24 Solar Terms — How the Ancient Chinese Determined New Year's Day?

Chinese 24 Solar Terms are determined by positions of earth on the Ecliptic — the earth’s orbit around the sun. Each Solar Term is 15° apart on the Ecliptic.

The 24 Solar Terms integrate information on the plant cultivation time and climate for farmers in the Northern Hemishere. The dates of these Solar Terms is closely followed by the Gregorian calendar.

The traditional Chinese calendar 农历[nón lì], commonly known as the lunar calendar, is acturely a solilunar calendar which is a combined calendar integrating solar and lunar movements around the earth.

It have been in continuous uses by Chinese peopple for over 2000 years. Chinese farmers has been relying on the 24 Solar terms for more than 2100 years.

立春[lì chūn] is the first of the 24 Solar terms and 大寒[dà hán] is the last.

One cycle running from 立春[lì chūn] to the next 立春[lì chūn] takes one year, and it means "one-year" 一岁[yí suì].

Therefore, Chinese take 立春[lì chūn] as the "beginning-of-the-year" 岁首[suì shǒu].

The term 立春节[lì chūn jié] is abbreviated into 春节[chūn jié], a festival day that Chinese have a celebration.

However, the term 春节[chūn jié] is borrowed from the traditional Chinese New Year since 1914.

In other words, the modern Chinese new year is 元旦[yuán dàn], the first day of a Gregorian calendar (solar calendar) year while the traditional Chinese new year is 春节[chūn jié] instead of the original 元旦[yuán dàn] of 农历[nón lì], the lunar calendar.

The Chinese people will not be confused by two 元旦[yuán dàn] on the different date anymore.

Table of 24 Solar Terms

Seasons (Northern Hemisphere)	Gregorian Months	24 Solar Terms (Chinese and English)			Ecliptic	Gregorian Date (±1 day)
Spring	February	1	立春 [lì chūn]	Spring Onset	315°	February 4
		2	雨水 [yǔ shuǐ]	Rain Water	330°	February 19
	March	3	惊蛰 [jīng zhé]	Awakening	345°	March 6
		4	春分 [chūn fēn]	Vernal Equinox	0°	March 21
	April	5	清明 [qīng míng]	Fresh Green	15°	April 5
		6	谷雨 [gǔ yǔ]	Rain for Grains	30°	April 20
Summer	May	7	立夏 [lì xià]	Summer Onset	45°	May 6
		8	小满 [xiǎo mǎn]	Grain Budding	60°	May 21
	June	9	芒种 [máng zhòng]	Grain in Ear	75°	June 6
		10	夏至 [xià zhì]	Summer Solstice	90°	June 21
	July	11	小暑 [xiǎo shǔ]	Moderate Heat	105°	July 7
		12	大暑 [dà shǔ]	Great Heat	120°	July 23
Autumn	August	13	立秋 [lì qiū]	Autumn Onset	135°	August 8
		14	处暑 [chǔ shǔ]	Heat Ending	150°	August 23
	September	15	白露 [bái lù]	White Dew	165°	September 8
		16	秋分 [qiū fēn]	Autumnal Equinox	180°	September 23
	October	17	寒露 [hán lù]	Cold Dew	195°	October 8
		18	霜降 [shuān gjiàng]	First Frost	210°	October 23
Winter	November	19	立冬 [lì dōng]	Winter Onset	225°	November 7
		20	小雪 [xiǎo xuě]	Light Snow	240°	November 22
	December	21	大雪 [dà xuě]	Heavy Snow	255°	December 7
		22	冬至 [dōng zhì]	Winter Solstice	270°	December 22
	January	23	小寒 [xiǎo hán]	Moderate Cold	285°	January 6
		24	大寒 [dà hán]	Severe Cold	300°	January 20