Feb 4 立春
Li Chun · Start of SpringThe east wind thaws the frozen land; all things begin to stir, and the farming year awakens.
Seasons & Festivals
Festivals · Come when China celebrates
Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn, peony festivals, ice festivals and the twenty-four solar terms — the best times to come, season by season.
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Seasons & Festivals · Cities of China
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Seasons & Festivals · AAAAA Scenic Spots
24 SOLAR TERMS
Seasons & Festivals · The 24 Solar Terms
How the Solar Terms Came to Be
The 24 solar terms originated along the Yellow River, where ancient observers tracked the sun's annual journey and distilled the changing seasons, weather and natural phenomena into a working calendar. As early as the Spring and Autumn period, shadow-measuring instruments fixed the equinoxes and solstices; by the Qin–Han era, all 24 terms were established as the rhythm of farming and daily life. In 2016, the solar terms were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Feb 4 
Feb 19 雨水
Yu Shui · Rain WaterSnow gives way to rain; grass and trees push out fresh shoots.
Mar 6 惊蛰
Jing Zhe · Awakening of InsectsSpring thunder rouses sleeping insects — and the people working the fields.
Mar 21 春分
Chun Fen · Spring EquinoxDay and night are equal; orioles fly over a south that is already green and blooming.
Apr 5 清明
Qing Ming · Pure BrightnessClear skies and bright scenes — a time to honor ancestors and walk in the spring countryside.
Apr 20 谷雨
Gu Yu · Grain RainRain nurtures a hundred grains; peonies open and spring tea is at its freshest.
May 6 立夏
Li Xia · Start of SummerInsects sing, earthworms surface, and seedlings begin their summer surge.
May 21 小满
Xiao Man · Grain FullThe grain fills but is not yet ripe — a perfect moment of 'almost full'.
Jun 6 芒种
Mang Zhong · Grain in EarAwned crops are sown and harvested; the south enters its busy plum-rain season.
Jun 21 夏至
Xia Zhi · Summer SolsticeThe longest day arrives; cicadas begin to sing and lotus fills the ponds.
Jul 7 小暑
Xiao Shu · Minor HeatWarm winds blow and crickets take shelter; the heat builds but has not peaked.
Jul 23 大暑
Da Shu · Major HeatThe hottest days of the year — fireflies blink among the grass.
Aug 8 立秋
Li Qiu · Start of AutumnCool breezes and morning dew appear; summer lingers, but autumn has begun.
Aug 23 处暑
Chu Shu · End of HeatThe heat finally withdraws; skies clear and crisp autumn air approaches.
Sep 8 白露
Bai Lu · White DewDew gathers white on the grass; wild geese pass south and mornings turn cool.
Sep 23 秋分
Qiu Fen · Autumn EquinoxDay and night balance again; golden rice waves mark the harvest.
Oct 8 寒露
Han Lu · Cold DewDew turns cold and begins to freeze; chrysanthemums bloom in gold.
Oct 23 霜降
Shuang Jiang · Frost's DescentAir turns sharp and dew becomes frost; maples burn red across the hills.
Nov 7 立冬
Li Dong · Start of WinterWater begins to freeze and earth hardens; all things store themselves for spring.
Nov 22 小雪
Xiao Xue · Minor SnowRainbows hide away and the air turns dry — the first snow may come.
Dec 7 大雪
Da Xue · Major SnowSnow falls thick and the north is wrapped in white.
Dec 22 冬至
Dong Zhi · Winter SolsticeThe shortest day arrives; yang is born anew, and a bowl of dumplings warms the winter.
Jan 6 小寒
Xiao Han · Minor ColdGeese fly north and magpies build nests as the coldest stretch begins.
Jan 20 大寒
Da Han · Major ColdCold reaches its peak, yet spring water stirs beneath the ice — the year turns anew.