The 24 solar terms
The traditional calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (節氣): the Sun's path is cut into 24 arcs of 15 degrees, and each arc has a name, a season and its own customs. Twelve of the terms are sectional (節): they open the months of the BaZi calendar and change the month pillar of a chart. The other twelve are mid-terms (中氣). A term is an astronomical moment, the same for the whole planet, so its date shifts by a few hours from year to year.
The customs below are cultural reference, not advice: what people in different regions have traditionally done around these dates. The app shows the current term, its customs and the day's almanac on the Day calendar screen, offline.
| Term | Type | 2026 | 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of Spring | 立春 (Lìchūn) | sectional (opens a month) | 3 February 2026 | 4 February 2027 |
| Rain Water | 雨水 (Yǔshuǐ) | mid-term | 18 February 2026 | 18 February 2027 |
| Awakening of Insects | 惊蛰 (Jīngzhé) | sectional (opens a month) | 5 March 2026 | 5 March 2027 |
| Spring Equinox | 春分 (Chūnfēn) | mid-term | 20 March 2026 | 20 March 2027 |
| Pure Brightness | 清明 (Qīngmíng) | sectional (opens a month) | 4 April 2026 | 5 April 2027 |
| Grain Rain | 谷雨 (Gǔyǔ) | mid-term | 20 April 2026 | 20 April 2027 |
| Start of Summer | 立夏 (Lìxià) | sectional (opens a month) | 5 May 2026 | 5 May 2027 |
| Grain Buds | 小满 (Xiǎomǎn) | mid-term | 21 May 2026 | 21 May 2027 |
| Grain in Ear | 芒种 (Mángzhòng) | sectional (opens a month) | 5 June 2026 | 5 June 2027 |
| Summer Solstice | 夏至 (Xiàzhì) | mid-term | 21 June 2026 | 21 June 2027 |
| Minor Heat | 小暑 (Xiǎoshǔ) | sectional (opens a month) | 7 July 2026 | 7 July 2027 |
| Major Heat | 大暑 (Dàshǔ) | mid-term | 22 July 2026 | 23 July 2027 |
| Start of Autumn | 立秋 (Lìqiū) | sectional (opens a month) | 7 August 2026 | 7 August 2027 |
| End of Heat | 处暑 (Chǔshǔ) | mid-term | 23 August 2026 | 23 August 2027 |
| White Dew | 白露 (Báilù) | sectional (opens a month) | 7 September 2026 | 7 September 2027 |
| Autumn Equinox | 秋分 (Qiūfēn) | mid-term | 23 September 2026 | 23 September 2027 |
| Cold Dew | 寒露 (Hánlù) | sectional (opens a month) | 8 October 2026 | 8 October 2027 |
| Frost's Descent | 霜降 (Shuāngjiàng) | mid-term | 23 October 2026 | 23 October 2027 |
| Start of Winter | 立冬 (Lìdōng) | sectional (opens a month) | 7 November 2026 | 7 November 2027 |
| Minor Snow | 小雪 (Xiǎoxuě) | mid-term | 22 November 2026 | 22 November 2027 |
| Major Snow | 大雪 (Dàxuě) | sectional (opens a month) | 7 December 2026 | 7 December 2027 |
| Winter Solstice | 冬至 (Dōngzhì) | mid-term | 21 December 2026 | 22 December 2027 |
| Minor Cold | 小寒 (Xiǎohán) | sectional (opens a month) | 5 January 2026 | 5 January 2027 |
| Major Cold | 大寒 (Dàhán) | mid-term | 20 January 2026 | 20 January 2027 |