Rural paintings portray 24 solar terms in NE China

By Han Junhong and Zhou Huiying | chinadaily.com.cn

Grain Rain (Chinese: 谷雨), the last term in spring, signals the end of cold weather and a rapid rise in temperature.

Start of Spring (Chinese: 立春), the first solar term of the year, lifts the curtain on spring. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]  
Lu Fengxia, a folk artist in Huadian, Northeast China's Jilin province, has created a series of rural paintings of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

Combining the regional characteristics and folk cultures, the paintings present scenes of the 24 solar terms in Northeast China.
Lu's artworks also highlight the infinite vitality and charm of Chinese farmers.

More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Chinese people created this overall framework to mark the annual passage of time based on observations of the sun's motion. Nowadays, the 24 solar terms not only apply to farming, but also guide Chinese people in everyday life.

Rain Water (Chinese: 雨水), the second solar term of the year, signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. 

Awakening of Insects (Chinese: 惊蛰), the third solar term of the year, signals a rise in temperature and increased rain fall.

Spring Equinox (Chinese: 春分), the fourth term of the year, signals the equal length of the day and night time.

Start of Summer (Chinese: 立夏), the seventh term of the year, signals the transition of seasons.The temperature will rise quickly.

 
Start of Autumn, (Chinese: 立秋), the 13th solar term of the year, reflects the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. 

Start of Winter, (Chinese: 立冬), the 19th solar term of the year, is the first solar term of winter, which means winter is coming and crops harvested in autumn should be stored up.

Major Cold (Chinese: 大寒)is the last solar term in winter and also the last solar term in the annual lunar calendar. In this period, snow, rain and icy cold weather exert a big influence on people's lives.