The 72 seasons

#1 · Feb 4–8 · 東風解凍

The east wind loosens the ice

#2 · Feb 9–13 · 黄鶯睍睆

Warblers find their spring song

#3 · Feb 14–18 · 魚上氷

Fish rise beneath the thaw

#4 · Feb 19–23 · 土脉潤起

Rain wakes the soil

#5 · Feb 24–28 · 霞始靆

Mist begins to linger

#6 · Mar 1–5 · 草木萌動

Green shoots stir

#7 · Mar 6–10 · 蟄虫啓戸

Hidden insects return

#8 · Mar 11–15 · 桃始笑

Peach blossom opens

#9 · Mar 16–20 · 菜虫化蝶

Caterpillars become butterflies

#10 · Mar 21–25 · 雀始巣

Sparrows begin to nest

#11 · Mar 26–30 · 櫻始開

Cherry blossom opens

#12 · Mar 31–Apr 4 · 雷乃発声

Thunder sounds beyond the horizon

#13 · Apr 5–9 · 玄鳥至

The swallows return

#14 · Apr 10–14 · 鴻雁北

Wild geese turn north

#15 · Apr 15–19 · 虹始見

The first rainbow appears

#16 · Apr 20–24 · 葭始生

Reeds push through the water

#17 · Apr 25–29 · 霜止出苗

Frost retreats; seedlings rise

#18 · Apr 30–May 4 · 牡丹華

Peonies unfold

#19 · May 5–9 · 蛙始鳴

Frogs find their voices

#20 · May 10–14 · 蚯蚓出

Earthworms return to the surface

#21 · May 15–20 · 竹笋生

Bamboo shoots break the ground

#22 · May 21–25 · 蚕起食桑

Silkworms feed on mulberry leaves

#23 · May 26–30 · 紅花栄

Safflower comes into bloom

#24 · May 31–Jun 5 · 麦秋至

Wheat turns gold

#25 · Jun 6–10 · 蟷螂生

Praying mantises hatch

#26 · Jun 11–15 · 腐草為螢

Fireflies rise from summer grass

#27 · Jun 16–20 · 梅子黄

Plums turn yellow

#28 · Jun 21–26 · 乃東枯

Self-heal fades

#29 · Jun 27–Jul 1 · 菖蒲華

Irises come into bloom

#30 · Jul 2–6 · 半夏生

Crow-dipper breaks the soil

#31 · Jul 7–11 · 温風至

Warm winds arrive

#32 · Jul 12–16 · 蓮始開

Lotus flowers begin to open

#33 · Jul 17–22 · 鷹乃学習

Young hawks learn the air

#34 · Jul 23–28 · 桐始結花

Paulownia sets its seed

#35 · Jul 29–Aug 2 · 土潤溽暑

Earth holds the summer heat

#36 · Aug 3–7 · 大雨時行

Great rains pass through

#37 · Aug 8–12 · 涼風至

Cool winds return

#38 · Aug 13–17 · 寒蝉鳴

Evening cicadas begin to sing

#39 · Aug 18–22 · 蒙霧升降

Deep fog settles

#40 · Aug 23–27 · 綿柎開

Cotton flowers open

#41 · Aug 28–Sep 1 · 天地始粛

The heat begins to loosen

#42 · Sep 2–7 · 禾乃登

The grain ripens

#43 · Sep 8–12 · 草露白

White dew rests on grass

#44 · Sep 13–17 · 鶺鴒鳴

Wagtails call

#45 · Sep 18–22 · 玄鳥去

The swallows depart

#46 · Sep 23–27 · 雷乃収声

Thunder falls silent

#47 · Sep 28–Oct 2 · 蟄虫坏戸

Insects retreat below ground

#48 · Oct 3–7 · 水始涸

Water leaves the fields

#49 · Oct 8–12 · 鴻雁来

Wild geese return

#50 · Oct 13–17 · 菊花開

Chrysanthemums open

#51 · Oct 18–22 · 蟋蟀在戸

Crickets sing by the door

#52 · Oct 23–27 · 霜始降

The first frost arrives

#53 · Oct 28–Nov 1 · 霎時施

Fine rain comes and goes

#54 · Nov 2–6 · 楓蔦黄

Maple and ivy turn gold

#55 · Nov 7–11 · 山茶始開

Camellias open

#56 · Nov 12–16 · 地始凍

The earth begins to freeze

#57 · Nov 17–21 · 金盞香

Daffodils bloom

#58 · Nov 22–26 · 虹蔵不見

Rainbows disappear from the winter sky

#59 · Nov 27–Dec 1 · 朔風払葉

The north wind strips the trees

#60 · Dec 2–6 · 橘始黄

Tachibana citrus turns yellow

#61 · Dec 7–11 · 閉塞成冬

Winter closes in

#62 · Dec 12–16 · 熊蟄穴

Bears enter their dens

#63 · Dec 17–21 · 鱖魚群

Salmon gather upstream

#64 · Dec 22–26 · 乃東生

Self-heal returns

#65 · Dec 27–31 · 麋角解

Deer cast their antlers

#66 · Jan 1–4 · 雪下出麦

Wheat grows beneath the snow

#67 · Jan 5–9 · 芹乃栄

Water parsley flourishes

#68 · Jan 10–14 · 水泉動

Springs begin to stir

#69 · Jan 15–19 · 雉始雊

Pheasants begin to call

#70 · Jan 20–24 · 款冬華

Butterbur buds appear

#71 · Jan 25–29 · 水沢腹堅

Stream ice grows thick

#72 · Jan 30–Feb 3 · 鶏始乳

Hens begin to lay