Solar terms and pentads

The Chinese year is divided into twenty-four solar terms, each split into three pentads of about five days, seventy-two in all, each named after a sign in nature. From the Han dynasty on, hexagrams were assigned to the pentads as well. Dates below are for 2026, China time (UTC+8).

Today

October 4, 2026 · lunar month 8, day 24

Today falls within the solar term Autumn Equinox, which began on September 23, in its third pentad, “Waters begin to dry” (October 3 to October 7), which belongs to hexagram 54 Guimei. The next solar term is Cold Dew, on October 8. Dates are China time (UTC+8).

Spring

Solar term, 2026	Pentads	Hexagrams
Start of Spring 立春February 4	The east wind thaws the ice; Hibernating insects stir; Fish rise beneath the ice	62 Xiaoguo 4 Meng 42 Yi
Rain Water 雨水February 18	Otters lay out their fish; Wild geese fly north; Plants begin to sprout	53 Jian 11 Tai 5 Xu
Insects Awaken 驚蟄March 5	Peach trees blossom; Orioles sing; Hawks turn into doves	5 Xu 17 Sui 35 Jin
Spring Equinox 春分March 20	Swallows return; Thunder finds its voice; Lightning begins	40 Xie 34 Dazhuang 16 Yu
Clear and Bright 清明April 5	Paulownias blossom; Field mice turn into quails; Rainbows first appear	16 Yu 6 Song 18 Gu
Grain Rain 穀雨April 20	Duckweed appears; Doves beat their wings; Hoopoes alight in the mulberries	49 Ge 43 Guai 56 Lü

Summer

Solar term, 2026	Pentads	Hexagrams
Start of Summer 立夏May 5	Mole crickets sing; Earthworms come up; Snake gourds grow	56 Lü 7 Shi 8 Bi
Grain Fills 小滿May 21	Sow thistle flowers; Fine grasses wither; The wheat harvest comes	9 Xiaoxu 1 Qian 14 Dayou
Grain in Ear 芒種June 5	Mantises hatch; Shrikes begin to call; The mimic bird falls silent	14 Dayou 37 Jiaren 48 Jing
Summer Solstice 夏至June 21	Deer shed their antlers; Cicadas begin to sing; Crow-dipper sprouts	31 Xian 44 Gou 50 Ding
Minor Heat 小暑July 7	Warm winds arrive; Crickets shelter in the walls; Young hawks learn to strike	50 Ding 55 Feng 59 Huan
Major Heat 大暑July 23	Fireflies rise from damp grass; The earth is damp, the air heavy; Great rains fall	10 Lü 33 Dun 32 Heng

Autumn

Solar term, 2026	Pentads	Hexagrams
Start of Autumn 立秋August 7	Cool winds arrive; White dew falls; Autumn cicadas sing	32 Heng 60 Jie 13 Tongren
End of Heat 處暑August 23	Hawks lay out their prey; Heaven and earth grow austere; Grain ripens	41 Sun 12 Pi 57 Xun
White Dew 白露September 7	Wild geese arrive; Swallows depart; Birds store up food	57 Xun 45 Cui 26 Daxu
Autumn Equinox 秋分September 23	Thunder withdraws its voice; Insects seal their burrows; Waters begin to dry	22 Bi 20 Guan 54 Guimei
Cold Dew 寒露October 8	Wild geese come as guests; Sparrows enter the sea and turn into clams; Chrysanthemums bloom yellow	54 Guimei 25 Wuwang 36 Mingyi
Frost Falls 霜降October 23	Jackals lay out their kill; Leaves yellow and fall; Insects go to ground	47 Kun 23 Bo 52 Gen

Winter

Solar term, 2026	Pentads	Hexagrams
Start of Winter 立冬November 7	Water begins to freeze; The ground begins to freeze; Pheasants enter the sea and turn into giant clams	52 Gen 63 Jiji 21 Shihe
Minor Snow 小雪November 22	Rainbows hide; Heaven's breath rises, earth's sinks; All is closed, and winter sets in	28 Daguo 2 Kun 64 Weiji
Major Snow 大雪December 7	The cold-crying bird falls silent; Tigers begin to mate; Iris shoots appear	64 Weiji 39 Jian 27 Yi
Winter Solstice 冬至December 22	Earthworms curl up; Elk shed their antlers; Springs begin to stir	61 Zhongfu 24 Fu 3 Zhun
Minor Cold 小寒January 5	Geese turn north; Magpies begin to nest; Pheasants begin to call	3 Zhun 15 Qian 38 Kui
Major Cold 大寒January 20	Hens begin to brood; Hawks fly high and fierce; Ice grows thick on the marsh	46 Sheng 19 Lin 62 Xiaoguo

Sources

Solar terms and lunar dates follow the standard modern method for China. The pentad names are the ones in common use. The hexagrams follow the table in the Tang monk Yixing’s Dayan calendar, recorded in the New Book of Tang: Kan, Li, Zhen and Dui govern the twenty-four terms, and the other sixty hexagrams share out the seventy-two pentads. It marks the season, not fortune. See sources and method.