Major Cold 2026: 20 Jan

The season behind the name

Major Cold completes the twenty-four-term cycle before the traditional spring begins again at Lichun.

These names grew from seasonal observation and farming practice. They describe a traditional seasonal sequence, not a weather forecast for every region.

Major Cold begins at the instant the Sun reaches 300 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 qi term, Major Cold marks the alternating mid-month point in the solar-term sequence. It does not open a solar branch month, and it does not open 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.