The 24 solar terms
Last checked · calculated, then checked against the Hong Kong Observatory tables
The 24 solar terms (jieqi, 节气) are the Chinese calendar's seasonal markers. Each begins when the Sun reaches a set point on its yearly path, every 15 degrees of ecliptic longitude, so they fall on nearly the same dates every year. Times below are China Standard Time (UTC+8). Dates are checked against the Hong Kong Observatory tables; the minute times are our own calculation (the Observatory tables list dates only).
Dates and times, 2026 and 2027
| Solar term | Meaning | Sun's longitude | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Cold 小寒 Xiaohan | cold builds | 285° | Jan 5 16:23 | Jan 5 22:09 |
| Major Cold 大寒 Dahan | the coldest period of the year | 300° | Jan 20 09:44 | Jan 20 15:29 |
| Start of Spring 立春 Lichun | first day of spring in the traditional calendar | 315° | Feb 4 04:02 | Feb 4 09:46 |
| Rain Water 雨水 Yushui | rain begins to replace snow | 330° | Feb 18 23:51 | Feb 19 05:33 |
| Awakening of Insects 惊蛰 Jingzhe | named for hibernating insects stirring at the first thunder | 345° | Mar 5 21:59 | Mar 6 03:39 |
| Spring Equinox 春分 Chunfen | day and night of equal length; middle of spring | 0° | Mar 20 22:45 | Mar 21 04:24 |
| Pure Brightness 清明 Qingming | "clear and bright"; also the date of the Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping) Festival | 15° | Apr 5 02:40 | Apr 5 08:17 |
| Grain Rain 谷雨 Guyu | rain that helps grain grow; last term of spring | 30° | Apr 20 09:39 | Apr 20 15:17 |
| Start of Summer 立夏 Lixia | first day of summer | 45° | May 5 19:48 | May 6 01:25 |
| Grain Buds 小满 Xiaoman | grain fills out but is not yet ripe | 60° | May 21 08:36 | May 21 14:18 |
| Grain in Ear 芒种 Mangzhong | grain with awns (wheat) is harvested and rice is planted | 75° | Jun 5 23:48 | Jun 6 05:25 |
| Summer Solstice 夏至 Xiazhi | longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere | 90° | Jun 21 16:24 | Jun 21 22:10 |
| Minor Heat 小暑 Xiaoshu | heat begins to build | 105° | Jul 7 09:56 | Jul 7 15:37 |
| Major Heat 大暑 Dashu | the hottest period of the year | 120° | Jul 23 03:13 | Jul 23 09:04 |
| Start of Autumn 立秋 Liqiu | first day of autumn | 135° | Aug 7 19:42 | Aug 8 01:26 |
| End of Heat 处暑 Chushu | the heat ends | 150° | Aug 23 10:18 | Aug 23 16:14 |
| White Dew 白露 Bailu | dew forms on cool nights | 165° | Sep 7 22:41 | Sep 8 04:28 |
| Autumn Equinox 秋分 Qiufen | day and night of equal length; middle of autumn | 180° | Sep 23 08:05 | Sep 23 14:01 |
| Cold Dew 寒露 Hanlu | dew turns cold | 195° | Oct 8 14:29 | Oct 8 20:17 |
| Frost's Descent 霜降 Shuangjiang | first frosts; last term of autumn | 210° | Oct 23 17:37 | Oct 23 23:32 |
| Start of Winter 立冬 Lidong | first day of winter | 225° | Nov 7 17:52 | Nov 7 23:38 |
| Minor Snow 小雪 Xiaoxue | light snow begins | 240° | Nov 22 15:23 | Nov 22 21:16 |
| Major Snow 大雪 Daxue | heavier snow | 255° | Dec 7 10:52 | Dec 7 16:37 |
| Winter Solstice 冬至 Dongzhi | shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere; the Dongzhi festival | 270° | Dec 22 04:50 | Dec 22 10:42 |
Key solar terms by year, 2020 to 2035
Start of Spring, Qingming, the solstices and equinoxes (China Standard Time). The year links to that year's lunar calendar.
| Year | Start of Spring | Spring Equinox | Qingming | Summer Solstice | Autumn Equinox | Winter Solstice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Feb 4 17:03 | Mar 20 11:49 | Apr 4 15:38 | Jun 21 05:43 | Sep 22 21:30 | Dec 21 18:02 |
| 2021 | Feb 3 22:58 | Mar 20 17:37 | Apr 4 21:35 | Jun 21 11:32 | Sep 23 03:21 | Dec 21 23:59 |
| 2022 | Feb 4 04:50 | Mar 20 23:33 | Apr 5 03:20 | Jun 21 17:13 | Sep 23 09:03 | Dec 22 05:48 |
| 2023 | Feb 4 10:42 | Mar 21 05:24 | Apr 5 09:13 | Jun 21 22:57 | Sep 23 14:49 | Dec 22 11:27 |
| 2024 | Feb 4 16:27 | Mar 20 11:06 | Apr 4 15:02 | Jun 21 04:51 | Sep 22 20:43 | Dec 21 17:20 |
| 2025 | Feb 3 22:10 | Mar 20 17:01 | Apr 4 20:48 | Jun 21 10:42 | Sep 23 02:19 | Dec 21 23:03 |
| 2026 | Feb 4 04:02 | Mar 20 22:45 | Apr 5 02:40 | Jun 21 16:24 | Sep 23 08:05 | Dec 22 04:50 |
| 2027 | Feb 4 09:46 | Mar 21 04:24 | Apr 5 08:17 | Jun 21 22:10 | Sep 23 14:01 | Dec 22 10:42 |
| 2028 | Feb 4 15:31 | Mar 20 10:17 | Apr 4 14:03 | Jun 21 04:02 | Sep 22 19:45 | Dec 21 16:19 |
| 2029 | Feb 3 21:20 | Mar 20 16:01 | Apr 4 19:58 | Jun 21 09:48 | Sep 23 01:38 | Dec 21 22:14 |
| 2030 | Feb 4 03:08 | Mar 20 21:52 | Apr 5 01:41 | Jun 21 15:31 | Sep 23 07:26 | Dec 22 04:09 |
| 2031 | Feb 4 08:58 | Mar 21 03:40 | Apr 5 07:28 | Jun 21 21:17 | Sep 23 13:15 | Dec 22 09:55 |
| 2032 | Feb 4 14:48 | Mar 20 09:21 | Apr 4 13:17 | Jun 21 03:08 | Sep 22 19:10 | Dec 21 15:55 |
| 2033 | Feb 3 20:41 | Mar 20 15:22 | Apr 4 19:08 | Jun 21 09:01 | Sep 23 00:51 | Dec 21 21:46 |
| 2034 | Feb 4 02:41 | Mar 20 21:17 | Apr 5 01:06 | Jun 21 14:44 | Sep 23 06:39 | Dec 22 03:34 |
| 2035 | Feb 4 08:31 | Mar 21 03:02 | Apr 5 06:53 | Jun 21 20:33 | Sep 23 12:38 | Dec 22 09:30 |
FAQ
What are the 24 solar terms?
They divide the year by the Sun's position: a new term begins each time the Sun's apparent ecliptic longitude reaches a multiple of 15 degrees. They include the solstices and equinoxes and give the Chinese calendar its seasonal markers, such as the Start of Spring (Lichun) and Qingming.
When is the Start of Spring (Lichun) in 2027?
Feb 4, 2027 at 09:46 China Standard Time, when the Sun reaches 315 degrees of longitude. Under the Lichun rule the zodiac year changes at this moment rather than at Chinese New Year.
Are the 24 solar terms recognised by UNESCO?
Yes. In 2016 UNESCO inscribed "The Twenty-Four Solar Terms" on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Why do solar term dates shift by a day between years?
The terms follow the Sun, so they fall on almost the same Gregorian dates each year, but the exact moment moves by about six hours a year and resets with leap years. Dates here are in China Standard Time (UTC+8).
Checked against the Hong Kong Observatory, Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table.