When is Start of Spring this year? Introduction to the exact time of Start of Spring

Start of Spring is the first of the 24 solar terms in the lunar calendar. When the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315 degrees, it is called the Start of Spring solar term. As the saying goes, "The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring." Since ancient times, Start of Spring has been a traditional festival, and China has attached great importance to it from official to folk levels. The custom of welcoming spring on the day of Start of Spring has a history of more than 3,000 years. Let's take a look below at when Start of Spring is this year!

When is Start of Spring this year?

The exact time of Start of Spring in 2016 is 17:46:00 on February 4, 2016 in the Gregorian calendar (solar calendar), which is the 26th day of the 12th lunar month of 2015 in the lunar calendar, a Thursday. In the sexagenary cycle, it is the Bing Shen (Monkey) year, Geng Yin month, Bing Chen day. It is suitable for marriage, coming-of-age ceremonies, betrothal gifts, travel, meeting relatives and friends, raising the main beam, installing machinery, making the bed, raising livestock, hunting, sacrifices, praying for blessings, consecrating statues, repairs and construction, and installing doors. It is unsuitable for moving into a new house, building a stove, treating illness, burial, and relocation.

What is the meaning of Start of Spring?

Start of Spring is one of the 24 solar terms, also known as "Da Chun" (Beating Spring). "Li" means "beginning," and China regards Start of Spring as the beginning of spring. Each year on February 4 or 5, when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315 degrees, it is Start of Spring. The ancients designated Start of Spring as the first of the 24 solar terms. On the day of Start of Spring, looking up at the starry sky at seven in the evening, one can see that the handle of the Big Dipper points exactly toward the northeast, that is, at an azimuth of 45 degrees, which the ancients called the direction of Gen (one of the eight trigrams). The "Li" of Start of Spring indicates beginning, and "Chun" indicates the season, so Start of Spring carries the meaning that the spring solar term has already begun. Agricultural proverbs include "Spring begins on the head of the sixth nine-day period" and "When frost descends and when winter comes, spring begins after 45 days." Counting from the winter solstice into the nine-day periods, the "fifth nine-day period" is 45 days, so Start of Spring is exactly the beginning of the "sixth nine-day period."

Climate differences at Start of Spring

By the time Start of Spring arrives, people clearly feel that the days are longer and the sun is warmer. Temperature, sunshine, and rainfall are often at a turning point in the year at this time, tending to rise or increase. The growth of small spring crops speeds up. When rapeseed bolts and wheat joints, water consumption increases, so irrigation and topdressing should be carried out in time to promote growth. Agricultural proverbs remind people that "when Start of Spring and rain arrive, rise early and sleep late." Preparations for plowing for the main spring crops also begin. Although spring has begun, most areas of South China are still very cold, with scenes of "white snow complaining that spring comes too late, so it flies through the courtyard trees as blossoms." These climate characteristics should all be taken into account when arranging agricultural production.

People often love to look for signs of spring: the buds peeking out on the willow branches, "more tender than gold and softer than silk"; the little grass in the soil eager to emerge, waiting for "the spring wind to blow and it grows again"; and the people toiling in the fields to win a new harvest are creating a real spring with their own hands. The Start of Spring solar term is also popular among farmers because it brings warmth and hope. Therefore, there are many weather proverbs about Start of Spring. For example, those based on clear skies with no rain include "If Start of Spring is clear, the rain will be even," and "If Start of Spring is clear, the whole spring will be clear." Those based on rain and snow include "If Start of Spring is drizzly, it will be gloomy and damp until Qingming," and "If heavy snow falls on Beating Spring, there will still be heavy rain after a hundred days." Those based on thunder and lightning include "If thunder strikes on Start of Spring, the rain will not stop at Awakening of Insects," and "If there is one peal of thunder at Start of Spring, the sky will not be seen for a month." Those based on cold and warmth include "If Start of Spring is cold, the whole spring will be warm." Those based on wind force include "A north wind at Start of Spring means more rain," and "An east wind at Start of Spring means early warming, while a west wind at Start of Spring means late warming," and so on.

During the Start of Spring solar term, it is necessary to prevent the impact of cold waves, low temperatures, and rain and snow weather on Spring Festival travel. In rural areas, field management of overwintering crops should be carried out promptly, with intertillage and loosening of the soil, topdressing with green-turning fertilizer, and protection against freezing to preserve seedlings. Relevant experts say that although welcoming spring on the day of Start of Spring today is not as grand as before, this day carries people's hopes, so various places still have some special ways to welcome Start of Spring, such as "Beating Spring," "Biting Spring," hanging windmills, and spring outings.

What agricultural proverbs are there for Start of Spring?

If clouds cover the moon on the fifteenth of the eighth month, snow will hit the lanterns on the fifteenth of the first month.

If snow hits the lanterns on the fifteenth of the first month, rain will fall thick and fast at Qingming.

Whether the harvest is good or not depends on the three eighths of the first month.

If the snow water at Start of Spring melts a zhang deep, the wheat will be piled up with nowhere to put it.

If Start of Spring is too hot, it will turn cold with snow falling thick and fast.

With two springs plus one winter, one will be warm even without a quilt.

If the spring neck is short and warmth returns early, a late spring cold often appears.

If the spring neck is long and warmth returns late, there is generally little late spring cold.