Qingming (solar term)
Qīngmíng, Seimei, Cheongmyeong, or Thanh minh is the name of the 5th solar term of the traditional East Asian lunisolar calendar, which divides a year into 24 solar terms (t. 節氣/s. 节气).[1] In space partitioning, Qingming begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 15° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 30°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 15°, usually on April 5.[2]
| Qingming | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 清明 | ||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | clear and bright | ||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese alphabet | thanh minh | ||||||||||||||
| Chữ Hán | 清明 | ||||||||||||||
| Korean name | |||||||||||||||
| Hangul | 청명 | ||||||||||||||
| Hanja | 清明 | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 清明 | ||||||||||||||
| Hiragana | せいめい | ||||||||||||||
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| Longitude | Term | Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||
| 315° | Lichun | 4 – 5 February |
| 330° | Yushui | 18–19 February |
| 345° | Jingzhe | 5 – 6 March |
| 0° | Chunfen | 20–21 March |
| 15° | Qingming | 4 – 5 April |
| 30° | Guyu | 20–21 April |
| Summer | ||
| 45° | Lixia | 5 – 6 May |
| 60° | Xiaoman | 21–22 May |
| 75° | Mangzhong | 5 – 6 June |
| 90° | Xiazhi | 21–22 June |
| 105° | Xiaoshu | 7 – 8 July |
| 120° | Dashu | 22–23 July |
| Autumn | ||
| 135° | Liqiu | 7 – 8 August |
| 150° | Chushu | 23–24 August |
| 165° | Bailu | 7 – 8 September |
| 180° | Qiufen | 23–24 September |
| 195° | Hanlu | 8 – 9 October |
| 210° | Shuangjiang | 23–24 October |
| Winter | ||
| 225° | Lidong | 7 – 8 November |
| 240° | Xiaoxue | 22–23 November |
| 255° | Daxue | 7 – 8 December |
| 270° | Dongzhi | 21–22 December |
| 285° | Xiaohan | 5 – 6 January |
| 300° | Dahan | 20–21 January |
Compared to the space partitioning theory, in the time division theory Qingming falls around April 7 or approximately 106.5 days after winter equinox. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 4 or 5 April and ends around 20 April.
Pentads
Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads (候). They are: first pentad (初候), second pentad (次候) and last pentad (末候). Pentads in Qingming include:
- China
- First pentad: 桐始華/桐始华, 'The paulownia begins to bloom'.
- Second pentad: 田鼠化為鴽/田鼠化为鴽, 'Voles(you) transform into quails'.
- Last pentad: 虹始見/虹始见, 'Rainbows begin to appear'.
- Japan
- First pentad: 玄鳥至 (tsubame itaru), 'The swallow flies back from the south'.
- Second pentad: 鴻雁北 (kōgan kitae kaeru), 'The goose migrates to the north'.
- Last pentad: 虹始見 (niji hajimete arawaru), 'Rainbows begin to appear in the sky after shower'.
Date and time
| year | begin | end |
|---|---|---|
| 辛巳 | 2001-04-04 17:24 | 2001-04-20 00:35 |
| 壬午 | 2002-04-04 23:18 | 2002-04-20 06:20 |
| 癸未 | 2003-04-05 04:52 | 2003-04-20 12:02 |
| 甲申 | 2004-04-04 10:43 | 2004-04-19 17:50 |
| 乙酉 | 2005-04-04 16:34 | 2005-04-19 23:37 |
| 丙戌 | 2006-04-04 22:15 | 2006-04-20 05:26 |
| 丁亥 | 2007-04-05 04:04 | 2007-04-20 11:07 |
| 戊子 | 2008-04-04 09:45 | 2008-04-19 16:51 |
| 己丑 | 2009-04-04 15:33 | 2009-04-19 22:44 |
| 庚寅 | 2010-04-04 21:30 | 2010-04-20 04:29 |
| 辛卯 | 2011-04-05 03:11 | 2011-04-20 10:17 |
| 壬辰 | 2012-04-04 09:05 | 2012-04-19 16:12 |
| 癸巳 | 2013-04-04 15:02 | 2013-04-19 22:03 |
| 甲午 | 2014-04-04 20:46 | 2014-04-20 03:55 |
| Source: JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System | ||
References
- "24 Sekki". Glossary. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- Matsukawa, Mitsuharu. "24 Sekkis, or Twenty-Four Japanese Small Seasons". Nagoya University. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
See also
- East Asian cultural sphere
- Qingming Festival (清明節/清明节), festival celebrated on the day of Qīngmíng
- Cold Food Festival (寒食節/寒食节), three-day festival starting one day before and ending one day after Qīngmíng
- Along the River During the Qingming Festival
| Preceded by Chunfen (春分) |
Solar term (節氣/节气) | Succeeded by Guyu (穀雨/谷雨) |