Text / Yangcheng Evening News reporter Li Cungen

The wonderful, extraordinary and outstanding Beijing Winter Olympics has just concluded. The countdown video with the theme of “24 solar terms” at the opening ceremony is still vivid. It not only amazed the world, but also let the world appreciate the unique cultural charm of this ancient Chinese calendar. In spring, summer, autumn and winter, from the spring equinox and Qingming to grain in ear and summer solstice, to the autumn equinox and cold dew, and even the winter solstice and cold, we should pursue the changes of the twenty-four solar terms, appreciate the beautiful scenery of the motherland and experience the traditional culture and customs, so as to live up to the good time. Naturally, it is also the most important arrangement for travel lovers!

In this issue, the reporter not only recommended the travel map of the solar terms, so that you can “see the right scenery at the right time”, but also interviewed the humanistic photographer to introduce the cultural charm hidden in the scenery of the 24 solar terms in his eyes.

unscramble

The 24 solar terms are world-class intangible cultural heritage

The 24 solar terms are as follows: the beginning of spring, rain, waking insects, spring equinox, Qingming, Guyu, the beginning of summer, Xiaoman, ear seed, summer solstice, light summer heat, great summer heat, the beginning of autumn, summer, white dew, autumn equinox, cold dew, frost fall, the beginning of winter, light snow, heavy snow, winter solstice, light cold and great cold, which are distributed in the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter in turn. It is an important part of the long history and culture of the Chinese nation. It is a complete knowledge system and application system formed by the Chinese ancients according to the laws and changes of weather, climate and phenology. Some solar terms reflect the changes of the four seasons, such as the beginning of spring and the autumn equinox; Some reflect temperature changes, such as slight and severe heatstroke; Some reflect weather phenomena, such as rain and dew; Some reflect phenological phenomena, such as waking insects and Qingming.

“The spring rain startles the spring and clears the valley. The summer is full of awns and the summer is connected with the summer heat; the autumn dew, the autumn cold and frost fall, the winter snow and winter are small and cold. There is no change in the two festivals of the month, with a difference of one or two days at most. It comes on June 21 in the first half of the year and August 23 in the second half of the year.” The first four sentences of this solar term song, which is widely spread in China, are composed of one word from each solar term in order, and the last four sentences are the time law of 24 solar terms. That is, the solar terms in the first half of the year are before and after the 6th and 21st of each month, and the solar terms in the second half of the year are before and after the 8th and 23rd of each month.

According to textual research, the 24 solar terms were formed in the Yellow River Basin of China and have been used for thousands of years since the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the international meteorological community, it is known as “China’s fifth great invention”. The star viewing platform scenic spot in Gaocheng village, Gaocheng Town, Dengfeng City, Henan Province, is the center of ancient Chinese astronomical activities because of its distinct four seasons, developed agriculture and central geographical location. It includes two astronomical relics, the Duke of Zhou observation platform and the star viewing platform of the Yuan Dynasty. It is the earliest physical witness of the 24 solar terms.

With the development of the times, the twenty-four solar terms have also been endowed with more contemporary significance and cultural functions. In addition to still combining the agricultural season and having reference significance for agricultural activities, the 24 solar terms have been more closely and widely integrated into the fields of diet, health care, medical treatment, characteristic tourism and so on, and have more cultural connotation. Many solar terms are also traditional festivals in China and even East Asia.

In November 2016, the 24 solar terms were officially included in the UNESCO representative list of human intangible cultural heritage. As a world-class intangible cultural heritage, many Chinese traditional cultural stories, scenery, farming, proverbs, customs, food, ancient poetry, festivals and games related to the 24 solar terms have also been valued and inherited by everyone.

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Act according to the time, follow the solar terms and live up to the journey of time

The twenty-four solar terms are not only a guide to seasons, but also a life aesthetics. With the change of the 24 solar terms, traveling has also become a footnote for Chinese travel lovers to live up to the good time.

spring

[solar terms: beginning of spring, rain, waking insects, spring equinox, Qingming, Guyu]

The plan of the year is spring. Spring has always been a season suitable for travel. Watching the flowers bloom at the beginning of spring, watching the flowers bloom at the spring equinox, spring outing in the Qingming Festival, drinking a cup of new tea and so on are all necessary activities.

Guangdong is the most suitable place to enjoy flowers at the beginning of spring and the spring equinox. Due to geographical and climatic factors, the chickpea planting bases in Wengyuan, Lechang and Lianzhou, which are located in the mountainous area of northern Guangdong, did not enter the peach blossom period until late February, and the best peach blossom period was until early and mid March. The peach garden, peach blossom king, pulp source, under the main road, shibitan and tea materials in Jiufeng, Lechang City, the peach blossom Valley in Lidong village, Longxian Town, Wengyuan County and the peach blossom sea in Jiuxian village, Jiangwei town are all scenic spots for enjoying peach flowers in Guangdong Province.

In the season of waking insects, Wuyuan, known as “the most beautiful village in China”, was dotted with pink peach flowers and white pear flowers among the golden rape flowers all over the mountains, plus the white walls and grey tiles of Hui style buildings. This is the most beautiful time in Wuyuan. You can’t miss it.

When the Qingming Festival is approaching, the tea in Jiangnan is remembered again. Spring tea before the Ming Dynasty is precious. The famous and high-quality green tea producing area in the south of the Yangtze River is often a scenic spot with outstanding mountains and rivers. Visiting famous tea producing areas, picking tea on the tea mountain, frying tea in the tea garden and tasting tea in the tea house are even more intoxicating and leisurely pastoral life. The 18 tea trees in front of the Hu Gong temple at the foot of Shifeng mountain in the West Lake of Hangzhou were named “imperial tea” by Emperor Qianlong. During the spring tea season, the fragrance floats in the West Lake, attracting countless admirers.

When it comes to Kaifeng during the Qingming Festival, the ancient capital whose prosperity has faded is the most suitable for imagining the prosperous scenery of Bianliang city in the Qingming River Park. When the grain rain solar term is over, the rain moistens the growth of all things. You can also go to Luoyang to enjoy the beauty of peony blooming.

summer

[solar terms: beginning of summer, Xiaoman, grain in ear, summer solstice, heatstroke, heatstroke]

Since the beginning of the summer solar term, the most spectacular scenery in the busiest time of the year is the “most beautiful curve of the earth” - terraced fields; On the Dragon Boat Festival before the arrival of ear seed, you can eat zongzi and race dragon boats. It is one of the most lively traditional festivals of the year; At the summer solstice, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of cancer, and the pole is shadowless; It’s summer vacation when there’s little or big heat.

As the busy farming season comes, the famous terraced fields around the country begin to release water for farming: the running water slowly flows into the terraced fields from the top of the mountain. The ridges like spider silk, the silvery water surface, and the farmers wearing coir hats and shouting buffalo raking constitute an incomparable field landscape painting. Terraces are mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of southern China. Undoubtedly, the most dazzling terraces are Hani terraces in Honghe, Yunnan, which were listed in the world heritage list in 2013. In addition, it is located in Jiabang terrace in Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, Longji terrace in Longsheng County, Guilin, Guangxi, and Meiyuan terrace in Yunhe County, Lishui, Zhejiang