Start of Spring
A traditional seasonal beginning, not a guarantee of warm weather.
Culture / Seasons and observances
Read the season.
Respect the difference.
The solar terms describe a yearly cycle. Festival customs belong to families, places and communities—not one fixed script.
What the 24 terms are
The Hong Kong Observatory explains that the terms divide the Sun’s annual path into 24 equal 15-degree segments. Many names preserve historical Central Plains weather or agricultural language. They are calendar markers and cultural vocabulary, not a live forecast for every part of China.
Spring
Rain Water
A name associated with the return of precipitation in the historical Central Plains context.
Awakening of Insects
Traditionally connects early spring change with renewed activity in nature.
Spring Equinox
The Sun reaches the equinox position; day and night are approximately equal.
Pure Brightness (Qingming)
A solar term that also gives its name to a festival of remembrance and spring outings.
Grain Rain
A historical agricultural name connecting spring rain and grain growth.
Summer
Start of Summer
The traditional calendar’s seasonal marker; local climates do not change on one date.
Grain Buds
A historical farming name for developing grain.
Grain in Ear
A name associated with grain and a busy agricultural period.
Summer Solstice
The longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, not necessarily the hottest day.
Minor Heat
Marks a hotter phase in the traditional sequence.
Major Heat
The sequence’s stronger heat marker; it is not a city-level forecast.
Autumn
Start of Autumn
The traditional start of autumn; hot conditions may continue in many places.
End of Heat
A seasonal transition name rather than a promise that heat has ended locally.
White Dew
Traditionally evokes cooler nights and visible dew.
Autumn Equinox
The autumn equinox position, with day and night approximately equal.
Cold Dew
A traditional marker of deepening cool conditions.
Frost Descent
A historical climate name; frost timing varies greatly by region.
Winter
Start of Winter
The traditional winter boundary and a reminder of regional climate differences.
Minor Snow
A historical seasonal name, not a prediction of snowfall at your destination.
Major Snow
Later in the sequence; it does not mean heavy snow everywhere.
Winter Solstice
The shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and a culturally important seasonal point.
Minor Cold
One of the cold-season markers near the start of the Gregorian year.
Major Cold
The final term before the cycle returns toward spring.
Primary reference: Hong Kong Observatory — The 24 Solar Terms ↗
Four cultural starting points
Dates do not make every celebration identical.
春节
Spring Festival
Day 1 of lunar month 1
Marks the beginning of a new lunar year. Family and community practices vary widely across China and abroad.
For a visitor
Transport, opening hours and crowd patterns can change around the festival. Check official notices for the year and destination.
UNESCO — Spring Festival social practices ↗清明
Qingming
A solar term, usually in early April
A period associated with ancestor remembrance, tomb visits and spring outings. It is not based on a lunar month-and-day pair.
For a visitor
Be discreet near memorial activity and check cemetery, park, transport and local access information rather than assuming one national practice.
China government — Qingming remembrance and outings ↗端午节
Dragon Boat Festival
Day 5 of lunar month 5
UNESCO describes regionally varied practices that commonly include boat races and rice dumplings. The hero commemorated can differ by region.
For a visitor
A festival date does not guarantee a public race at every destination. Check the local programme, river access and reservation rules.
UNESCO — Dragon Boat Festival ↗中秋节
Mid-Autumn Festival
Day 15 of lunar month 8
Associated with family gathering, moon viewing and sharing mooncakes; lantern practices and public events depend on place and community.
For a visitor
Check current event sites, opening hours and transport. The calendar can give the date, but it cannot promise visible moon or a local celebration.
Hong Kong Tourism Board — Mid-Autumn Festival ↗Use culture as context, not a certainty.
A festival date can help you ask better questions about a destination. It cannot guarantee an event, opening hours, quiet transport, clear weather or a custom in every household.