Chinese Almanac

The Twenty-Four Fortnights and Seventy-Two Chinese Seasonals

Spring Begins
The east wind melts the ice Feb 5-9 ~ Larvae twitch in their cocoons Feb 10-14 ~ Fish swim upstream, breaking the ice with their backs Feb 15-19

Watery Rains
River otters sacrifice fish Feb 20-24 ~ Wild geese go north Feb 25-29 ~ Seedlings sprout March 1-5

Hibernators Awake
Peach blossoms open March 6-10 ~ The skylark sings March 11-15 ~ Eaglehawks metamorphose into doves March 16-20

Spring Equinox
The swallows return March 21-25 ~ Thunder lets loose its voice March 26-30 ~ The first lightning flashes March 31 - April 4

Clear Brightness
Paulownia blossoms open April 5-9 ~ Moles metamorphose into quails April 10-14 ~ The first rainbow appears April 15-19

Grain Rain
Floating weeds appear April 20-24 ~ Doves spread their wings April 25-29 ~The hoopoe descends to the mulberry April 30-May 4

Summer Begins
Peepers sing May 5-9 ~ Earthworms come out May 10-14 ~ Cucumber flourishes May 15-19

Lesser Fullness of Grain
The bitter herb grows tall May 20-24 ~ Grasses wither May 25-29 ~ Barley ripens May 30-June 3

Grain in Ear
Mantids hatch out June 4-8 ~ The shrike calls June 9-13 ~ The butcherbird is silent June 14-18

Summer Solstice
Deer break antlers June 19-23 ~ Cicadas begin to sing June 24-28 ~ Bindweed flourishes June 29 - July 3

Lesser Heat
The hot winds arrive July 4-8 Crickets come into the walls July 9-13 The eaglehawk studies and learns July 14-18

Greater Heat
Rotted weeds metamorphose into fireflies July 19-23 ~ The earth is muddy the air is humid July 24-28 ~ The great rains sweep through July 29-Aug 2

Autumn Begins
The cool wind arrives Aug 3 -7 ~ White dew descends Aug 8-12 ~ The evening cricket chirps Aug 13-17

End of Heat
The eaglehawk sacrifices birds Aug 18-22 ~ Heaven and earth turn strict Aug 23-27 ~ Rice ripens Aug 28 - Sept 1

White Dews
The wild geese come Sept 2-6 ~ Swallows return Sept 7-11 ~ Flocks of birds gather grain Sept 12-16

Autumn Equinox
Thunder suppresses its voice Sept 17-21 ~ Burrowing beetles wall up their doors with earth Sept 22-26 ~ Waters dry up Sept 2 7-Oct 1

Cold Dews
Wild geese come as guests Oct 2-6 ~ Sparrows dive into the water becoming clams Oct 7-11 ~ Chrysanthemums are tinged yellow Oct 12-16

Descent of Hoarfrost
The wolf sacrifices the beasts Oct 17-21 ~ Foliage turns yellow and falls Oct 22-25 ~ Insects tuck themselves away Oct 27-31

Winter Begins
Water begins to freeze Nov 1-5 ~ Earth begins to freeze Nov 6-10 ~ Pheasants dive into the water becoming monster clams Nov 11-15

Lesser Snow
The rainbow hides Nov 16-20 ~ Heaven's essence rises up earth's essence sinks down Nov 21-25 ~ Walling ourselves up, it becomes winter Nov 26-30

Greater Snow
The copper pheasant ceases its call Nov 31-Dec 4 ~ The tiger begins to roam Dec 5-9 ~ Lichee grass withers Dec 10-14

Winter Solstice
Earthworms twist into knots Dec 15-19 ~ The elk's horn breaks Dec 20-25 ~ Underground springs move Dec 26-30

Lesser Cold
Wild geese return to their northern home Dec 31-Jan 4 ~ Magpies nest Jan 5-9 ~ The pheasant calls to its mate Jan 10-14

Greater Cold
Chickens brood Jan 15-19 ~ The eaglehawk flies furiously high Jan 20-24 ~ The waters and swamps are thick and hard Jan 25-30