What do the twelve solar terms in China mean?

Twenty-four solar terms refer to the date when the earth moves around the sun to 24 designated positions in a year, which is a supplementary calendar formulated by China in ancient times to guide farming. It is an important part of China traditional culture and still plays an important role in China people's life.

The twenty-four solar terms are beginning of spring, rain, fright, vernal equinox, Qingming, Grain Rain, Changxia, Xiaoman, Mangzhong, Summer Solstice, Slight Summer, beginning of autumn, Chushu, Millennium, Vernal Equinox, Cold Dew, First Frost, beginning of winter, Light Snow, Heavy Snow, Winter Solstice, Slight Cold and Severe Cold.

In order to make it easier to remember, people compiled twenty-four solar term song: Spring rains startle spring and clear valleys, summer is full of mountains and rivers, and summer is followed by intense heat. Autumn dew, autumn frost, little snow in winter and cold in winter.

Extended data

The 24 solar terms in China are calculated according to the solar calendar, not the traditional lunar calendar in China:

The lunar calendar is defined according to the phase of the moon, that is, the moon revolves around the earth for one month, and 12 months (13 in leap years) are called a year. The solar calendar is defined according to the seasons, that is, the earth revolves around the sun for one year, which is divided into roughly equal 12 blocks, and each block is called a month.

Both the lunar calendar and the solar calendar have their own defects, and they are still imperfect. China's old calendar is not a complete lunar calendar, and the technical term is "Yin-Yang calendar".

The pure lunar calendar is one year every 12 months, so in a few years, January will be summer. In order to change this mode, the method of using leap month is adopted. Once the lunar calendar date exceeds a certain season range, it will delay the leap month, so that it will not deviate too much.

Therefore, the date of solar terms in the current Gregorian calendar is basically fixed, and the weather difference in one year is not 1 ~ 2 days, rather than corresponding to the lunar calendar date. Twenty-four solar terms originated in the Yellow River Basin. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, four solar terms were set, namely, mid-spring, mid-summer, mid-autumn and mid-winter.

After continuous improvement and perfection, by the Qin and Han Dynasties, the 24 solar terms had been completely established. 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.

Twenty-four solar terms reflect the apparent movement of the sun in one year, so the dates of solar terms are basically fixed in the current Gregorian calendar, with the first half of the year being 6 days and 2 1, and the second half being 8 days and 23 days, with a difference of 1~2 days. ?

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