The twenty-four solar terms are the crystallization of the long-term wisdom and experience of the ancient people in China, and they are the supplementary calendars used by the ancient working people to guide farming. There were only four solar terms in Shang dynasty, and eight in Zhou dynasty. It was not until Qin and Han dynasties that twenty-four solar terms were formally established.
BC 104, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ordered Deng Ping and Tang Dou to modify the calendar according to Sima Qian's suggestion. Later, this set of "Li Han" was promulgated and implemented in the first year of Taichu, and later generations called it "taichu calendar" based on the year when this calendar was promulgated. This is not only the first relatively complete calendar in China, but also the most advanced calendar in the world.
Twenty-four solar terms are obtained by observing the annual movement of the ancient sun. Each solar term represents the corresponding position of the sun on the ecliptic 15, which scientifically shows the law of astronomical and meteorological changes. In ancient times, it can be said to be a compass for farmers to carry out agricultural activities and predict climate change.
Twenty-four solar terms skillfully combine phenology, agriculture, astronomy and folk customs, and are an important part of China traditional culture. Now they have been officially listed in the representative list of human intangible cultural heritage.
24 solar terms spring rain stung at the beginning? Equinox? Qingming? Grain Rain?
Long summer? Little man? Mangzhong? Summer Solstice? A little hot? Major Heat
Beginning of autumn? Summer? White deer? Autumn equinox? Cold dew? Frost's Descent
Beginning of winter? Xiaoxue? Heavy snow? Winter solstice? Slight cold? Major Cold
Summer in summer is the14th solar term among the 24 solar terms, which means "summer in summer". In "Gathering after 72 months", the explanation of summer is as follows:
"Stop, stop, the heat is over."
In other words, the summer heat officially stopped and ended at this time. From this day on, the weather began to turn cold and autumn began to get stronger and stronger.
The ancients divided the summer heat into three stages: "one stage is the eagle offering sacrifices to birds;" Second, wait for the beginning of heaven and earth; Three Hou Wonaideng. "
In other words, during the summer solar term, the eagle often shows its prey first, as if to worship the prey sacrificed for it. As time goes by, autumn is getting stronger and stronger, and the world is gradually desolate, showing a chilling atmosphere, while sorghum, millet and other grains are harvested in summer solar terms.
There are also many folk proverbs about summer heat, for example, "It's like an autumn tiger being hot in summer." It means it's still hot in summer. "It's not hot in summer, but hot at noon." During the hot summer, it is mainly hot at noon, and it turns cold in the morning and evening. These simple and popular folk proverbs are the crystallization of wisdom carefully observed and summarized by ancient China people.
Each of the 24 solar terms is often accompanied by some corresponding farming or folk customs. In the summer solar terms, there are also many folk activities in many places.
After the folk activities in 24 solar terms go out to meet the summer heat in autumn, the weather gradually turns cold, and the crisp autumn is a good time to go out, so there is a saying among the people that "July and August see the clever clouds".
Fishing Festival In some coastal areas, there are also fishing festivals, because after the summer solar term, the fishing harvest is the time.
The summer of river lanterns coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival in July of the lunar calendar, so many places have the custom of putting candles on lotus lanterns and putting them into the river during the Mid-Autumn Festival to pay homage to the dead.
Canned medicinal tea in Guangdong and Guangxi, people will go to pharmacies to prepare prescriptions for canned medicinal tea in summer.
Eating ducks from the perspective of TCM health preservation, it is necessary to moisten the lungs and strengthen the spleen in summer, because duck meat can moisten dryness, so many places have the habit of eating ducks in summer.