Solar longitude
45°
Classification
Month-opening term · 节 jie
Month boundary
Snake 巳 · solar month 4
Definition
What Beginning of Summer marks
The season behind the name
Start of Summer shifts the seasonal calendar from spring emergence toward active growth.
These names grew from seasonal observation and farming practice. They describe a traditional seasonal sequence, not a weather forecast for every region.
Beginning of Summer begins at the instant the Sun reaches 45 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, Beginning of Summer opens solar branch month 4, associated with the Snake (巳) 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.
Beginning of Summer dates, 2023–2032
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
Mole crickets begin to chirp
蝼蝈鸣
- Second pentad
Earthworms emerge
蚯蚓出
- Third pentad
Snake gourds begin to grow
王瓜生