Are the geographical vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox and winter solstice the same as the 24 solar terms in China?

Geographically, the spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn solstice and winter solstice are roughly the same as the 24 solar terms in China, but there are also differences.

Spring, summer, autumn and winter are determined by the height of the sun and the result of the earth's orbit around the sun.

The twenty-four solar terms were originally formulated according to the changes of stars. The Big Dipper rotates circularly, and bucket handle rotates around the east, south, west and north, which is called one of the "years old" (Figure). Every rotation cycle starts from beginning of spring and ends with the Great Cold. "Twenty-four solar terms" is the product of ancient farming civilization, and farming production is closely related to the rhythm of nature. It is a knowledge system formed by ancient ancestors who followed the agricultural time to observe the movement of celestial bodies and realized the changing laws of one year, climate and phenology.

Extended data:

Each solar term represents different changes in time, climate and phenology. The twenty-four solar terms express the unique concept of time between human beings and the natural universe, and contain the long-standing cultural connotation and historical accumulation of the Chinese nation. It not only plays a guiding role in agricultural production, but also affects the food, clothing, housing and transportation of ancient people, and even cultural concepts.

After historical development, the lunar calendar absorbed solar terms of the dry calendar as a supplement to the calendar, and adjusted it to conform to the tropic year through the leap method, forming a combined calendar of yin and yang, and the "24 solar terms" became an important part of the lunar calendar. In the field of international meteorology, the 24 solar terms are known as "the fifth invention of China".