun is 45 degrees. Now it's long summer, and since then, everything has flourished. Traditionally, the long summer is regarded as an important solar term for the temperature to rise significantly, the summer heat is approaching, thunderstorms are increasing, and crops enter the peak season.
Little Man: Fighting nails. The meridian of the sun is 60 degrees. Since Xiaoman, summer crops such as barley and winter wheat have borne fruit and full seeds, but they are not yet mature, so they are called Xiaoman.
Mangzhong: Beidou points to itself. The meridian of the sun is 75 degrees. At this time, it is most suitable for sowing grain crops with awns, such as late rice, millet and millet. If you plant awns and crops after this time, it will not be ripe. At the same time, "awn" refers to crops with awns such as wheat and barley, and "species" refers to seeds. Awn seeds indicate the maturity of awned crops such as wheat. Before and after the awning, the rainfall in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Central China increased and the temperature rose. In the rainy season, the air is very humid, the weather is extremely sultry, and all kinds of utensils and clothes are prone to mildew, so it is also called "mildew rain" in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China.
Summer solstice: Beidou points to B. The meridian of the sun is 90 degrees. When the sun is at the "Summer Solstice Point" at 90 degrees of the yellow meridian, it is almost directly above the Tropic of Cancer, and the sun is the highest in the northern hemisphere at noon. This day is the longest day and the shortest night in the northern hemisphere. From this day on, it entered the hot season, when everything in the world grew most vigorously. In ancient times, the heart also called this day the northern solstice, meaning the northernmost day when the sun was born. After the summer solstice, the sun gradually moves southward, and the days in the northern hemisphere become shorter and the nights become longer.
Summer heat: fighting refers to Xin. The solar calendar is 105. It's already very hot, but it's not hot enough, so it's called Xiaoshu. At this point, it is already around the beginning.
Summer: bucket refers to C. solar meridian 120. The summer heat is the hottest solar term in a year. Before and after the next day's duty, high temperature weather of 40℃ often appeared in many places in the Yangtze River Basin. Do a good job in heatstroke prevention and cooling. There is a lot of rain in this solar term, so we should pay attention to the flood control and waterlogging prevention in the proverb "little summer heat, big summer heat, drowning rats"
Beginning of autumn: Beidou points southwest. The solar line is 135. From this day on, autumn began, the autumn was crisp, the moon was bright and the wind was clear. Since then, the temperature has gradually decreased from the hottest time.
Summer heat: fighting refers to five. The solar line is 150. At this point, the heat has come to an end. The heat of summer is about to dissipate. This is the turning point of the temperature drop. It is a symbol of cold climate and indicates the end of summer.
Millennium: Fingers pointing. The solar line is 165. When the weather turns cold, the ground water vapor condenses the most.
Autumnal equinox: the barrel refers to itself. The solar line is 180. On the day of the autumnal equinox, like spring people, the sun is almost direct to the equator, and day and night are almost equal. From this day on, the position of direct sunlight continued to move from the equator to the southern hemisphere, and the days became shorter and the nights became longer in the northern hemisphere. According to China's autumnal equinox theory, this day is exactly half of the ninety days in autumn, so it is called autumnal equinox. But in astronomy, it is stipulated that autumn in the northern hemisphere begins with the autumnal equinox.
Cold dew: fighting nails. The solar line is 195. After the white dew, the weather turned cold and dew began to appear. When the dew is cold, there is much dew and the temperature is low. So some people say that cold is dew, white first and then cold, which means that the climate will gradually turn cold. Water vapor condenses into dew.
First frost: solar longitude 2 10. It's already cold, and there is frost, so it's called the first frost.
Beginning of winter: The longitude of the sun is 225 degrees. Traditionally, our people think that this day is the beginning of winter. Winter, as the end, means that after a year of field work, crops will be harvested. After beginning of winter passes, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China will soon freeze, and farmers from all over China will gradually turn to farmland water conservancy infrastructure and other agricultural activities.
Xiaoxue: The longitude of the sun is 240. The temperature dropped and it began to snow, but it was not the season of heavy snow, so it was called light snow. Before and after the light snow, it began to snow in the Yellow River basin (snowfall in the south is two solar terms later); In the north, it has entered the freezing season.
Heavy snow: solar longitude 255. Before and after the heavy snow, there was gradually snow in the Yellow River basin. In the north, it's already the severe winter of "thousands of miles frozen, Wan Li snowing".
Winter solstice: the longitude of the sun is 270 degrees. On the solstice of winter, the sun shines almost directly on the tropic of Capricorn. Our northern hemisphere has the shortest day and the longest night, and it has begun to enter several cold days. Astronomy stipulates that this day is the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the direct sunlight gradually moved northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually became longer. As the saying goes, eating noodles on the solstice in winter will make the day longer.
Slight cold: solar calendar 285. After the slight cold, it began to enter the cold season. Cold air is cold for a long time, and slight cold means that the weather is cold but not extreme.
Great cold: the longitude of the sun is 300. Great cold refers to extremely cold weather. Around the Great Cold is the coldest season of the year. The great cold occurred just after March 9 and at the beginning of April 9. As the saying goes, "three, nine, four and nine don't do it."
After the severe cold, spring came and the weather became warm. At this point, the earth revolves around the sun once, ending a cycle.
Source of solar terms
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, people in China had the concepts of Solstice in the South and Solstice in the North. Subsequently, people divided the year into 24 equal parts according to the relationship between the running position of the sun and the moon at the beginning and middle of the month and the natural utilization such as weather, animal and plant growth. And give each equal part a proper noun, that is, twenty-four solar terms. By the end of the Warring States Period, solar terms had eight names: beginning of spring, Equinox, Long Summer, Summer Solstice, beginning of autumn, Equinox, beginning of winter and Winter Solstice. These eight solar terms are the most important of the 24 solar terms. These eight solar terms mark the change of seasons and clearly divide the four seasons of the year. Later, when the book Huai Nan Zi was published, the names of the 24 solar terms were exactly the same as those of the modern ones.
Division of solar terms
Some people think that the 24 solar terms are subordinate to the lunar calendar, but they are actually defined according to the solar calendar. That is, according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic, a year is divided into 24 equal parts. That is to say, the ecliptic is divided into 24 equal parts, each equal part accounts for 15 of the ecliptic. Because the time required for the sun to pass through each bisection is almost equal, the Gregorian calendar dates of the 24 solar terms are roughly the same: the first half of the year is around 6 and 2 1, and the second half is around 8 and 23. There are two formulas:
In the first half of this year,
Come on August 23rd in the second half of the year.
In ancient times, solar terms were called "qi", and there were two qi in each month: the former was called "solar terms" and the latter was called "neutral qi". The monthly distribution of the 24 solar terms is shown in the following table, which is closely related to the arrangement of the lunar leap month. In the lunar calendar, beginning of spring is the first of the 24 solar terms. The names of the 24 solar terms are named according to the place pointed by Dougang and the natural climate and landscape at that time. The so-called fighting means that the three stars of the Big Dipper, Kuixing, Xingxing and Yuxing, point to different directions and positions with the movement of celestial bodies, and the positions they refer to are the months they represent. For example, the first month is cloudy, the spoon refers to yin at dusk, refers to yin at midnight, and refers to yin during the day; February is the base, the Beidou at dusk refers to the base, the balance at midnight refers to the base, the chief refers to the base during the day, and so on.
Comparison and Time between Chinese and English in 24 solar terms, China
Beginning of spring (1ST solar $ TERM) February 3, 4 or 5.
Rain (second sun $ TERM) February 18, 19 or 20
The awakening of the insert (the third sun $ TERM) occurred on March 5, 6 or 7.
Equinox (fourth sun $ TERM) March 20, 2 1 or 22.
Qingming festival (the fifth sun $ TERM) April 4, 5 or 6
Grain Rain, Grain Rain (the sixth sun $ TERM) April 19, 20 or 2 1
The beginning of the long summer (the seventh sun $ TERM) may 5, 6 or 7
Xiaoman Xiaoman (eighth sun $ TERM) May 20, 2 1 or 22
June 5, 6 or 7 (ninth solar $ TERM)
Summer solstice (10th solar $ TERM) June 2 1or22.
On July 6th, 7th or 8th, the heat was low (1 1 solar $ TERM)
Great heat (12 solar $ TERM) July 22, 23 or 24
Beginning of autumn (13 solar $ TERM) August 7, 8 or 9.
August 22nd, 23rd or 24th, the end of heat (14 solar $ TERM)
The Millennium (15 sun $ TERM) September 7, 8 or 9
Autumnal equinox (16 solar time) September 22nd, 23rd or 24th.
Cold dew (17 solar $ TERM)1October 8 or 9
1the first frost arrival on October 23rd or 24th (18 solar $ TERM).
Beginning of winter (19 solar $ TERM) 1 1 July 7 or 8.
Xiaoxue (20th sun $ TERM) 1 1 22nd or 23rd of the month
Heavy snow (2 1 solar time $ TERM)1February 6, 7 or 8
Winter solstice (22nd sun $ TERM)1February 2 1, 22 or 23
1 Slight cold on May 5, 6 or 7 (23rd solar $ TERM)
/kloc-severe cold on the 20th or 2nd of 0/month (24th solar $ TERM)
Solar term poem
Twenty-four solar term song
The spring rain shakes the spring and the valley days, and the summer is full of mountains and summers.
Autumn dew, autumn frost, little snow in winter and cold in winter.
The two festivals in January remain the same, with a difference of one or two days at most.
The first half of the year is June 2 1 day, and the second half is August 23 every year.
Solar term song
Farming has no rules, and it all depends on solar terms. In early spring, the sun is turning and the rain is by the river.
Frightened crows, the vernal equinox drops dry. Qingming is busy planting millet, and Grain Rain is busy farming.
Long summer goose feathers live, birds come here. Everyone is happy when the awn is planted, but cotton can't be found in the summer solstice.
The summer heat is not hot, but the summer heat is in the dog days. Beginning of autumn busy seats, summer knife sickle.
The Millennium is about to cut land, and there is no field in the autumn equinox. Before the cold dew is cold, the frost has changed.
Land is closed in early winter, and Xiaoxue River is closed. Snow turns into winter moon, and the winter solstice lasts for nine days.
Slight cold busy comprador, great cold New Year.
Seven-character poem of twenty-four solar terms
The earth goes around the sun, and it takes a year to complete a circle.
A year is divided into December, and the 24 solar terms are closely linked.
According to the Gregorian calendar, these two gases will not change every month.
The first half of the year is June 2 1 day, and the second half is August 23 every year.
These are festivals, and the difference is only one or two days.
There are 24 verses in succession, and the following formula is kept in mind:
A slight cold in January was followed by a severe cold, and it rained in the spring of February;
The vernal equinox is in March and Qingming Grain Rain is in April.
May is long and summer is full, and June is the summer solstice;
July is hot and slightly hot, and August is long summer, beginning of autumn;
In September, the Millennium meets the autumnal equinox, and the first frost and cold dew are all in October;
There is a light snow in beginning of winter in November and a heavy snow in the winter solstice to welcome the New Year.
Grasp the season and busy production, sow and harvest in time to ensure a bumper harvest.
Song of solar terms
In Sichuan, there is also a "Hundred Songs of Solar Terms", each sentence ends with "Zi", which describes the sufferings and joys of the working people in the old society:
Say you are a child, playing the lion on the first day of the first month.
Silkworm eggs are scared in February, and Qingming graves float in March.
In April, rice seedlings are planted in long summer, and in May, Duanyang eats zongzi.
Buy a fan in June and burn a master in beginning of autumn in July.
August festival is full of sesame seeds, and September Chongyang catches rotten seeds.
Wear a coat in cold weather in October and dry a cage in winter.
In the twelfth lunar month, I hide from my master everywhere.
Fun of solar term couplets
In the China lunar calendar, there are 24 solar terms in a year. In China's couplets, the themes of solar terms are wonderful, and some of them contain a story.
Legend has it that there was a learning platform in the Ming Dynasty. When playing in Tiantai Mountain, Zhejiang Province, it spent the night in a hut in the mountains. The next morning, I saw that the hut was covered with frost, and I felt something in my heart and sang the first couplet casually.
It was very cold last night, and it was like a light snow in the first frost cabin.
There are three solar terms embedded in the couplet, all at once, without trace. It became absolute for a time. It was not until modern times that Mr. Zhao Gongpei of Zhejiang made the bottom line:
Today is a stormy day, and it rains until Qingming at the vernal equinox.
The same three solar terms are very neat.
Another couplet is more literary and scientific:
The vernal equinox in February and the autumnal equinox in August are neither long nor short; There is no difference between yin and yang in three years and five years.
The first part not only points out the months of vernal equinox and autumnal equinox, but also clarifies the time characteristics of these two months, that is, February and August are even day and night. The second couplet shows the regularity of lunar leap year from another angle, and its scientific nature is beyond doubt.
Hong Chengchou, a former minister of the Ming Dynasty and later a minister of the Qing Dynasty, played a couplet when playing chess with people on the day of "Grain Rain", saying:
A wonderful game of chess, I almost forgot Grain Rain today;
Why are the leaders of the two dynasties unclear in other years?
The first part was made by Hong Chengchou, and the second part was made by the players. It is intended to satirize Hong's loss of justice and humiliation, which is a pun and full of irony.
The state attaches great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage. On May 20th, 2006, this folk custom was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.