24 Solar Terms (二十四节气)
The ancient Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 seasons. Each has specific food, practice, and lifestyle guidance for living in harmony with nature. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Current Solar Term
Summer Solstice
夏至 (Xià Zhì)
Longest day, shortest night. Yang peaks and yin begins its return. Despite the heat, protect your inner yin.
Eat:
- • Cold noodles (tradition)
- • Watermelon
- • Lotus root
- • Duck
- • Tofu
Practice:
- • Rest more, exercise less intensely
- • Eat cooling but not ice-cold foods
- • Nap at midday
- • Protect yin energy
Avoid:
- • Ice-cold drinks (shocks the stomach)
- • Excessive sun
- • Anger (fire rises)
All 24 Solar Terms
Start of Spring
立春 · Feb 4
Nature awakens. Yang energy begins to rise. The first stirring of new life after winter stillness.
Rain Water
雨水 · Feb 19
Snow turns to rain. Moisture returns to the earth. The spleen needs nourishment as dampness increases.
Awakening of Insects
惊蛰 · Mar 5
Thunder wakes hibernating creatures. Nature fully activates. Yang energy surges upward — protect the liver.
Spring Equinox
春分 · Mar 20
Day and night are equal. Yin and yang in perfect balance. Strive for balance in all things during this period.
Clear and Bright
清明 · Apr 4
The air clears, brightness returns. A time for honoring ancestors and enjoying nature. Liver qi is at peak.
Grain Rain
谷雨 · Apr 20
Last spring term. Rainfall nourishes crops. Dampness peaks — strengthen the spleen before summer.
Start of Summer
立夏 · May 5
Summer begins. Yang fully ascends. The heart becomes the dominant organ. Nourish the heart, calm the spirit.
Grain Full
小满 · May 21
Grains begin to fill but aren't ripe yet. Heat and dampness combine — clear damp-heat from the body.
Grain in Ear
芒种 · Jun 6
Harvest wheat, plant rice. The busiest farming period. Keep energy high, protect from summer exhaustion.
Summer SolsticeNow
夏至 · Jun 21
Longest day, shortest night. Yang peaks and yin begins its return. Despite the heat, protect your inner yin.
Minor Heat
小暑 · Jul 7
Heat intensifies. The hottest period approaches. Focus on clearing heat and nourishing fluids.
Major Heat
大暑 · Jul 23
Peak heat of the year. Highest risk of heat exhaustion. Maximum yin-nourishing strategy needed.
Start of Autumn
立秋 · Aug 7
Autumn begins though heat remains. Transition from clearing heat to moistening dryness. Lung care starts.
End of Heat
处暑 · Aug 23
Heat officially subsides. Cooler air arrives. The lung becomes more sensitive to dryness.
White Dew
白露 · Sep 7
Morning dew appears. Temperature drops noticeably. Protect the lungs from autumn dryness.
Autumn Equinox
秋分 · Sep 23
Day and night equalize again. Yin overtakes yang. Focus on balance and nourishing yin for winter preparation.
Cold Dew
寒露 · Oct 8
Dew turns cold. The final push of autumn. Prepare the body for winter by strengthening kidney and lung.
Frost Descent
霜降 · Oct 23
First frost arrives. Last autumn term. Final preparation for winter — tonify and store energy.
Start of Winter
立冬 · Nov 7
Winter begins. Time to store, conserve, and nourish. The kidney is the dominant organ of winter.
Minor Snow
小雪 · Nov 22
Light snow falls in northern China. Yang retreats fully inward. Nourish kidney yang and keep spirits warm.
Major Snow
大雪 · Dec 7
Heavy snowfall. Deep winter. Maximum conservation of energy. Warm, nourishing, kidney-tonifying foods essential.
Winter Solstice
冬至 · Dec 22
Shortest day, longest night. Yin peaks and yang is reborn. A sacred day in Chinese culture — as important as New Year in some traditions.
Minor Cold
小寒 · Jan 5
Coldest period begins (often colder than Major Cold in practice). Maximum warmth and nourishment needed.
Major Cold
大寒 · Jan 20
Final term of the year. Deepest cold before the cycle renews at Start of Spring. Prepare for the coming year.