The 24 solar terms

When is the next solar term?

立冬 (lìdōng, Start of Winter) on 7 November 2026.

What are the 24 solar terms?

二十四节气 (èrshísì jiéqì) divide the year by the sun into 24 parts of about 15 days, each named for the weather or the farm work of its season. They begin with 立春 (lìchūn, Start of Spring) in early February.

Why do the dates change from year to year?

Each term begins when the sun reaches a set point in the sky, which falls a day earlier or later in different years. The dates here are China’s, from the Hong Kong Observatory’s tables.

Which solar term is also a festival?

清明 (qīngmíng, Pure Brightness) is both a solar term and Tomb-Sweeping Day, and 冬至 (dōngzhì, the Winter Solstice) is a family festival in much of China.

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More on the Chinese calendar

• The Chinese calendar converter
• Chinese festivals
• Planets and stars in Chinese
• The Chinese zodiac