"NJ2018 Glossary - Calendar Terms"의 두 판 사이의 차이

2018년 6월 16일 (토) 02:24 판

Contributor: Evelyn Ruiz

Seasonal Terms

Traditionally, the Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. These terms were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.^[1]

24 Solar Terms ^[2]

• Video explaining all of the solar terms and their characteristics.

Grain in Ear

Definition

Mangjong (Kor. 망종, Chin. 芒種, lit. bearded grain) is the ninth of the twenty-four solar terms. Mangjong usually falls during the fifth month on the lunar calendar and happens around June sixth on the Gregorian calendar. The sun reaches the celestial longitude of 75 degrees on this day. As suggested by its name, Mangjong indicates the appropriate time to harvest the first crop and sow the second of bearded grains such as rice and barley^[3]

Summer Solstice

Definition

Haji (Kor. 하지, Chin. 夏至, lit. summer reach) is the tenth of the twenty-four solar terms. It occurs some time in the fifth lunar month. On the Gregorian calendar, Haji falls around June twenty-second. The sun appears at its northernmost point (referred to as hajijeom (Kor. 하지점, Chin. 夏至點, summer solstice point)) on the ecliptic and its declination is greatest on this day.^[4]

Autumn Equinox

Definition

Chubun (Kor. 추분, Chin. 秋分, lit. Autumn Equinox) is one of the twenty-four solar terms, occurring between Baengno (Kor. 백로, Chin. 白露, lit. White Dew) and Hallo (Kor. 한로, Chin. 寒露, lit. Cold Dew). Falling approximately on September twenty-third on the Gregorian calendar, Chubun usually occurs sometime during the eighth lunar month. At the equinox, day and night are equal in length, and in astronomy, the autumn equinox refers to the day when the sun passes through the ecliptic at 180°.^[5]

White Dew

Definition

Baengno (Kor. 백로, Chin. 白露, lit. White Dew) is one of the twenty-four solar terms. It falls approximately on September ninth on the Gregorian calendar. In the lunar calendar, Baengno generally falls in the eighth month, when the Ecliptic rises to 165° over the horizon.^[6]

Four seasons

Contributor: Evelyn Ruiz

Spring

Explanation

Spring lasts from late March to early May. Temperatures are mild and pleasant. It is the ideal season to witness cherry blossoms, forsythia, azaleas, magnolias and lilacs blooming during the peak season between March and May.^[7]

Summer

Explanation

Summer is usually between June and August, with the hottest month being August when the mean temperature is between 23 to 26 degrees Celsius. The dryness characterizing winter and spring disappears in summer, replaced by high temperatures and humid air. Due to the high humidity, people feel that it is hotter than it actually is. Since the stuffy atmosphere tends to cause a high level of discomfort, the use of air conditioners and electric fans shoots up during this time of the year. The weather is particularly hot between the end of July and end of August. Generally, the period between the end of June and mid July is the rainy season in Korea. During this time there is no scorching heat. However, there can be clouds and frequent rainfall for as short as one week to as long as three weeks. The frequency of rainy spells called jangma^[8] and typhoons can also have a negative effect as they can directly cause damage to crops.

In the summer, there are lots of fruits like watermelons, melons, and peaches, as well as vegetables, and the fields and mountains are covered in green. To escape the scorching heat, people go to the mountains, sea, or valleys to spend their summer holidays.^[9]

Autumn

Explanation

The autumn season in Korea is between September and November. The weather is cool and crisp, and the sky is blue with few clouds. Koreans refer to autumn as the season of cheongomabi^[10]. The heat of summer still seems to linger in September with the daytime being hot, but the weather is cool in the morning and evening. In October, there is less precipitation and the humidity in the air decreases, resulting in crisp and enjoyable weather. In late summer to early autumn, typhoons rising from the South Pacific may occur.

Autumn is also a season of beautiful falling leaves. Ginkgo trees and maple trees throughout Korea change their hues to yellow and crimson. During this time, Koreans love to go hiking in the mountains to enjoy the picturesque landscape created by autumn leaves. Mountains and famous autumn foliage spots around the nation are bustling with people during this time of the year. Autumn is also the season of bountiful harvest, with rice, sweet potatoes, apples, pears, and jujubes ripening all around the nation.^[11]

Winter

Explanation

Winter in Korea is usually between December and February, with the average temperature in January, the coldest month, ranging between minus six degrees and three degrees Celsius. The days with the lowest temperatures in the winter usually occur in the middle and end of January. In winter, the days are shorter with the sunrise occurring later and the sunset occurring earlier. Usually, a cycle of three days of cold weather followed by four days of warmer weather (samhansaon ^[12]) is repeated. The mountainous regions in Gangwon-do receive snowfall starting in early winter, with the weather being very cold and dry due to the wind blowing in from Siberia. Major holidays between the months of December and February are Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year, and the months of February and early March are the time for graduation ceremonies and the start of school. In rural areas, arable land is left to rest until farming resumes in the spring while some vegetables are grown in vinyl greenhouses. A unique practice in the winter between November and December is gimjang ^[13]), which is the preparation of large quantities of kimchi to eat throughout winter.^[14]

Other time-related terms

Contributor: Evelyn Ruiz

For some interesting proverbs related to agriculture and the Chinese calendar, see Zhou Yanxian. Two Thousand Zhuang Proverbs from China with Annotations and Chinese and English Translation, 147-208. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2017.

Autumn harvest

First lunar month

Further reading

See Christopher Cullen, "2.2 Calendars in Imperial China: from the ground up." in Heavenly Numbers: Astronomy and Authority in Early Imperial China. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

Following year

Last month of the lunar year

Further reading

See Christopher Cullen, "2.2 Calendars in Imperial China: from the ground up." in Heavenly Numbers: Astronomy and Authority in Early Imperial China. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

Middle of the month

Winter months

First week

Second week

Third week

Ten days after Autumn Equinox

1. ↑ "The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge in China of time and practices developed through observation of the sun’s annual motion", Intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO.
2. ↑ China Highlights. The 24 solar terms [1]
3. ↑ "Grain in Ear", Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, National Folk Museum of Korea.
4. ↑ "Summer Solstice", Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, National Folk Museum of Korea.
5. ↑ "Autumn Equinox", Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, National Folk Museum of Korea.
6. ↑ "White Dew", Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, National Folk Museum of Korea.
7. ↑ "Spring", Korea Tourism Organization.
8. ↑ Jangma refers to the rainy spell in summer. This phenomenon is caused by a seasonal rain front that lingers across East Asia from east to west. The precipitation during jangma accounts for a significant percentage of the annual rainfall in Korea. This season also occurs shortly after rice crops are planted, so the rainfall can considerably affect the rice harvest. "Jangma", Korea Tourism Organization.
9. ↑ "Summer", Korea Tourism Organization.
10. ↑ Literally meaning "the sky is high and horses get fat," cheongomabi is often used to describe the autumn season. In this season, the sky is particularly blue and clear, so it is great for outings, and the harvest season makes for plenty of food to eat. "Cheongomabi", Korea Tourism Organization.
11. ↑ "Autumn", Korea Tourism Organization.
12. ↑ Samhansaon refers to the phenomenon where three days of cold weather are followed by four warmer days. "Samhansaon phenomenon", Korea Tourism Organization.
13. ↑ Gimjang refers to the preparation of large quantities of kimchi to eat throughout winter. "Gimjang", Korea Tourism Organization.
14. ↑ "Winter", Korea Tourism Organization.