The origin and development of the twenty-four solar terms

Introduction: Twenty-four solar terms is a unique calendar in China, and it is a special festival reflecting the corresponding relationship between agricultural activities and climate in the Yellow River Basin of China. Up to now, farmers are busy with farming and leisure time by watching solar terms. So, do you know the origin of the 24 solar terms? What is the origin and development of the 24 solar terms? The following is my introduction to the 24 solar terms. Interested friends should have a look.

The origin of the twenty-four solar terms

Twenty-four solar terms originated in the Yellow River Basin, which is the crystallization of the long-term experience and wisdom of the ancient working people in China. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, solar terms such as mid-spring, mid-summer, mid-autumn and mid-winter were set. 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.

The origin and development of the twenty-four solar terms

The 24 solar terms are derived from the phenological calendar, that is, according to the seasonal changes of natural phenomena, the agricultural time is determined. Most of the names of the twenty-four solar terms are related to phenology and meteorology. The records of phenology and farming season in The Book of Songs, July, Summer and Moon Order preserved the original form of solar terms system, and it was not until the Han Dynasty that it evolved into a unified solar calendar. The solar term system is a farming calendar from beginning to end, which is consistent with farming life. In this sense, it can't be protected, and it doesn't need protection. However, in the long historical evolution process, the solar terms system has been endowed with rich cultural connotations, which embodies the ancient wisdom of China people to respect the natural order and pursue harmonious coexistence between man and nature, which provides an opportunity for its continued inheritance and cultural innovation under modern conditions.

24 solar terms's inclusion in the list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind has aroused strong repercussions in the whole society. At the same time, the protection and inheritance of the 24 solar terms culture has naturally been put on the agenda of academia and government. The 24 solar terms system has a long history. Rural farmers have arranged their own production and life according to the cycle of solar terms for generations, forming various customs and cultures related to the solar terms system.

This simple and easy-to-remember song of twenty-four solar terms is known to all women and children. It says: "Spring rains wake up spring and clear valley days, summer is full and hot, autumn is cold and frosty, and winter is covered with snow." . The lunar calendar, which is common among rural people, still clearly indicates the arrival date of each solar term. As a unique symbol of China people's time and year, the solar terms system has become an inseparable part of China people's daily life and folk activities.

At present, the process of urbanization is intensifying, and the traditional rural life and natural rhythm are gradually drifting away from us. "Homesickness" has increasingly become a popular collective emotion in our society, and the 24 solar terms have entered the list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind, which has aroused great enthusiasm from all walks of life. But enthusiasm is like a gust of wind, which will soon disappear, and love based on comprehensive and in-depth understanding is a driving force for cultural inheritance. Only based on a correct understanding of a culture, its protection and inheritance will not go astray.

The twenty-four solar terms are a farming calendar from beginning to end. The Chinese nation is an ancient farming nation, and farming life is closely related to the rhythm of nature. Twenty-four solar terms is a time system in which Chinese traditional agricultural society divides farming cycles and arranges farming work according to the rhythm of natural seasonal cycle, with phenology, meteorology, astronomy and other natural phenomena as symbols. Twenty-four solar terms are just a further division of seasons.

Because the prosperity and decline of vegetation, the migration and hiding of birds and animals, the four seasons' changes of rain, dew, frost and snow are the most intuitive, and also directly reflect the ups and downs of nature and the seasonal cycle, the ancients naturally formed the practice of marking agricultural seasons with phenology, meteorology and other phenomena, which is called "solar terms". In fact, among the 24 solar terms, except for the four stands and the four stands, they are all named according to the return movement of the sun. Sting means that with the further increase of temperature, hibernating animals and insects begin to wake up; Qingming means bright spring, and the sunny spring March has arrived ... The solar term was originally a "phenological calendar".

As you can imagine, at first, in different regions, due to different latitudes and climates, the arrival and duration of seasons are different, and the ways of crop cultivation and livelihood are also different, which will certainly form a unique local phenological calendar. In fact, even not long ago, the Lisu people in Yunnan had a natural calendar with ten "seasonal months". The length of each month is different, and the order of its names is: New Year's Month (equivalent to January in the Gregorian calendar), Building Month (February), Flowering Month (March), Birds Call Month (April) and Yamakaji Month (April). Most of these names come from phenology and farming season, and they are typical phenological calendars. This system can be called solar term month and phenological month, but it can also be called "solar term". The literal meaning of "solar terms" is nothing more than the meaning of "dividing time according to meteorological changes"

Because phenology appears in different years in the morning and evening, it is different in different areas, and there are errors in observation, so it is not easy to divide time by phenology, and the intervals between different phenological points will not be equally divided, which is enough to illustrate this point. It is precisely because the phenological calendar lacks * * * degrees and accuracy, so with the development of astronomy and the appearance of solar calendar, the method of determining solar terms by phenology is bound to be replaced by a more general and accurate method of determining solar terms by the position of the sun, so the original phenological calendar is replaced by solar calendar.

At present, the date of each solar term in the solar calendar is basically fixed, and the time between adjacent solar terms is the same, which is a typical solar calendar. The solar terms have changed from uneven to even, and become a pure astronomical calendar. Only in the name of solar terms, the imprint of ancient phenological calendar is still preserved.

What are the 24 solar terms called?

The 24 solar terms are: beginning of spring, rain, sting, vernal equinox, Qingming, Grain Rain, Changxia, Xiaoman, Mangzhong, Summer Solstice, Slight Summer, beginning of autumn, Early Summer, Millennium, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, Early Frost, beginning of winter, Light Snow, Heavy Snow, Winter Solstice, Slight Cold and Severe Cold.

1, beginning of spring, vernal equinox, long summer, summer solstice, beginning of autumn, autumnal equinox, beginning of winter and winter solstice reflect seasons, while the five solar terms of slight summer heat, great summer heat, slight cold and severe cold symbolize temperature changes, and the seven solar terms of rain, Grain Rain, white dew, cold dew, first frost, light snow and heavy snow reflect precipitation.

There are two solar terms every month, the first one is called "Festival" and the middle one is called "Qi". "Festival" includes beginning of spring, Jing Zhe, Qingming, Long Summer, Mangzi, Xiaoshu, beginning of autumn, Bailu, Cold Dew, beginning of winter, Heavy Snow and Slight Cold, and "Qi" includes rain, vernal equinox, Grain Rain, Xiaoman and summer solstice.

3. beginning of spring, rain, surprise, vernal equinox, Qingming and Grain Rain are the six solar terms in spring, long summer, small full, awn seed, summer solstice, small summer heat and big summer heat are the six solar terms in summer, and beginning of autumn, early summer heat, white dew, autumn equinox, cold dew and early frost are the six solar terms in autumn, and beginning of winter, light snow, heavy snow, winter solstice and small frost are the six solar terms.