Solar longitude
165°
Classification
Month-opening term · 节 jie
Month boundary
Rooster 酉 · solar month 8
Definition
What White Dew marks
The season behind the name
White Dew evokes pale droplets on plants as cooling nights become a sign of autumn.
These names grew from seasonal observation and farming practice. They describe a traditional seasonal sequence, not a weather forecast for every region.
White Dew begins at the instant the Sun reaches 165 degrees of apparent ecliptic longitude. It is one of 24 equal 15-degree divisions of the solar year, so its Gregorian position changes only slightly from year to year.
As a jie term, White Dew opens solar branch month 8, associated with the Rooster (酉) branch. This is an almanac solar-month boundary, not the first day of a lunar month.
The time is shown in China Standard Time (UTC+8). A reader west or east of that zone may see the same instant fall on a different local civil date.
Three pentads · 三候
Seasonal observations
Each traditional pentad spans about five days and names a seasonal sign associated with that part of the term.
- First pentad
Wild geese arrive
鸿雁来
- Second pentad
Swallows return south
玄鸟归
- Third pentad
Birds store provisions
群鸟养羞