中國傳統文化 第4期:二十四節氣

The 24 Solar Terms

24節氣

The 24 solar terms is a gross name of the system that comprises of 12 major solar terms and 12 minor solar terms interlaced with each other.

二十四節氣是一個統稱，其中包括十二個中氣和十二個節氣，中氣和節氣相間地排列。

Starting from “vernal equinox”，the 12 major solar terms are “vernal equi-nox”，“corn rain”，“corn forms”，“summer solstice”，“great heat”，“end of heat”，“autumnal equinox”，“frost”，“light snow”，“winter solstice”，“severe cold” and “spring showers”. Each major solar term falls on one of the 12 lunarmonths designated by the 12 Earthly branches.

從春分起十二個中氣分別是春分、穀雨、小滿、夏至、 大暑、處暑、秋分、霜降、小雪、冬至、大寒和雨水，分屬於12個以地支排列的月份。

The minor solar term after “vernal equinox” is “bright and dear”，and then in turn “summer commences”，“corn on ear”，“ moderate heat”，“autumn commences”，“white dew”，“cold dew”， “winter commences”，“heavy snow”，“ moderate cold ”，“spring commences” and “ insects waken”.

春分後的節氣是清明，其後的節氣依次是立夏、芒種、小暑、立秋、白露、寒露、立冬、 大雪、小寒、立春和驚蟄。From the Earth’s perspective，the Sun moves through a year across the stars or celestial sphere along a path known as the ecliptic, which is measured in 360 degrees longitude.

從地球上觀測，太陽一年裏在恆星間或天球劃過的軌道稱爲黃道，以360度黃經來量度。

The 24 solar terms divide the ecliptic into 24 equal segments, with 15 degrees of the Sun’s longitude between the terms.

二十四節氣正好把黃道分成24等份，即每個節氣相差黃經15度。

At“vernal equinox”，the Sun’s;s longitude is 0 degree； at “bright and clear”, the Sun’s;s longitude is 15 degrees； and so forth.

春分時黃經爲0度,清明時黃經爲15度，依此類推。

At “vernal equinox” and “autumnal equinox”，the periods of daylight and the night are equal in length.

春分和秋分晝夜平分。

The period of daylight is the longest at “summer solstice” and the shortest at “winter solstice”(northern hemisphere).

夏至晝最長（北半球，下同），冬至晝最短。

These were the earliest solar terms determined in ancient time.

春分、秋分、夏至和冬至是古人最初確立的節氣。

Then it came the four solar terms “spring commences”，“summer commences”，“autumn commences” and “winter commences”.

其後加入的是立春、立夏、立秋和立冬。

Other solar terms were named later according to the weather and agricultural activities prevalent at the respective times of the seasons. The “24 solar terms” reflects to some extent the climate over central China in ancient time.

至於其他的節氣，便以該段季節常見的天氣現象或農業活動而命名，這些節氣從某種程度上反映了古代中原地區的氣候。

Each lunar month in the Agricultural Calendar contains a major solar term. A lunar month that does not include a major solar term is taken as the leap month of the preceding month.

農曆規定每一個月必定要有一箇中氣，沒有中氣的月份，便成爲前一個月的閏月。

In 19 tropical years there will be 228 major solar terms and 235 synodic months. So 7 lunar months will not contain major solar terms and they are classified as leap months.

原來19個“迴歸年”共有228箇中氣和235個“朔望月”，即有7個月沒有中氣，這些沒有中氣的月便正好成爲閏月。