二十四节气 · the seasonal solar clock
The 24 solar terms
The terms follow the Sun, not the Moon. Twelve alternating jie terms open the branch months used in Four Pillars; twelve zhongqi terms mark their seasonal middles. A boundary is an astronomical moment, not a whole Gregorian day.
2026 Li Chun cycle · exact reference moments
From Start of Spring to the following Major Cold
The traditional sequence begins at Li Chun in 2026 and closes with the two January terms in 2027. “Month opens” marks the twelve jie boundaries used by this site’s Four Pillars calculation. All moments in this atlas use China Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
- 01 · Jie立春Start of SpringLìchūn
Opens the Tiger branch month
- 02 · Zhongqi雨水Rain WaterYǔshuǐ
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 03 · Jie惊蛰Awakening of InsectsJīngzhé
Opens the Rabbit branch month
- 04 · Zhongqi春分Spring EquinoxChūnfēn
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 05 · Jie清明Clear and BrightQīngmíng
Opens the Dragon branch month
- 06 · Zhongqi谷雨Grain RainGǔyǔ
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 07 · Jie立夏Start of SummerLìxià
Opens the Snake branch month
- 08 · Zhongqi小满Grain FullXiǎomǎn
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 09 · Jie芒种Grain in EarMángzhòng
Opens the Horse branch month
- 10 · Zhongqi夏至Summer SolsticeXiàzhì
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 11 · Jie小暑Minor HeatXiǎoshǔ
Opens the Goat branch month
- 12 · Zhongqi大暑Major HeatDàshǔ
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 13 · Jie立秋Start of AutumnLìqiū
Opens the Monkey branch month
- 14 · Zhongqi处暑End of HeatChǔshǔ
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 15 · Jie白露White DewBáilù
Opens the Rooster branch month
- 16 · Zhongqi秋分Autumn EquinoxQiūfēn
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 17 · Jie寒露Cold DewHánlù
Opens the Dog branch month
- 18 · Zhongqi霜降Frost's DescentShuāngjiàng
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 19 · Jie立冬Start of WinterLìdōng
Opens the Pig branch month
- 20 · Zhongqi小雪Minor SnowXiǎoxuě
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 21 · Jie大雪Major SnowDàxuě
Opens the Rat branch month
- 22 · Zhongqi冬至Winter SolsticeDōngzhì
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
- 23 · Jie小寒Minor ColdXiǎohán
Opens the Ox branch month
- 24 · Zhongqi大寒Major ColdDàhán
Seasonal midpoint · no month change
Jie then zhongqi · boundary then midpoint
Only every other term changes the chart month
A branch month opens at a jie term and contains the following zhongqi. Li Chun opens Tiger month; Rain Water falls within it. Awakening of Insects then opens Rabbit month. The alternation continues through Minor Cold, which opens Ox month.
Jie · the opening edge
These twelve terms supply the exact month boundary. On the civil date when one occurs, the clock time determines whether a birth remains in the previous branch month or enters the next.
Zhongqi · the middle marker
Equinoxes, solstices and their alternating companions locate the season within the month. They matter to the lunisolar structure without starting another Four Pillars month.
Solar seasons inside a lunisolar calendar
A lunar month and a branch month are not synonyms
Festival months begin with lunar phases. Four Pillars months begin with jie terms. Both systems live in the traditional calendar, but they answer different questions and their boundaries do not usually coincide.
- 01Lunar month
Begins with a new-moon boundary and can participate in a leap-month structure.
New Year guide → - 02Branch month
Begins at one of the twelve jie solar terms and fixes the month branch in a chart.
Month pillar → - 03Gregorian month
Administrative date labels do not determine either traditional boundary by themselves.
Boundary guide →