4th February - Start of Spring 'Lichun' (立春)

For farming purposes, the ancient Chinese divided a year into 24 Solar Terms (節氣) according to the position of the sun to reflect the seasonal cycle. 'Lichun' (立春) is the first Solar Term and it marks the starting of spring as well as the  'Year of Water Snake' on 4th February.

The first 5 Solar Terms are as shown in the following table.

Since the date for Chinese New Year is based on lunar calendar, its date with respect to the Gregorian or Western Calendar (Solar Calendar) varies from mid January to mid February.

This is because 12 lunar months totaled only 355 days, 10 days less than the Gregorian Calendar. The ancient Chinese corrected the difference by having a 13-month-year once every three years. And because of this shifting of the first day of Chinese New Year from mid January to Mid February, it is possible to have a Lunar Year without 'Lichun', Chinese call the year without 'Lichun' a 'Blind Year' (盲年). Marriage is said to be unlucky in a 'Blind Year'. Unfortunately the 2013 Lunar Year is a 'blind year' as it starts on 10th February 2013 after 'Lichun' and it will end on 31st January 2014, before the next 'Lichun'.

驚蟄打小人

 

 

Another interesting 'Solar Term' is the 'Jingzhe' (驚蟄) on 5th March this year. Some Chinese in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia have the custom of making offerings to the 'White Tiger' (祭白虎) and 'Da Siu Yan' (打小人) to get rid of bad luck and unpleasant people, trouble makers, gossipers, busybodies and anybody that can cause troubles or harms.

If you feel that your luck is not that good and there is somebody always stand on your way, you can engage an expert on 5th March this year to do the 'Da Siu Yan' for you.


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