Dahan, or ‘Great Cold,’ is the final solar term in China’s traditional 24 Solar Terms system, typically occurring around January 20th in the Gregorian calendar. At this time, the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 300 degrees, marking the coldest period of the year. Despite its name, temperatures during Dahan are not always colder than those during Xiaohan (‘Lesser Cold’)—in some regions, the saying goes, ‘Xiaohan is colder than Dahan,’ as cold air masses often stabilize by this point.In northern China, snow blankets the land during Dahan, while southern areas experience damp, chilly weather with frequent rain. Ancient Chinese observed three natural phenomena during this term: domestic hens begin laying eggs to hatch chicks; birds of prey become more active and fierce in hunting; and ice on lakes and rivers becomes thick enough to freeze solid even at their centers.Although it’s the peak of winter, Dahan also signals the approaching Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). People start cleaning homes, buying New Year goods, and writing spring couplets in preparation. While farming activities are minimal, farmers still tend to livestock and protect overwintering crops. As the closing chapter of the solar term cycle, Dahan embodies the traditional Chinese philosophy that ‘extremes reverse themselves’—when cold reaches its peak, spring is already on the horizon.
大寒是二十四节气中的最后一个节气，通常出现在每年公历1月20日前后。此时太阳到达黄经300度，标志着一年中最寒冷的时期到来。尽管名为“大寒”，但在我国部分地区，由于冷空气活动趋于稳定，实际气温未必比小寒更低，民间甚至有“小寒胜大寒”之说。大寒时节，北方地区常有积雪覆盖，南方则多阴雨湿冷。古人将大寒分为三候：一候鸡始乳，二候征鸟厉疾，三候水泽腹坚。这反映了自然界在严寒中仍蕴含生机——家禽开始孵卵，猛禽捕食更猛，河湖冰层厚实至中心。尽管天气严寒，大寒也预示着新春将至。人们开始扫尘、办年货、写春联，为春节做准备。农事上虽处农闲，但需注意牲畜保暖与越冬作物管理。大寒作为节气轮回的终点，也象征着新一轮四季更替的起点，体现了中国传统文化中“物极必反”“寒尽春来”的哲学智慧。
原创文章，作者：admin，如若转载，请注明出处：https://avine.cn/17903.html