Chinese / Calendar
24 Solar Terms Calendar (二十四节气)
The dates and times of the 24 solar terms (二十四节气) for any year from 1901 to 2099, with the traditional Chinese festivals of the year: Spring Festival, Lantern, Qingming, Dragon Boat, Qixi, Mid-Autumn, Double Ninth, and more.
24 Solar Terms Calendar (二十四节气): A solar term begins at the moment the Sun's ecliptic longitude reaches a multiple of 15°: Start of Spring (立春) at 315°, the spring equinox (春分) at 0°, the summer solstice (夏至) at 90°. The tool finds each moment with an astronomical model in your browser and shows it in UTC+8, the time China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong share. Every date from 1901 to 2099 agrees with the sxtwl calendar library, and the times agree with the Hong Kong Observatory's tables to within a minute. Festivals are lunar dates, apart from Qingming and the winter solstice, which are solar terms. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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The 24 solar terms of 2026 · 丙午年
| Solar term | Date | Time (UTC+8) | Sun's longitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| 小寒 · Minor Cold | 2026-01-05 | 16:23 | 285° |
| 大寒 · Major Cold | 2026-01-20 | 09:45 | 300° |
| 立春 · Start of Spring | 2026-02-04 | 04:02 | 315° |
| 雨水 · Rain Water | 2026-02-18 | 23:52 | 330° |
| 惊蛰 · Awakening of Insects | 2026-03-05 | 21:59 | 345° |
| 春分 · Spring Equinox | 2026-03-20 | 22:46 | 0° |
| 清明 · Clear and Bright | 2026-04-05 | 02:40 | 15° |
| 谷雨 · Grain Rain | 2026-04-20 | 09:39 | 30° |
| 立夏 · Start of Summer | 2026-05-05 | 19:49 | 45° |
| 小满 · Grain Buds | 2026-05-21 | 08:37 | 60° |
| 芒种 · Grain in Ear | 2026-06-05 | 23:49 | 75° |
| 夏至 · Summer Solstice | 2026-06-21 | 16:25 | 90° |
| 小暑 · Minor Heat | 2026-07-07 | 09:57 | 105° |
| 大暑 · Major Heat | 2026-07-23 | 03:13 | 120° |
| 立秋 · Start of Autumn | 2026-08-07 | 19:43 | 135° |
| 处暑 · End of Heat | 2026-08-23 | 10:19 | 150° |
| 白露 · White Dew | 2026-09-07 | 22:42 | 165° |
| 秋分 · Autumn Equinox | 2026-09-23 | 08:06 | 180° |
| 寒露 · Cold Dew | 2026-10-08 | 14:30 | 195° |
| 霜降 · Frost's Descent | 2026-10-23 | 17:38 | 210° |
| 立冬 · Start of Winter | 2026-11-07 | 17:53 | 225° |
| 小雪 · Minor Snow | 2026-11-22 | 15:24 | 240° |
| 大雪 · Major Snow | 2026-12-07 | 10:53 | 255° |
| 冬至 · Winter Solstice | 2026-12-22 | 04:50 | 270° |
Traditional festivals in 2026
- 腊八节 · Laba Festival (腊月初八)2026-01-26
- 小年 · Little New Year (腊月廿三)2026-02-10
- 除夕 · Chinese New Year's Eve (腊月廿九)2026-02-16
- 春节 · Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) (正月初一)2026-02-17
- 元宵节 · Lantern Festival (正月十五)2026-03-03
- 龙抬头 · Dragon Raises Its Head (二月初二)2026-03-20
- 清明节 · Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day)2026-04-05
- 端午节 · Dragon Boat Festival (五月初五)2026-06-19
- 七夕 · Qixi (七月初七)2026-08-19
- 中元节 · Ghost Festival (七月十五)2026-08-27
- 中秋节 · Mid-Autumn Festival (八月十五)2026-09-25
- 重阳节 · Double Ninth Festival (九月初九)2026-10-18
- 冬至 · Winter Solstice2026-12-22
A solar term begins when the Sun reaches a multiple of 15° along the ecliptic, so the dates move by a day or so from year to year. Times are China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong time (UTC+8), calculated in your browser; they agree with the Hong Kong Observatory's tables to within a minute. Little New Year is shown on the 23rd of the twelfth month, as in northern China; much of the south keeps it on the 24th.
The terms through the year
The terms come in pairs, about 15 days apart, two to each month. Those at the multiples of 30° (雨水, 春分, 谷雨, and so on) are the principal terms (中气) that the lunar calendar uses to number its months: a lunar month without one becomes a leap month.
To convert a lunar date, use the lunar calendar converter; for the zodiac animal of a year, the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Dates in other time zones
A solar term is a single instant, so outside UTC+8 it can fall on a different calendar day. The winter solstice of 2026 is at 04:50 on 22 December in Beijing, but 20:50 on 21 December in London.
Chinese calendars, and this tool, always give the date in Beijing time. For sunrise and day length where you are, see sunrise and sunset times.
How to use it
- Type a year, or step through the years.
- Read each solar term's date and time in China time (UTC+8).
- See the traditional festivals of that year below, with their lunar dates.
Privacy & limitations
Everything is calculated in your browser.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
When is Start of Spring in 2026?
On 4 February 2026 at 04:02 China time. It usually falls on 3, 4, or 5 February.
Why do the dates change a little each year?
The terms follow the Sun, and a calendar year is about six hours shorter than the Sun's cycle, so each term drifts by about six hours a year until a leap day pulls it back.
Is Qingming a solar term or a festival?
Both: Qingming (清明) is the fifth solar term, and the festival of tomb-sweeping is held on the day it begins, usually 4 or 5 April.
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