The 24 Solar Terms

Learn everything there is to know about the 24 solar terms and the lessons this ancient calendar offers us today.

China's lunar calendar or the animals of the twelve-year cycle are fairly well-known in West. Less understood is the major calendar system of the 24 solar terms. Because the calendar is so closely interwoven with the seasons, festivals, folkways, literature, and mythology of China, it serves as a central spoke in a great wheel of cultural knowledge. Getting to know the events and symbolism behind this centuries-old almanac gives rich understanding of ancient wisdom that applies to modern life.

This book introduces this calendrical system and details each of the 24 solar terms, covering a wide range of practices and knowledge, including:

• Over 50 folktales and myths
• More than 200 deities and historical and mythological figures
• Philosophical concepts which reverberate throughout the culture
• Nature symbolism of the 72 pentad almanac
• Ancient imperial traditions and their teachings
• Festivals and foodways with over one hundred seasonal customs
• Classical Chinese poetry, with 35 original translations
• Over 30 original paper cuttings
• Health considerations for each time of year
• Agricultural practices in line with the rhythms of the seasons

The solar terms light the way toward deeper cultural literacy for those inside and outside the culture. And the richness of this calendar extends far beyond its status as a cultural asset of a specific place and people. The calendar's march through the seasons invites us engage with time and place in many ways. It calls on us to observe more closely the changes in the natural world. It inspires with its frequent and balanced observance of time. And it demonstrates methods for enjoying our connection to the world around us.