Jieqi: the 24 Chinese solar terms

What are the 24 solar terms?

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.