The 24 solar terms: China's farming calendar by the Sun
The Chinese calendar divides the Sun's path through the year into 24 sections of 15 degrees each. Every solar term has its name, its weather and its customs, and many families in China, Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam still time festivals, food and gardening by them. A term begins at the moment the Sun reaches its longitude; the date is the date in Beijing.
The Sun is in Frost's Descent since 23 October 2026. The next term, Start of Winter, begins on 7 November 2026, 17:52.
The solar terms of 2026
| Term | Begins (Beijing time) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Minor Cold 小寒 Xiǎohán | 5 January 2026, 16:23 | 5 January, 08:23 UTC |
| Major Cold 大寒 Dàhán | 20 January 2026, 09:45 | 20 January, 01:45 UTC |
| Start of Spring 立春 Lìchūn | 4 February 2026, 04:02 | 3 February, 20:02 UTC |
| Rain Water 雨水 Yǔshuǐ | 18 February 2026, 23:52 | 18 February, 15:52 UTC |
| Awakening of Insects 惊蛰 Jīngzhé | 5 March 2026, 21:59 | 5 March, 13:59 UTC |
| Spring Equinox 春分 Chūnfēn | 20 March 2026, 22:46 | 20 March, 14:46 UTC |
| Clear and Bright 清明 Qīngmíng | 5 April 2026, 02:40 | 4 April, 18:40 UTC |
| Grain Rain 谷雨 Gǔyǔ | 20 April 2026, 09:39 | 20 April, 01:39 UTC |
| Start of Summer 立夏 Lìxià | 5 May 2026, 19:49 | 5 May, 11:49 UTC |
| Grain Buds 小满 Xiǎomǎn | 21 May 2026, 08:37 | 21 May, 00:37 UTC |
| Grain in Ear 芒种 Mángzhòng | 5 June 2026, 23:48 | 5 June, 15:48 UTC |
| Summer Solstice 夏至 Xiàzhì | 21 June 2026, 16:25 | 21 June, 08:25 UTC |
| Minor Heat 小暑 Xiǎoshǔ | 7 July 2026, 09:57 | 7 July, 01:57 UTC |
| Major Heat 大暑 Dàshǔ | 23 July 2026, 03:13 | 22 July, 19:13 UTC |
| Start of Autumn 立秋 Lìqiū | 7 August 2026, 19:43 | 7 August, 11:43 UTC |
| End of Heat 处暑 Chǔshǔ | 23 August 2026, 10:19 | 23 August, 02:19 UTC |
| White Dew 白露 Báilù | 7 September 2026, 22:41 | 7 September, 14:41 UTC |
| Autumn Equinox 秋分 Qiūfēn | 23 September 2026, 08:05 | 23 September, 00:05 UTC |
| Cold Dew 寒露 Hánlù | 8 October 2026, 14:29 | 8 October, 06:29 UTC |
| Frost's Descent 霜降 Shuāngjiàng | 23 October 2026, 17:38 | 23 October, 09:38 UTC |
| Start of Winter 立冬 Lìdōng | 7 November 2026, 17:52 | 7 November, 09:52 UTC |
| Minor Snow 小雪 Xiǎoxuě | 22 November 2026, 15:23 | 22 November, 07:23 UTC |
| Major Snow 大雪 Dàxuě | 7 December 2026, 10:52 | 7 December, 02:52 UTC |
| Winter Solstice 冬至 Dōngzhì | 22 December 2026, 04:50 | 21 December, 20:50 UTC |
The solar terms of 2027
| Term | Begins (Beijing time) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Minor Cold 小寒 Xiǎohán | 5 January 2027, 22:10 | 5 January, 14:10 UTC |
| Major Cold 大寒 Dàhán | 20 January 2027, 15:30 | 20 January, 07:30 UTC |
| Start of Spring 立春 Lìchūn | 4 February 2027, 09:46 | 4 February, 01:46 UTC |
| Rain Water 雨水 Yǔshuǐ | 19 February 2027, 05:33 | 18 February, 21:33 UTC |
| Awakening of Insects 惊蛰 Jīngzhé | 6 March 2027, 03:39 | 5 March, 19:39 UTC |
| Spring Equinox 春分 Chūnfēn | 21 March 2027, 04:25 | 20 March, 20:25 UTC |
| Clear and Bright 清明 Qīngmíng | 5 April 2027, 08:17 | 5 April, 00:17 UTC |
| Grain Rain 谷雨 Gǔyǔ | 20 April 2027, 15:18 | 20 April, 07:18 UTC |
| Start of Summer 立夏 Lìxià | 6 May 2027, 01:25 | 5 May, 17:25 UTC |
| Grain Buds 小满 Xiǎomǎn | 21 May 2027, 14:18 | 21 May, 06:18 UTC |
| Grain in Ear 芒种 Mángzhòng | 6 June 2027, 05:26 | 5 June, 21:26 UTC |
| Summer Solstice 夏至 Xiàzhì | 21 June 2027, 22:11 | 21 June, 14:11 UTC |
| Minor Heat 小暑 Xiǎoshǔ | 7 July 2027, 15:37 | 7 July, 07:37 UTC |
| Major Heat 大暑 Dàshǔ | 23 July 2027, 09:05 | 23 July, 01:05 UTC |
| Start of Autumn 立秋 Lìqiū | 8 August 2027, 01:27 | 7 August, 17:27 UTC |
| End of Heat 处暑 Chǔshǔ | 23 August 2027, 16:14 | 23 August, 08:14 UTC |
| White Dew 白露 Báilù | 8 September 2027, 04:28 | 7 September, 20:28 UTC |
| Autumn Equinox 秋分 Qiūfēn | 23 September 2027, 14:02 | 23 September, 06:02 UTC |
| Cold Dew 寒露 Hánlù | 8 October 2027, 20:17 | 8 October, 12:17 UTC |
| Frost's Descent 霜降 Shuāngjiàng | 23 October 2027, 23:33 | 23 October, 15:33 UTC |
| Start of Winter 立冬 Lìdōng | 7 November 2027, 23:38 | 7 November, 15:38 UTC |
| Minor Snow 小雪 Xiǎoxuě | 22 November 2027, 21:16 | 22 November, 13:16 UTC |
| Major Snow 大雪 Dàxuě | 7 December 2027, 16:37 | 7 December, 08:37 UTC |
| Winter Solstice 冬至 Dōngzhì | 22 December 2027, 10:42 | 22 December, 02:42 UTC |
World heritage
Inscribed 30 November 2016 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as 'The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge in China of time and practices developed through observation of the sun's annual motion'.
In Japan: 24 sekki and 72 kō
Japan took the 24 terms over as sekki and divides each into three kō of about five days, named after nature: the east wind melts the ice, the first cherry blossoms open.
Calculated from the Sun's apparent position (PyEphem), to about a minute. Names, meanings and customs after the Hong Kong Observatory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and UNESCO.