立春
Lichun
Start of Spring
Chinese calendar
Browse the seasonal markers used by the Chinese agricultural calendar, from Lichun at the start of spring through Dongzhi at the winter solstice.
24 solar terms
Grain in Ear, from Jun 5, 2026. Dates are calculated from solar longitude and shown as China-local calendar dates.
Lichun
Start of Spring
Yushui
Rain Water
Jingzhe
Awakening Insects
Chunfen
Spring Equinox
Qingming
Pure Brightness
Guyu
Grain Rain
Lixia
Start of Summer
Xiaoman
Grain Full
Mangzhong
Grain in Ear
Xiazhi
Summer Solstice
Xiaoshu
Lesser Heat
Dashu
Greater Heat
Liqiu
Start of Autumn
Chushu
End of Heat
Bailu
White Dew
Qiufen
Autumn Equinox
Hanlu
Cold Dew
Shuangjiang
Frost's Descent
Lidong
Start of Winter
Xiaoxue
Lesser Snow
Daxue
Greater Snow
Dongzhi
Winter Solstice
Xiaohan
Lesser Cold
Dahan
Greater Cold
Jieqi are the 24 seasonal points that divide the sun's apparent path through the sky into 15 degree steps. They sit beside the better-known lunar months in the Chinese lunisolar calendar: months follow the moon, while solar terms keep the calendar tied to climate, farming seasons, and the solstices and equinoxes. That is why the system is often described as agricultural as much as ceremonial.
The sequence starts with Lichun, "Start of Spring," when the sun reaches 315 degrees of ecliptic longitude. It then moves through terms such as Chunfen, the spring equinox, Xiazhi, the summer solstice, Qiufen, the autumn equinox, and Dongzhi, the winter solstice. Qingming, "Pure Brightness," is another familiar example for non-Chinese readers because the Qingming Festival is widely associated with tomb sweeping and remembrance.
The dates here are calculated from solar longitude and shown as China-local calendar dates. They are suitable for calendar planning and educational use, not for legal, religious, or observatory-grade astronomical certification. Each card shows the Chinese name, pinyin, English meaning, date, and whether that term is coming up or already passed in the selected year.