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Major Cold
Deep winter draws the year to a close, while spring quietly gathers strength.
Solar term date
Dates follow the Hong Kong Observatory’s calendar. They are civil dates, rather than precise astronomical times.
About this solar term
Major Cold begins at solar longitude 300° and closes the traditional cycle that starts with Beginning of Spring. It does not always fall in the same Gregorian year as all the preceding terms.
Old seasonal signs describe brooding hens, hunting birds of prey and thick ice. Local winter conditions vary.
Preparations for the lunar new year may be under way, depending on that year's lunar calendar. Beneath the winter imagery, daylight in the Northern Hemisphere is already lengthening.
Seasonal signs
Hens begin brooding, birds of prey hunt swiftly, and ice grows thick.
Traditional seasonal signs combine observation with historical imagination. Weather and wildlife vary by region and year.
A reading of the poem
The wine jar is full, and charcoal warms the golden brazier. In Major Cold, stay near the fire; with no errand outside, leave the door closed. Winter and spring exchange places as stars and months continue their course. Tomorrow brings a new seasonal note, and plum and willow wait for spring's warmth.
Tang dynasty · Traditionally attributed to Yuan Zhen
咏廿四气诗·大寒十二月中
Poem source