Exact instants · UTC+8
The six terms of spring
The season opens at 04:02:08 on 4 February 2026 and continues until 19:48:44 on 5 May 2026. The boundary instant belongs to the new season.
1 of six · 315° solar longitude
Beginning of Spring
Lìchūn · 立春
4 February 2026 · 04:02:08
Opens the Tiger branch month.
The east wind melts the ice · Hibernating creatures begin to stir · Fish rise beneath the ice
2 of six · 330° solar longitude
Rain Water
Yǔshuǐ · 雨水
18 February 2026 · 23:51:56
A principal term inside the branch month.
Otters display fish as offerings · Wild geese head north · Plants begin to sprout
3 of six · 345° solar longitude
Awakening of Insects
Jīngzhé · 惊蛰
5 March 2026 · 21:59:00
Opens the Rabbit branch month.
Peach trees begin to bloom · Orioles begin to sing · Hawks are said to become cuckoos
4 of six · 0° solar longitude
Spring Equinox
Chūnfēn · 春分
20 March 2026 · 22:45:59
A principal term inside the branch month.
Swallows arrive · Thunder begins to sound · Lightning begins to flash
5 of six · 15° solar longitude
Pure Brightness
Qīngmíng · 清明
5 April 2026 · 02:40:00
Opens the Dragon branch month.
Paulownias begin to bloom · Voles are said to become quail · Rainbows begin to appear
6 of six · 30° solar longitude
Grain Rain
Gǔyǔ · 谷雨
20 April 2026 · 09:39:08
A principal term inside the branch month.
Duckweed begins to grow · Cuckoos preen their wings · Hoopoes alight in mulberry trees
Three animal months inside the season
Tiger · 寅
Fixed branch element: Wood
4 February 2026, 04:02:08
until 5 March 2026, 21:59:00 UTC+8.
Rabbit · 卯
Fixed branch element: Wood
5 March 2026, 21:59:00
until 5 April 2026, 02:40:00 UTC+8.
Dragon · 辰
Fixed branch element: Earth
5 April 2026, 02:40:00
until 5 May 2026, 19:48:44 UTC+8.
The seasonal group is associated with Wood, while its final animal branch has Earth as its fixed element. These describe different levels of the same calendar.
Read the Three Meetings seasonal groups →Festival dates during this seasonal span
These observances fall on civil dates from 4 February 2026 up to, but not including, 5 May 2026. Lunar-date festivals can shift within the season from year to year.
Lunar New Year's Eve
In China, many families share a reunion dinner and stay up late to greet the new year, while the meal and surrounding rituals vary by region.
Chinese New Year
In China, recorded Spring Festival practices include preparing the home and food, reuniting with family, exchanging greetings and joining community festivities; each household keeps its own mix.
Lantern Festival
In Shanghai and many other Chinese communities, people may view lantern displays, solve lantern riddles and eat yuanxiao or tangyuan, with recipes and events varying by place.
Qingming Festival
In China, Qingming is commonly marked by tending graves and honouring ancestors, while spring outings form another long-standing strand of the day.