What solar term-related details are embedded in literary classics such as Journey to the West and A Dream of Red Mansions? What phenological signals of wild geese are expressed in the folk song Wild Geese? On July 12, experts and scholars in Beijing interpreted the scientific principles and poetic charm of China’s twenty-four solar terms.
On the same day, the science and culture salon series "When Science Meets Art" hosted the event "The Loveliest Seasons on Earth: The Science and Poetry of Solar Terms". Integrating popular science lectures, instrumental recitals, vocal performances and literary readings, participating experts unlocked the natural scientific codes and oriental humanistic poetry hidden within the twenty-four solar terms.
Chen Deliang, Xinhua Distinguished Chair Professor and Director of the Department of Earth System Science at Tsinghua University, delivered a speech titled "When the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Meet Climate Change". He explained that the twenty-four solar terms are divided based on the astronomical laws governing the relative motion of the Sun and Earth, embodying the wisdom accumulated by the Chinese nation through long-term observation of seasonal cycles.
"The most profound significance of the twenty-four solar terms lies in their transformation of natural time into cultural time," he stated. Endowed with multiple connotations spanning climatology, agriculture, daily life, art and culture, the solar terms enable Chinese people to "comprehend the sky, land, life, labor and emotion within a unified temporal system."
Chen Deliang also pointed out that while the astronomical calendar system of the twenty-four solar terms itself remains unchanged amid global warming, their climatological implications are shifting—seasons arrive earlier or last longer. Meanwhile, the cultural and artistic value of solar terms has been revitalized, evolving from a nostalgic cultural symbol into a "cultural sensor" for observing climate change.
He noted that the history of the twenty-four solar terms records humanity’s adaptation to natural rhythms, while their future represents a cultural opportunity for people to re-examine climate change and rebuild harmonious ties between humans and nature.
During the event, Song Yingjie, Director of the Key Open Laboratory for the Twenty-Four Solar Terms of the China Meteorological Administration and a weather presenter, gave a speech named "Expansion and Shift of Climatic Periods in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms". In his view, the solar terms allow people to discern constant climatic laws amid unpredictable weather fluctuations, serving as a uniquely Chinese interpretation of climatic codes that balances the movements of the sun and moon.
Drawing on classical novels Journey to the West and A Dream of Red Mansions, as well as the folk song Wild Geese, Song Yingjie unpacked the culture of the seventy-two phenological phases. He illustrated that the migratory journey of wild geese forms a complete life cycle: flying south at White Dew, lingering at Cold Dew, gazing northward at Minor Cold, and returning home at Rain Water. The sentiments of parting and longing conveyed in folk music stem from ancient people’s meticulous observations of flora and fauna phenology.
Song Yingjie added that localized adaptations of the solar terms across northern and southern China, as well as overseas regions, prove the remarkable adaptability of this temporal system. The twenty-four solar terms carry dual value: they function as a practical scientific tool guiding farming and daily routines, and a cultural carrier holding the Chinese people’s emotions and poetic aesthetics.
The event featured artistic performances: soprano Zhang Liping collaborated with pianist Zhang Jialin and young harpist Sun Shimeng to interpret the classic folk song Wild Geese. The Children’s Choir of the National Centre for the Performing Arts delivered a pure, ethereal rendition of Jasmine Flower. Special host Yang Qi from the National Centre for the Performing Arts Drama Troupe, paired with young pianist Kang Ruoqing, read excerpts from Zhu Ziqing’s prose Moonlight over the Lotus Pond.
The salon opened with guitar solo Unexpected Encounter performed by guitarist Liu Xianji, and closed with Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon, a duet by Zhang Jialin and Sun Shimeng. As Song Yingjie put it, "The twenty-four solar terms are nourished by the moisture of science and filled with the fragrance of culture; they exist both in our ordinary daily lives and in our poetic distant dreams."
Co-organizers of the event include the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, the Key Open Laboratory for the Twenty-Four Solar Terms of the China Meteorological Administration, Peking University Press and the Beijing Science Journalists Association.
(Outlook New Era)
Edit：Sun Kenan Responsible editor：Chen Jie
Source：chinanews.com.cn
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