Discover the significance of the twenty-four solar terms of the Chinese agricultural calendar, and learn to optimize your health by living in harmony with the seasons.

Almost everyone is familiar with the spring equinox and the winter solstice, but few are aware that these are just two of the twenty-four pivotal days in the ancient Chinese agricultural calendar. Known as the solar terms, these markers of seasonal transitions continue to hold great significance in Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

The solar terms correspond both to astronomical events and to the seasonal changes that govern life here on Earth. In the past, farmers planted and harvested in accord with the solar terms. However, over time, they evolved into a vital guide for many decisions in life, with a particular emphasis on maintaining health via the principles of traditional Chinese medicine.

24 Solar Terms introduces the origins and associations of each of the twenty-four solar terms, and relates them to traditional customs in Taiwan, ranging from the timing of the Tomb Sweeping Festival to the consumption of glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice. The book also provides dietary and lifestyle suggestions for each of the solar terms, explaining why traditional Chinese medicine advocates for nourishing the heart in summer and the kidneys in winter, and why Taiwanese folk sayings urge people to eat mangos during Lesser Heat (around mid-July), and pineapples during Greater Heat (late July and early August).

In 2016, UNESCO recognized the twenty-four solar terms as a representation of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage. In clear language, 24 Solar Terms introduces the essence of this system of seasonal change to readers. Whether serving as a framework for understanding traditional culture, or a guide for optimizing health, the solar terms will empower readers with greater knowledge of the cycles of the natural world and their influence over our lives.