二十四节气
二十四节气是中国历法中表示自然节律变化的特定节令。中国古人将一岁分为四时，即春、夏、秋、冬各3个月，每月2个节气，一年共有24个节气：立春、雨水、惊蛰、春分、清明、谷雨、立夏、小满、芒种、夏至、小暑、大暑、立秋、处暑、白露、秋分、寒露、霜降、立冬、小雪、大雪、冬至、小寒、大寒，每个节气均有其独特的含义。
二十四节气形成于中国黄河流域，自西周开始，至今已沿用2000多年。河南省登封市观星台是二十四节气产生的最直接文物史证，现存有700年历史的“量天尺”，用来测量正午日影，可定节气和一年时长。观星台由元朝著名天文学家郭守敬主持建造，他在此准确地测定出一年中有二十四个节气，用以指导生产生活。
二十四节气不仅是指导农耕生产的时节体系，更是包含丰富民俗事象的文化系统。作为中华优秀传统文化的重要组成部分，二十四节气曾传播到朝鲜、日本、越南等国家，对当地农耕生产和社会文化发展产生了积极影响。2016年11月，二十四节气被列入联合国教科文组织“人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录”。
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms
The 24 solar terms are the 24 days in the Chinese calendar that indicate the seasonal division points and movement of the natural cycle. The ancient Chinese divided a year into four seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter, each lasting three months and each month having two solar terms, which make up 24 terms for the whole year. The 24 solar terms are: Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insects, Spring Equinox, Pure Brightness, Grain Rain, Beginning of Summer, Grain Budding, Grain in Ear, Summer Solstice, Slight Heat, Great Heat, Beginning of Autumn, End of Heat, White Dew, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost's Descent, Beginning of Winter, Light Snow, Heavy Snow, Winter Solstice, Slight Cold, and Great Cold. Each term denotes a natural phenomenon with phenological meanings.
The 24 solar terms were created in the Yellow River basin and have been in use for more than 2,000 years since the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC). The Astronomical Observatory in Dengfeng, Henan Province is a direct proof of China's invention of the 24 solar terms, as its Sky Measuring Scale, which has a history of 700 years, is a device used to measure the shadow cast by the sun at noon and consequently determine when a solar term falls and how many days a year has. The observatory was built under the direction of Guo Shoujing, a renowned astronomer in the Yuan Dynasty. Guo used it to accurately identify the 24 solar terms and direct the farming and daily routines.
The 24 solar terms constitute not only a system of seasonal changes that guides farming, but also a cultural system involving a diversity of folklore and customs. As a major part of the fine traditional Chinese culture, they have been introduced to the Korean Peninsular, Japan, Vietnam, and other places and exerted positive effects on their agrarian production and social and cultural development. In November 2016, the 24 solar terms were inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
