Chinese Solar Term
| Epoch | Confidence | Associated with |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | High | Beijing |
Overview
The Solar Term is an observational solar calendar used in China and its surrounding area. It uses the Longitude of the Sun to determine the seasons and months based on moments when the sun's longitude relative to the equinoxes is multiples of 15 (minor) and 30 (major) degrees.
Months are named after the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac and are split into a minor solar term, which happens at the beginning of the month, and a major solar term, which happens in the middle. Each term is given a name that is associated with an environmental phenomenon that occurs around that time.
Due to the variable speed of the Earth around the sun from its slightly eccentric orbit, the seasons, months, and solar terms are not always the same length of time.
Solar terms are also used to determine when the leap month should occur in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. When a lunar month does not have a major solar term, then it is repeated and causes that year to have 13 months instead of 12.
Info
| ° | Season | Months | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 315 | Spring | Tiger (寅) | 立春 (Lìchūn) | minor |
| 330 | Spring | Tiger (寅) | 雨水 (Yǔshuǐ) | major |
| 345 | Spring | Rabbit (卯) | 驚蟄 (Jīngzhé) | minor |
| 0 | Spring | Rabbit (卯) | 春分 (Chūnfēn) | major |
| 15 | Spring | Dragon (辰) | 清明 (Qīngmíng) | minor |
| 30 | Spring | Dragon (辰) | 穀雨 (Gǔyǔ) | major |
| 45 | Summer | Snake (巳) | 立夏 (Lìxià) | minor |
| 60 | Summer | Snake (巳) | 小滿 (Xiǎomǎn) | major |
| 75 | Summer | Horse (午) | 芒種 (Mángzhòng) | minor |
| 90 | Summer | Horse (午) | 夏至 (Xiàzhì) | major |
| 105 | Summer | Goat (未) | 小暑 (Xiǎoshǔ) | minor |
| 120 | Summer | Goat (未) | 大暑 (Dàshǔ) | major |
| 135 | Autumn | Monkey (申) | 立秋 (Lìqiū) | minor |
| 150 | Autumn | Monkey (申) | 處暑 (Chǔshǔ) | major |
| 165 | Autumn | Rooster (酉) | 白露 (Báilù) | minor |
| 180 | Autumn | Rooster (酉) | 秋分 (Qiūfēn) | major |
| 195 | Autumn | Dog (戌) | 寒露 (Hánlù) | minor |
| 210 | Autumn | Dog (戌) | 霜降 (Shuāngjiàng) | major |
| 225 | Winter | Pig (亥) | 立冬 (Lìdōng) | minor |
| 240 | Winter | Pig (亥) | 小雪 (Xiǎoxuě) | major |
| 255 | Winter | Rat (子) | 大雪 (Dàxuě) | minor |
| 270 | Winter | Rat (子) | 冬至 (Dōngzhì) | major |
| 285 | Winter | Ox (丑) | 小寒 (Xiǎohán) | minor |
| 300 | Winter | Ox (丑) | 大寒 (Dàhán) | major |
Accuracy
This calendar is a simple calculation, but it relies on the calculation for the Longitude of the Sun which has a tiny amount of error.
| Dependencies |
|---|
| Longitude of the Sun |