What does the twenty-four solar terms mean?

The meaning of the twenty-four solar terms is the division of a year according to the climate in ancient China. Namely, beginning of spring, rainy, creeping, vernal equinox, Qingming, Grain Rain, Changxia, Xiaoman, Mangzhong, Summer Solstice, Xiaoshu, Dashu, beginning of autumn, Chushu, Bailu, Autumnal Equinox, Cold Dew, Chufrost, beginning of winter, light snow, heavy snow, winter solstice, slight cold and severe cold.

Historical origin:

1. In ancient China, the sundial was measured with earth gauges, and the longest sundial was defined as "solstice" (also called long day, long day and winter solstice), and the shortest sundial was defined as "short day" (also called short day and summer solstice). One day in spring and autumn is the same length of day and night, which is designated as "vernal equinox" and "autumnal equinox".

2. There were only four solar terms in Shang Dynasty, but it developed to eight in Zhou Dynasty, and 24 solar terms were completely established in Qin and Han Dynasties. In BC 104, the taichu calendar written by Deng Ping officially set 24 solar terms in the calendar, and defined the astronomical position of the 24 solar terms.

Season, phenology and climate change of the twenty-four solar terms;

The naming of the twenty-four solar terms reflects three seasons, phenology and climate changes. The reaction seasons are beginning of spring, Spring Equinox, Long Summer, Summer Solstice, beginning of autumn, Autumn Equinox, beginning of winter and Winter Solstice, also known as Eight; Phenological phenomena include fright, Qingming, Xiaoman and Miscanthus. Rain, Grain Rain, little summer, big summer, early summer, white dew, cold dew, first frost, light snow, heavy snow, slight cold and severe cold are the responses to climate change.

Customs in early autumn:

1, autumn busy meeting:

Autumn busy meeting is usually held in July and August of the lunar calendar, which is a business meeting to prepare for autumn busy. Some are held in conjunction with temple fairs, and some are specially held for the lively autumn. Its purpose is to exchange production tools, sell livestock and exchange food and daily necessities. Its scale is the same as that of Summer Busy Fair, including mule and horse market, grain market, farm tools production market, cloth market and Beijing-Guangzhou grocery market.

2, eat autumn peaches:

Beginning of autumn's custom of eating autumn peaches in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Every year on beginning of autumn Day, everyone eats autumn peaches, one for each person, and hides the peach stones after eating. On New Year's Eve, when peach stones are thrown into the stove and burned to ashes, people think that they can avoid the plague for a year.

3, post autumn fat:

People weigh themselves with hanging scales in early autumn and compare them with those in long summer to test their obesity. Losing weight is called "bitter summer". Because people have no appetite in summer, and the food is light and simple. After two or three months, they will be thinner.