Twenty-Four Solar Terms

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms were developed in ancient China based on the observation of astronomical phenomena and the understanding of the changes in seasons, climate, and phenology, to meet the needs of agricultural production. They form an important part of the Chinese lunar calendar.

The ancient Chinese divided a solar year into four seasons, each with three months and each month with two solar terms. The Twenty-Four Solar Terms are: Start of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insects, Vernal Equinox, Clear and Bright, Grain Rain, Start of Summer, Grain Full, Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice, Minor Heat, Major Heat, Start of Autumn, End of Heat, White Dew, Autumnal Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost Descent, Start of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, and Major Cold.

The solar terms accurately reflect the changes in nature and played a crucial role in ancient China's agricultural society. Included in the calendar as early as the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 25), they guided agricultural production and gradually became infused in folk traditions. They constitute an important part of Chinese culture.

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms spread to countries such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam in ancient times, and had a positive influence on their agriculture and cultural development. The international meteorological community recognizes the scientific accuracy of the solar terms. In 2016, they were included on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

二十四節(jié)氣

二十四節(jié)氣是中國古人根據(jù)農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)的需要，通過觀察天體運(yùn)行，認(rèn)知一年中時令、氣候、物候等變化規(guī)律所形成的知識體系，是中國農(nóng)歷的重要組成部分。

中國古人將一個太陽回歸年分為春、夏、秋、冬四季，每季三個月，每月各兩個節(jié)氣。二十四節(jié)氣分別為：立春、雨水、驚蟄、春分、清明、谷雨，立夏、小滿、芒種、夏至、小暑、大暑，立秋、處暑、白露、秋分、寒露、霜降， 立冬、小雪、大雪、冬至、小寒、大寒。

二十四節(jié)氣準(zhǔn)確反映了自然節(jié)律變化，在古代農(nóng)耕社會發(fā)揮了極為重要的作用。其早在西漢時期就已被納入歷法， 用于指導(dǎo)農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)，并逐漸演化為包含豐富民俗文化含義的文化體系，成為中華文化的重要組成部分。

在古代，二十四節(jié)氣傳播到朝鮮、日本、越南等國家，對當(dāng)?shù)剞r(nóng)耕生產(chǎn)和社會文化發(fā)展產(chǎn)生了積極影響。二十四節(jié)氣因其科學(xué)性和準(zhǔn)確性，受到國際氣象界的認(rèn)可與推崇。

2016年，“二十四節(jié)氣”列入聯(lián)合國教科文組織人類非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)代表作名錄。