The 24 solar terms are a string of passwords left by the ancients. While the working people are interpreting the laws of nature, China's unique philosophy thoughts such as cherishing life, Yin-Yang thoughts and the idea of the unity of man and nature have become universal codes, providing extensive enlightenment for China people to understand the world.
Even in today's advanced science and technology, the 24 solar terms still have high cultural and scientific value. Let's enter today's article and learn about China's philosophy behind the 24 solar terms.
I. Formation and influence of the twenty-four solar terms
1. "Four seasons and eight festivals"-the embryonic form of the twenty-four solar terms
China people's observation of nature began very early, and the literature of the 24 solar terms can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
During this period, people have limited ways to understand the law of the operation of heaven and earth. According to the observation of the movement law of the sun, the moon and the stars and the change of the length of day and night, the earliest "four images" theory was created.
Later, people observed the changes of the length of day and night in a year and named them respectively. "In Japan" and "at night" both refer to the equal division of day and night, and "short day" and "eternal day" represent the shortest day and the longest day in a year respectively.
"Midspring", "Midsummer", "Midautumn" and "Midwinter" refer to the vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox and winter solstice respectively. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are collectively called "four elephants".
In this way, the four seasons are simply divided, and the "four elephants" are the "four seasons"-the embryonic form of the twenty-four solar terms.
Later, in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, people developed eight solar terms on the basis of the four seasons, thus determining the overall framework of the 24 solar terms.
2. The change of stars and the establishment of twenty-four solar terms
Later, it was observed that the bucket handle direction of the Big Dipper was closely related to the "four seasons and eight festivals", and the 24 solar terms further developed. The ancients found that the bucket handle of the Big Dipper would change its orientation due to the alternation of seasons. Barrel handle refers to spring in the east, summer in the south, autumn in the west and east in the north.
The direct observation of the star shift became the main basis for the ancients to judge the changes of solar terms.
During the period of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty, the emperor ordered the "24 solar terms" to be absorbed into taichu calendar and made it legislation.
With the great development of science and technology in the Western Han Dynasty, the method of measuring the sun shadow in Tugui was invented to determine the length of the sun shadow more accurately, and the winter solstice with the longest sun shadow in a year was regarded as the first in a year.
The current "twenty-four solar terms" are divided according to the degrees of the sun's yellow meridian, which leads to the emergence of twenty-four solar terms starting from the beginning of spring and ending in the great cold.
3. The influence of the 24 solar terms on agricultural production and life
Twenty-four solar terms are closely related to the production and life of ancient working people, and are a time knowledge system formed through long-term observation and practice summary.
The product of this farming civilization adapted to the economic production mode and life demand at that time, which not only helped agricultural production to grasp the farming season, but also promoted social and economic development.
The customs and habits evolved from the 24 solar terms have also enriched people's lives and entrusted the ancients with their good wishes for life.
Even in today's advanced science and technology, people's spiritual sustenance for the "24 solar terms" is still increasing, which plays an important role in enhancing national identity and national cohesion.
Two. Cultural Connotation and Philosophical Significance of the Twenty-four Solar Terms
1. Spring: At the beginning of the year, everything begins to sting.
From the twenty-four solar terms, it is not difficult to see that the four seasons have been artificially laid the tone in line with people's lives: spring germination, summer growth, autumn harvest and winter storage.
Spring symbolizes the rebirth and recovery of all things. There is a saying: "Spring thunder, everything grows."
In spring, the ancients perceived the change of life and sprouted awe of life-this is the consciousness of attaching importance to life in China's traditional philosophy.
Beginning of spring is the first of the 24 solar terms. At this time, "the east wind thawed and the insects began to tremble"; The snow and ice melt in the rainy season, "fish on ice" and "geese come", and the world gradually recovers its vitality; One of the solar terms, "Jing Zhe", originally meant that natural creatures ended their dormancy and resumed their activities.
From the perspective of life, the 24 solar terms are more like a high generalization of animal and plant activities. China people respect the laws of nature and all living things, including people themselves.
After the fright, the weather turned warmer and the yang rose, and mankind began a new year's work. "Before and after Qingming Festival, plant melons and beans" has become the first rule guiding agricultural production.
The most important aspect of your life consciousness is that human life is noble, and the "24 solar terms" help people live a better life and carry out productive labor, which is just in line with this idea.
In ancient times, when the mode of production and productivity were immature, the 24 solar terms became the main guiding principle to improve productivity; At the same time, the observation of nature in the 24 solar terms and the laws summarized from it let people know how to obtain limited resources from nature at the right time to achieve the goal of sustainable development.
Follow the law of natural development, respect the law of growth of all things, and form a good cycle of natural ecology.
The ancients arranged farming activities, festivals, diets and other aspects of life according to the 24 solar terms, which are the embodiment of your life consciousness.
2. Summer: Everything grows and management is efficient.
In summer, plants enter the main period of growth. In most parts of China, the sunshine duration in summer is longer than that in other three seasons, and the precipitation is the most frequent, which provides sufficient light and water for the growth of crops, and also brings the threat of drought and flood disasters.
The appearance of the 24 solar terms has greatly reduced the losses caused by natural disasters to agriculture. Different from the difficult transformation of western civilization, people have learned to use and transform nature while adapting to it, which embodies the unique wisdom of China's ancient philosophy.
"Small full and small full, rivers are gradually full", rainfall gradually increases during the small full season, and farmers begin to pay attention to farmland waterlogging; "Mang seed" is the dividing point between barley and wheat harvesting and millet sowing. Grasping this node is very important for crop cultivation in the second half of the year.
Twenty-four solar terms provide efficient management methods for summer crop growth, thus improving people's quality of life.
3. Autumn: When Yin Qi begins, everything is harvested.
The thought of Yin-Yang and Five Elements was formed in the Warring States Period, in which Laozi and Zhuangzi of Taoism played a great role in the emergence and implementation of the thought of Yin-Yang and Five Elements. Later, under the background of a hundred schools of thought contending during the Warring States Period, Taoism, Yin-Yang School and other schools of thought influenced each other, and finally the Yi Zhuan was produced, and the system of Yin-Yang thought was more complete.
Twenty-four solar terms were formed at the end of the Warring States period, and their contents and ideas all reflected the concept of Yin and Yang. People began to explain the four seasons by yin and yang, and thought that the sympathetic changes of yin and yang formed the universe, and the four seasons were the product of the intercourse of yin and yang.
The ancients finally summed up the relationship between Yin and Yang and the four seasons: Taiji is the origin of the universe and the fundamental reason for the alternation of Yin and Yang in the four seasons.
Among the four seasons, the sunshine is best in spring and summer, and autumn is considered as the beginning of the prevalence of yin qi. "Twenty-four solar terms" records: "Yin Qi is getting heavier and heavier, condensed into white."
This is the origin of "White Dew". Since the Millennium, most parts of China began to cool down, and migratory birds began to migrate to avoid the cold. The arrival of the Millennium also shows that the harvest season is getting closer and closer.
As the saying goes: "The Millennium is charming, and the autumn equinox is beautiful." It can be seen that the climate of the Millennium has an important impact on crop harvest.
4. Winter: It's the end of the year, knowing it's not dangerous.
It's cold in winter and there's little light. In order to reduce energy consumption, most natural creatures, including humans, will choose.
In the cold season, agricultural production activities have stopped. On the one hand, the working people fertilize the land and do a good job of antifreeze for animals and plants. On the other hand, people pay special attention to keeping healthy.
Laozi put forward that "contentment is always a joy" and "knowing what to stop is not dangerous", and the subjective development of nature should be enough to maintain ecological balance, which is an important embodiment of China's harmonious philosophy.
abstract
If the 24 solar terms are a drop of dew that condenses the wisdom of working people, then the scene reflected is China's rich and gorgeous philosophy system.
Twenty-four solar terms were formed in the Warring States period when philosophical thoughts contended, and were established in the early Han Dynasty when science and technology were developed. They are of great practical value and have guiding significance for people's production and life.
It contains the ancient wisdom of China, which not only cultivates China people's world outlook of respecting nature and life, but also shapes the ideal of advocating harmony in life.
Until today, the idea of "green enjoyment" in the twenty-four solar terms is still out of date, and the development concept of "innovation, coordination, green, openness and enjoyment" is closely related to the philosophy behind the twenty-four solar terms, which still has the significance of the times at present.
Twenty-four solar terms are the eternal precious spiritual wealth of China people.