Classical Poetry Selection -- Seasonal Poetry

Author: Zhang Min
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The festivals of the Chinese nation are closely linked with the unique lunar calendar (the Xia Calendar) in China. This is what is known as solar terms. Ancient China recognized eight solar terms: the Beginning of Spring, the Beginning of Summer, the Beginning of Autumn, the Beginning of Winter, the Summer Solstice, the Winter Solstice, the Spring Equinox, and the Autumn Equinox. These later evolved into the current 24 solar terms. China is one of the earliest countries to adopt agricultural lifestyles, and the 24 solar terms can be seen as a summary of ancient laborers' experience in mastering agricultural seasons, representing a significant contribution to agricultural production. A complete record of the 24 solar terms can be found in the Huainanzi, written by Liu An of the Huainan Kingdom during the Han Dynasty. By observing China's solar terms, we can gain insights into the history of our nation from a different perspective, deepening our understanding of this ethnic group. Furthermore, the formation and development of solar terms are closely related to national culture, making them an integral part of the splendid cultural treasure trove of the Chinese nation. This brings us to solar term poetry. Poetry and festival culture are both important components of Chinese culture. The mainstream of solar term poetry consists of poems that directly describe the customs of the seasons. These poems paint for us a colorful picture of the festivals. The content of solar term poetry is diverse and rich, far too extensive to be fully summarized in a brief preface. We present this small book to you, inviting you to explore these two sister cultures within the artistic treasures of the Chinese nation—festivals and solar term poetry.