The traditional
Chinese calendar
The traditional Chinese calendar, dating back to the Han dynasty, is a lunisolar calendar that blends solar, lunar, and other cycles for social and agricultural purposes. While modern China primarily uses the Gregorian calendar for officia ...
divides a year into 24
solar term
A solar term (or ''jiéqì'', zh, t=節氣, s=节气) is any of twenty-four periods in traditional Chinese lunisolar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon. The points are spaced 15° apart ...
s.
''Chūnfēn'', ''Shunbun'', ''Chunbun'', or ''Xuân phân'' is the 4th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the
celestial longitude of 0° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 15°. In the
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...
, it usually begins around 20 March and ends around 4 April (5 April East Asia time). It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 0°.
Pentads
Each solar term can be divided into 3
pentads (候). They are: first pentad (初候), second pentad (次候) and last pentad (末候). Pentads in Chunfen include:
China
* First pentad: 玄鳥至, 'The dark birds arrive'. 'Dark bird' in this case refers to
swallows, which are also making their northward migration.
* Second pentad: 雷乃發聲, 'Thunder sounds', referring to the onset of spring thunderstorms.
* Last pentad: 始電, 'Lightning begins'. This refers to thunderstorms as well, but also to the gradual lengthening of daytime, and the prevalence of sunlight.
Japan
A pentad as follows was referred to Japanese traditional calendar presented in a smaller, easy to use, format.
* First pentad: , 'Sparrow begins holding a nest'.
* Second pentad: , 'Cherry blossoms open for the first time'.
* Last pentad: , 'Distant thunder start to sound'.
Date and time
See also
*
Equinox
A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than to its north or south. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise directly east and set directly west. This occurs twice each year, arou ...
References
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04
Spring (season)
Observances on non-Gregorian calendars
March observances
April observances