Qīngmíng, Seimei, Cheongmyeong or Thanh minh, is the name of the 5th solar term of the traditional Chinese
lunisolar calendar,[1] which divides a year into 24
solar terms (t. 節氣/s. 节气).[2] In space partitioning, Qingming begins when the sun reaches the
celestial longitude of 15° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 30°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 15°, usually on April 5.[3]
Compared to the space partitioning theory, in the time division theory Qingming falls around April 7 or approximately 106.5 days after winter equinox. In the
Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 4 or 5 April and ends around 20 April.
Pentads
Each solar term can be divided into 3
pentads (候). They are: first pentad (初候), second pentad (次候) and last pentad (末候). Pentads in Qingming include:
China
First pentad: 桐始華/桐始华, 'The paulownia begins to bloom'.
Second pentad: 田鼠化為鴽/田鼠化为鴽, 'Voles(you) transform into quails'.
Last pentad: 虹始見/虹始见, 'Rainbows begin to appear'.
Japan
First pentad: 玄鳥至 (tsubame itaru), 'The swallow flies back from the south'.
Second pentad: 鴻雁北 (kōgan kitae kaeru), 'The goose migrates to the north'.
Last pentad: 虹始見 (niji hajimete arawaru), 'Rainbows begin to appear in the sky after shower'.
Date and time
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2020)
