The 24 solar terms 節氣
The Chinese year is cut into twenty-four fifteen-degree steps of the sun’s path. These — not the lunar months — are what the farming calendar, the almanac’s daily advice and the BaZi 八字 month pillar are actually built on. Each one is a real astronomical moment, so the dates barely move: a term lands on the same day give or take one, every year.
In effect now
White Dew 白露
Until Autumn Equinox 秋分 on 2026-09-23. What White Dew marks →
2026 dates
- Minor Cold 小寒 (xiǎo hán)
- Major Cold 大寒 (dà hán)
- Start of Spring 立春 (lì chūn)
- Rain Water 雨水 (yǔ shuǐ)
- Awakening of Insects 驚蟄 (jīng zhé)
- Spring Equinox 春分 (chūn fēn)
- Clear and Bright 清明 (qīng míng)
- Grain Rain 穀雨 (gǔ yǔ)
- Start of Summer 立夏 (lì xià)
- Grain Buds 小滿 (xiǎo mǎn)
- Grain in Ear 芒種 (máng zhòng)
- Summer Solstice 夏至 (xià zhì)
- Minor Heat 小暑 (xiǎo shǔ)
- Major Heat 大暑 (dà shǔ)
- Start of Autumn 立秋 (lì qiū)
- End of Heat 處暑 (chǔ shǔ)
- White Dew 白露 (bái lù)
- Autumn Equinox 秋分 (qiū fēn)
- Cold Dew 寒露 (hán lù)
- Frost Descends 霜降 (shuāng jiàng)
- Start of Winter 立冬 (lì dōng)
- Minor Snow 小雪 (xiǎo xuě)
- Major Snow 大雪 (dà xuě)
- Winter Solstice 冬至 (dōng zhì)
Dates are computed for GMT+8 and given for 2026 and 2027 on each term’s own page. See also today’s almanac and the guides.