‘Counting the Nines’ (Shu Jiu) is a traditional Chinese method of marking the coldest period of winter, beginning on the Winter Solstice. Starting from that day, every nine days constitutes one ‘Nine,’ and there are nine such intervals, totaling 81 days—known collectively as ‘Jiu Jiu.’ Folk sayings like ‘During the first and second Nines, you keep your hands tucked away; during the third and fourth, you can walk on ice…’ vividly illustrate the varying degrees of coldness and daily life across each Nine.Importantly, the temperature and conditions differ significantly between each Nine. Typically, the third and fourth Nines mark the year’s coldest phase. From the fifth and sixth Nines onward, daylight lengthens and yang energy gradually returns, leading to a slow warming trend. By the seventh and eighth Nines, river ice melts and plants begin to sprout—clear signs of approaching spring. By the end of the ninth Nine, flowers are often in bloom.These variations reflect ancient Chinese people’s keen observation of natural cycles and their accumulated wisdom. ‘Counting the Nines’ is not merely a calendar system but also embodies a philosophy of living in harmony with nature and nurturing well-being through seasonal changes. Practices like the ‘Nine-Nine Cold-Dispelling Chart’ helped people endure winter with hope, patiently awaiting the return of spring.
“数九寒天”是中国传统用来描述冬至后最寒冷时段的一种节令计算方式。从冬至当天起，每九天为一个‘九’，共九个‘九’，总计八十一天，称为‘九九’。民间有‘一九二九不出手，三九四九冰上走……’等谚语，形象地描绘了不同‘九’期间的寒冷程度和生活状态。值得注意的是，‘九’与‘九’之间并非温度均等或线性变化。通常‘三九’和‘四九’是一年中最冷的阶段，此时寒气最盛；而进入‘五九’‘六九’后，阳气渐生，白昼变长，气温开始缓慢回升。到了‘七九’‘八九’，河冰消融、草木萌动，已显春意；‘九九’结束时，往往已是春暖花开。这种差异反映了古人对自然节律的细致观察和智慧总结。‘数九’不仅是一种时间计量方法，更蕴含着顺应天时、调养身心的生活哲学。通过‘数九消寒图’等方式，人们在严寒中寄托希望，静待春归。
原创文章，作者：admin，如若转载，请注明出处：https://avine.cn/10665.html