Qingming (solar term)
Fifth solar term of Chinese calendars
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Qīngmíng, Seimei, Cheongmyeong or Thanh minh, is the name of the 5th solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar,[1] which divides a year into 24 solar terms (t. 節氣/s. 节气).[2] In space partitioning, Qingming begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 15° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 30°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 15°, usually on April 5.[3]
| Qingming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 清明 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Clear and bright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese alphabet | thanh minh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chữ Hán | 清明 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Korean name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hangul | 청명 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanja | 清明 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mongolian name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mongolian Cyrillic | ханш нээх | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mongolian script | ᠬᠠᠩᠰᠢ ᠨᠡᠭᠡᠭᠡᠬᠦ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 清明 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hiragana | せいめい | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Manchu name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manchu script | ᡥᠠᠩᠰᡳ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Möllendorff | hangsi inenggi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Term | Longitude | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Lichun | 315° | 4–5 February |
| Yushui | 330° | 18–19 February |
| Jingzhe | 345° | 5–6 March |
| Chunfen | 0° | 20–21 March |
| Qingming | 15° | 4–5 April |
| Guyu | 30° | 20–21 April |
| Lixia | 45° | 5–6 May |
| Xiaoman | 60° | 21–22 May |
| Mangzhong | 75° | 5–6 June |
| Xiazhi | 90° | 21–22 June |
| Xiaoshu | 105° | 7–8 July |
| Dashu | 120° | 22–23 July |
| Liqiu | 135° | 7–8 August |
| Chushu | 150° | 23–24 August |
| Bailu | 165° | 7–8 September |
| Qiufen | 180° | 23–24 September |
| Hanlu | 195° | 8–9 October |
| Shuangjiang | 210° | 23–24 October |
| Lidong | 225° | 7–8 November |
| Xiaoxue | 240° | 22–23 November |
| Daxue | 255° | 7–8 December |
| Dongzhi | 270° | 21–22 December |
| Xiaohan | 285° | 5–6 January |
| Dahan | 300° | 20–21 January |
Compared to the space partitioning theory, in the time division theory Qingming falls around April 7 or approximately 106.5 days after winter equinox. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 4 or 5 April and ends around 20 April.
Pentads
Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads (候). They are: first pentad (初候), second pentad (次候) and last pentad (末候). Pentads in Qingming include:
- China
- First pentad: 桐始華/桐始华, 'The paulownia begins to bloom'.
- Second pentad: 田鼠化為鴽/田鼠化为鴽, 'Voles(you) transform into quails'.
- Last pentad: 虹始見/虹始见, 'Rainbows begin to appear'.
- Japan
- First pentad: 玄鳥至 (tsubame itaru), 'The swallow (Xuanniao) flies back from the south'.
- Second pentad: 鴻雁北 (kōgan kitae kaeru), 'The goose migrates to the north'.
- Last pentad: 虹始見 (niji hajimete arawaru), 'Rainbows begin to appear in the sky after shower'.
Date and time
| Year | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|
| 辛巳 | 2001-04-04 17:24 | 2001-04-20 00:35 |
| 壬午 | 2002-04-04 23:18 | 2002-04-20 06:20 |
| 癸未 | 2003-04-05 04:52 | 2003-04-20 12:02 |
| 甲申 | 2004-04-04 10:43 | 2004-04-19 17:50 |
| 乙酉 | 2005-04-04 16:34 | 2005-04-19 23:37 |
| 丙戌 | 2006-04-04 22:15 | 2006-04-20 05:26 |
| 丁亥 | 2007-04-05 04:04 | 2007-04-20 11:07 |
| 戊子 | 2008-04-04 09:45 | 2008-04-19 16:51 |
| 己丑 | 2009-04-04 15:33 | 2009-04-19 22:44 |
| 庚寅 | 2010-04-04 21:30 | 2010-04-20 04:29 |
| 辛卯 | 2011-04-05 03:11 | 2011-04-20 10:17 |
| 壬辰 | 2012-04-04 09:05 | 2012-04-19 16:12 |
| 癸巳 | 2013-04-04 15:02 | 2013-04-19 22:03 |
| 甲午 | 2014-04-04 20:46 | 2014-04-20 03:55 |
| 乙未 | 2015-04-05 02:39 | 2015-04-20 09:41 |
| 丙申 | 2016-04-04 08:27 | 2016-04-19 15:29 |
| 丁酉 | 2017-04-04 14:17 | 2017-04-19 21:27 |
| 戊戌 | 2018-04-04 20:12 | 2018-04-20 03:12 |
| 己亥 | 2019-04-05 01:51 | 2019-04-20 08:55 |
| 庚子 | 2020-04-04 07:38 | 2020-04-19 14:45 |
| 辛丑 | 2021-04-04 13:35 | 2021-04-19 20:33 |
| 壬寅 | 2022-04-04 19:20 | 2022-04-20 02:24 |
| 癸卯 | 2023-04-05 01:13 | 2023-04-20 08:13 |
| 甲辰 | 2024-04-04 07:02 | 2024-04-19 13:59 |
| 乙巳 | 2025-04-04 12:48 | 2025-04-19 19:56 |
| 丙午 | 2026-04-04 18:40 | 2026-04-20 01:39 |
| 丁未 | 2027-04-05 00:17 | 2027-04-20 07:17 |
| 戊申 | 2028-04-04 06:03 | 2028-04-19 13:09 |
| 己酉 | 2029-04-04 11:58 | 2029-04-19 18:55 |
| 庚戌 | 2030-04-04 17:41 | 2030-04-20 00:43 |
| Source: JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System | ||