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
Minor Heat
小暑 (Xiǎo Shǔ)
Heat intensifies. The hottest period approaches. Focus on clearing heat and nourishing fluids.
✓ Eat:
- • Mung bean soup
- • Lotus leaf porridge
- • Pear juice
- • Bitter gourd
- • Green tea
✓ Practice:
- • Avoid peak sun hours
- • Drink plenty of warm (not iced) water
- • Light breathable clothing
- • Cool baths
✗ Avoid:
- • Iced beverages
- • Overexertion
- • Spicy food
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 Solstice
夏至 · Jun 21
Longest day, shortest night. Yang peaks and yin begins its return. Despite the heat, protect your inner yin.
Minor Heat← Now
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 24 Solar Terms (二十四节气)?
The 24 Solar Terms are a traditional Chinese calendar system that divides the year into 24 periods of approximately 15 days each, based on the sun's position along the ecliptic. Created over 2000 years ago to guide agricultural activities, they also prescribe specific dietary, health, and lifestyle practices for each period. UNESCO recognized them as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
How are the 24 Solar Terms different from Western seasons?
Western seasons have 4 divisions; the Chinese system has 24, providing much finer granularity. Each solar term has specific guidance — what to eat, what activities to do, what to avoid. For example, 'Grain Rain' (谷雨, late April) recommends eating foods that dispel dampness, while 'Great Cold' (大寒, late January) calls for warming, kidney-nourishing foods. The system treats the body as inseparable from nature's cycles.
How do I use the Solar Terms for health?
Follow the current solar term's recommendations: eat seasonally appropriate foods (warming in cold terms, cooling in hot terms), adjust sleep patterns (sleep early in winter, later in summer), choose matching exercises (gentle in cold months, vigorous in warm months), and protect specific organs (Lungs in autumn, Kidneys in winter, Liver in spring, Heart in summer).
What is the relationship between Solar Terms and TCM?
TCM views humans as microcosms of nature — our bodies should harmonize with seasonal qi. Each solar term corresponds to an element, organ, and type of qi. Spring terms activate Liver/Wood energy (growth, detox). Summer terms activate Heart/Fire (expression, circulation). Autumn terms activate Lung/Metal (consolidation, grief). Winter terms activate Kidney/Water (storage, rest). Living against these rhythms causes imbalance and disease.