In fact, the 24 solar terms are a unique calendar in China. It is the result of long-term and repeated observation, exploration and summary of astronomical phenomena, meteorology, physical images and agricultural activities in the long-term production practice of ancient Chinese working people.
Twenty-four solar terms originated in the Yellow River Basin, started in the Spring and Autumn Period and were established in Qin and Han Dynasties. Someone once poetically described a solar term as a breath of heaven and earth.
One, the origin and establishment of the twenty-four solar terms are recorded in many ancient books in China, including Fuxi's calendar, solar terms and armor calendar. For example, in the ancient micro-book, it is said: "In the past, Fuxi made eight diagrams and made three paintings to resemble twenty-four qi." "Tongli" records: "Tai Hao began to have a calendar." "Things in the Spring and Autumn Period" says that "Fu Xishi is divided into eight sections to cope with the weather". It can be seen that the ancient sages represented by Fuxi are recognized as the founders of solar terms culture.
At first, our ancestors started with the observation of "phenology", that is, according to the observation of natural biological and abiotic responses to solar terms and climate change, so as to master the climate characteristics of solar terms. About 6000 years ago, in the era of the Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan), a "phenological calendar" was initially made. Its content is probably: "Swallows come and go at the vernal equinox, shrike comes and goes at the summer solstice, bluebird comes to long summer from beginning of spring, and Danbird comes to beginning of winter from beginning of autumn ..."
Xia Xiaozheng, an earlier ancient almanac, has only more than 500 words, but it records the detailed contents of astronomical phenomena, phenology, civil affairs, farming and meteorology in the order of twelve months throughout the year.
Soon after, it was found that it was still extensive and unstable to grasp the solar term climate by phenology. So I turned to the observation of the astronomical phenomena. By observing the changes of the astrology, I found out the laws of the changes of the astrology and solar terms. For example, the description of bucket handle, the big dipper, was recorded in Lu Chunqiu: "bucket handle is in the east, and it is spring in the world, summer in the south, autumn in the west and winter in the north ..."
"Rizhilu" said: "For more than three generations, everyone knows astronomy. July filariasis', the farmer's words; Samsung is in the sky', the language of women is also; The moon leaves the finish', and the work of guarding the pawn is also; The story of' Long Tail and Fu Chen' is also a rumor for children.
By the Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2700 years ago, people realized that the shadow length of Rizhao people might be related to the position of the sun and climate change. The ancients measured the sun's shadow by using the standard watch, and designated the longest day of the sun's shadow as the "solstice" (also known as the long solstice, the long solstice and the winter solstice), and the shortest day of the sun's shadow as the "short solstice" (also known as the short solstice and the summer solstice). In spring and autumn, there is one day with the same length of day and night, and these two days are designated as "vernal equinox" and "autumn equinox" respectively.
Beginning of spring, Spring Equinox, long summer, Summer Solstice, beginning of autumn, Autumn Equinox, beginning of winter and Winter Solstice began to appear in the book "The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lu" and "December Ji". These eight solar terms are the most important of the 24 solar terms. Later, when the book Huai Nan Zi was published in the Western Han Dynasty, the names of the 24 solar terms were exactly the same as those in modern times.
Second, the meaning of the twenty-four solar terms The ancients called the first solar term of each month "festival", such as beginning of spring called the first month festival; The second solar term of each month is called "Qi", and "Festival" and "Qi" appear alternately, each lasting about 15 days.
Beginning of spring, long summer, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter, also collectively called "Sili", respectively represent the beginning of the four seasons;
The summer solstice and the winter solstice, collectively known as the "second solstice", represent the extremes of summer and winter in astronomy;
The vernal equinox and autumnal equinox, collectively called "bisection", mean that the length of day and night is equal, which is also the dividing point. After the vernal equinox, the days begin to lengthen, and after the autumnal equinox, the nights begin to lengthen.
Rain, which means that precipitation begins and the rainfall gradually increases;
Sting, the sudden movement of spring thunder, awakened the hibernating animals in the soil;
Qingming means sunny weather, fresh and clean air, gradual warming and lush vegetation;
In Grain Rain, the increase in rainfall is greatly beneficial to the growth of cereal crops;
Xiaoman, which means that the seeds of summer crops are full, but not yet mature, just small and not yet full;
Crops with awns, such as awn seeds and wheat, mature, and summer sowing begins;
Summer heat, summer heat, summer heat, summer heat means hot (summer heat is not the hottest, summer heat is the hottest season, and summer heat is the day when summer day is coming to an end);
White dew, the temperature began to drop, the weather turned cold, and there was dew on the vegetation in the morning;
Cold dew, the temperature is lower, the air has condensed dew, and there is a chill gradually;
First frost, the weather is getting colder and frosty;
Light snow, heavy snow, snow began, small and large said the degree of snowfall;
Slight cold, severe cold, the weather is getting colder, slight cold is not the coldest, severe cold is the coldest time of the year.
Seventy-two phenology of solar terms (1) in beginning of spring.
At the beginning, the east wind thawed; Yang is harmonious but firm and scattered.
Second, the sting insect begins to vibrate; Vibration, movement also.
Third, the fish is cold. I'm eager to speak, accumulate words, rise, and rise. The yang has moved, and the fish is getting upstream and close to the ice.
(2) Rain
At the beginning, rex sacrificed fish. At this time, the fish came out fat, so the otter sacrificed first and then ate.
Second, the geese wait for the north; From south to north.
In the third season, the vegetation is sprouting, which is for the cultivation.
(3) fright
At the beginning, the peach begins to bloom; Yang and the occurrence, since then gradually prosperous.
Second, Cang Gengming; Huang Liye.
Third, the eagle turns into a dove, and the eagle is also a bird. At this time, the eagle becomes a dove, and in autumn, the dove becomes an eagle again.
(4) vernal equinox
At the beginning, the mysterious bird arrives; Yanlai also.
Second, Lei Nai speaks; The thunder is the voice of the yang, and the yang can't go out in the yin, so it is exciting and thunder.
Third wait, start the electricity. The electricity is the light of the yang, the light is invisible when the yang is weak, and the yang is strong and restrained in the yin. Its light is hair, so the cloud begins to electrify.
(5) Qingming
At the beginning, tung began to blossom.
Second, the vole turns into an owl and a peony flower; The sound of birds is like quail, mouse yin. When the yang is strong, the mouse will turn into an owl, and when the yin is strong, it will turn into a mouse again.
Wait three times, and the rainbow will see you. Rainbow, sound flood, yin and yang meet, but pure yin and yang do not. If the clouds are thin and leak the sun, the rain shadow will be seen in the rainbow.
(6) Grain Rain
At the beginning, Ping was born.
The second time, the doves fluttered their feathers, flying and the wings lined up, and the farmers were in a hurry.
Three times, Dai Sheng descended on the mulberry, a bird weaving a net, and a wearing a snipe, which was arranged in the mulberry to show the silkworm wife. Therefore, it was said that women were prosperous and wore a snipe.
(7) long summer
At the beginning, it sounds; A mole is also a worm, and all the words are not right.
Second, the earthworm comes out; Earthworms are yin, and they feel yang.
Third, Wang Guasheng; The melon is red, and the sun is flourishing.
(8) Xiaoman
At the beginning, bitter vegetables show; The fire is hot and bitter, so the bitter vegetables are beautiful.
Second, the grass will die; The genus of the plant.
Three waits, wheat autumn arrives; Autumn is the mature period of a hundred valleys. At this time, the wheat is ripe, so it is called wheat autumn.
(9) Miscanthus
At the beginning, mantis was born; The common name is knife lang, which says that the literary name refuses the axe.
Second, the cuckoo begins to sound; Cuckoo, slaughter livestock, and shrike.
Three times, the tongue is silent; Kuzu also.
(10) Summer Solstice
At the beginning, the antlers are dissolved; Yang beast also, Yin qi and solution.
Second, wait, the cicada begins to sing, the cicada also.
Three phases, Pinellia ternata, drug name, anode yin.
(1 1) Slight summer heat
At the beginning, the wind is warm.
Second, the cricket bees live in the wall; Also known as the promotion of weaving, at this time, the wings are not formed, and the wall of the former residence.
Three waits, the eagle begins to be loyal. Sincerity, words to. The eagle feels yin, which is a matter of killing the heart and learning to fight.
(12) great summer heat
At the beginning, rotten grass is firefly; From the extreme of Ming, the secluded class becomes the Ming class.
Second, the soil is moist and hot; It's embarrassing and wet.
Third, when it rains heavily.
(13) beginning of autumn
At the beginning, the cool wind came.
Wait, the white dew falls.
Three waiting, chilling. Cicada is small and green and red.
(14) summer heat
At the beginning, the eagle is a sacrificial bird; Eagle, kill birds. I dare not taste it first, and I will show it to you.
Second, the heavens and the earth began to calm down; Qing Su is also cold.
Third wait, Wo Naideng. Millet is the length of five grains, and it is the first time to cook it.
(15) Millennium
At the beginning, Hongyan came; From north to south. One day: the big one is called Hong, and the small one is called Yan.
Second, the mysterious bird returns; Swallow to also.
Third, the flock raises shame. Shame, food also. Cultivate shame for the winter moon.
(16) autumnal equinox
At the beginning, the thunder began to stop; Thunder occurs in the sun in February, and the sound is heard in the shade in August.
Second, the insect is a blank household; Blank, sound training. The blank households will be stung by cultivating the household orifices in their holes.
After three waits, the water began to dry up. Mandarin says: See the morning corner and the rain ends, see the heavenly roots and the water dries up, remove the Tao after the rain ends, and the water dries up to form a beam. Chen Jiao, Jiao Su also. Rooted in heaven, between the houses. See, Dan also seen in the east. Chen Jiao sees September Ben, Tian Gen sees the end of September, and the end of the book is more than twenty-one.
(17) cold dew
At the beginning, Hongyan is a guest. Guest, guest also. The first to arrive is the main one, and the last to arrive is the guest, and the cover will be the best.
Second, the sparrow enters the water as a clam; Those who fly turn into potential, and Yang turns into yin.
Third, chrysanthemums have yellow flowers. All the flowers are silent, and this alone, with its flowers in the shade and alone in autumn.
(18) first frost
At the beginning, jackals were sacrificial animals; Meng Qiuying sacrifices birds, the flier is small and murderous, Fang Meng, and the jackal sacrifices animals in the season and autumn, while the walker is big and murderous.
Second, the vegetation is yellow; Sun be the spirit to also.
Third, the stinging insects are salty. Prone, dormant also.
(19) beginning of winter
At the beginning, the water began to freeze.
Second, the ground began to freeze.
After the third wait, the pheasant enters the big water as a stork. Slugs, mussels.
(20) light snow
At the beginning, the rainbow disappeared, and Ji Chunyang prevailed over Yin, so the rainbow saw it; Meng Dong Yin wins Yang, so he hides but doesn't see it.
Second, the weather will rise and the weather will fall.
Three wait, occlusion and winter. In the Tibetan land under the sun's yang, the yin closes and becomes winter.
(2 1) Heavy snow
At the beginning, the bird that sings at night, also known as the Hanhao bug, is a kind of yin and seeks yang, so it won't sing because it won't sing.
Second, the tiger begins to pay; The tiger is yin, and it is also a feeling of yang.
Wait three times, Li will stand out. Li, an iris, has leaves as small as pu and roots as brushes.
(22) winter solstice
At the beginning, earthworms knot; The sun's spirit has not moved, and the head bends downward, and the sun's spirit has moved, so it bends and ends.
Second, the angle solution; Yin beast also. Be solved by sun be the spirit.
Third, the water springs move, and the sun is born in the sky.
(23) slight cold
At the beginning, Yanbei Township; One-year-old qi, geese wait for four times. For example, those who live in Yanbei Township in December are wild geese, and so are their parents. The person who waits for Yanbei in the first month is Xiaoyan, the son of the goose. The first person to cover is big, but the second is small.
Second, the magpie begins to nest; Magpie knows that the gas is coming, so it is the nest of the next year.
Third wait, pheasant; There are two tones in the sentence, and it sounds like a pheasant. Pheasant fire animals, feel the sun and then sound.
(24) Severe cold
At the beginning, chicken milk, chickens and aquatic animals also got yang and laid eggs, so they were cloudy and milky.
Second, the bird is severely ill; Bird-hunting, belonging to the falcon, is extremely murderous, so it is fierce and quick and good at hitting.
Three wait, Shui Ze abdomen firm. The sun's spirit has not reached, and the east wind has not arrived, so Shui Ze is firmly established.
Four or twenty-four times of slight cold season in Hua Xinfeng: plum blossom, camellia and narcissus;
Great cold season: Daphne odora, orchid and alum;
Beginning of spring season: Spring Festival, cherry and spring;
Rainy season: first wait for cauliflower, second wait for apricot flower, third wait for plum flower;
Creeping season: wait for peach blossoms, wait for Di Tang, and wait for roses;
The vernal equinox season: one wait for begonia, two wait for pear, and three wait for magnolia;
Qingming Festival: one waiting for tung flowers, two waiting for wheat flowers and three waiting for willow flowers;
Grain Rain season: peony, tea and neem flowers.