Throughout the year, the relative
positions of the sun and the earth can be expressed by 24 solar terms. Dates
marking these 24 solar terms stay almost the same year by year on the
international calendar. The 24 solar term marks directed a lot of agricultural
activities in traditional society of China, including tea cultivation. On this
Tea Harvest Calendar, the harvest dates of various teas are sorted in temporal
order based on the solar terms they belong to.
More information about the 24 solar
terms can be found on this webpage of Hong Kong government:
http://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/time/24solarterms.htm
(Name translations of the solar
terms are slightly different between this Tea Harvest Calendar and above
webpage.)
Tea harvest dates vary slightly
from year to year. The system of solar terms helps us understand how tea
harvest is connected to climatic patterns.
This Tea Harvest Calendar includes
names of the 24 solar terms in English and Chinese, their dates on the
international calendar, and harvest times of some well-known Chinese teas.
Additional notes are made about climatic changes and traditional agricultural
events of some solar terms.
24 Solar Terms and Tea Time
|
Solar Term
|
Solar Term in Chinese
|
Date on Western Calendar *
|
Tea Harvest **
|
Other Notes ***
|
|
Start of
Spring ****
|
立春
(Li Chun)
|
Feb. 4
|
|
|
|
Rain
Water
|
雨水
(Yu Shui)
|
Feb. 19
|
Harvest
on Wu Niu Zao (乌牛早) starts a few days from
here.
|
Rain
replaces snow as major precipitation
|
|
Awakening
of Insects
|
惊蛰 (驚蟄)
(Jing Zhe)
|
Mar. 6
|
Harvest
on Zhu Ye Qing (竹叶青) and Meng Ding Snow Bud (蒙顶雪芽）starts.
|
Many
insects reach young adult stage on this day
|
|
Vernal
Equinox
|
春分
(Chun Fen)
|
Mar. 21
|
Harvests
on Bi Luo Chun (碧螺春) and Meng Ding Yellow Bud (蒙顶黄芽) start.
Harvest on Long Jing #43 (龙井43号) cultivar starts around here.
|
Lengths
of day and night equal on this day; Time to start ploughing the field in
traditional agriculture
|
|
Clear and
Bright
|
清明
(Qing Ming)
|
Apr. 5
|
Ming Qian
(Pre-Qing-Ming) harvest of Long Jing Group cultivar (龙井群体种) starts before
this day.
Harvest
on Jun Shan Silver Needle (君山银针) starts a few days before Qing Ming.
Harvest
on tea leaves for Bi Tan Piao Xue (碧潭飘雪) starts before Qing Ming
First
harvest on Bai Mu Dan (白牡丹) starts.
Harvests
on Huang Jin Gui (黄金桂), An Ji Bai Cha (安吉白茶), Feng
Huang Dan Cong (凤凰单欉), Gu Zhu
Zi Sun (顾渚紫笋) , Huang
Shan Mao Feng (黄山毛峰), Jin Tan Finch Tongue (金坛雀舌), and Xin Yang Mao Jian (信阳毛尖)
start.
Harvests on
Liu An Gua Pian (六安瓜片, Melon Seeds), Fairy Orchi Twig (兰香仙枝), Tian Hua Gu
Jian (天华谷尖), Yong Xi Huo Qing (涌溪火青), Keemun Red Tea, and Yong Chun Fo Shou (永春佛手) start
between Qing Ming and Gu Yu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grain
Rain
|
谷雨 (穀雨)
(Gu Yu)
|
Apr. 20
|
Yu Qian
(Pre-Gu-Yu) Long Jing (龙井) is harvested before this day.
Harvest on Lao Zhu Da Fang (老竹大方) and Jiu
Qu Hong Mei (九曲红梅) starts before Gu Yu.
Harvests on
Tai Ping Hou Kui (太平猴魁), Shu Cheng Lan Hua (舒城兰花), Wen Shan Bao Zhong (文山包种) and
Zhang Ping Shui Xian (漳平水仙) start.
Spring
harvests on An Xi Tie Guan Yin (安溪铁观音) and Taiwan High Mountain Oolong
start here and end by Li Xia.
Harvest
on Huo Shan Huang Ya (霍山黄芽）starts about 5 days before Gu Yu and ends by Li
Xia.
|
Precipitation
increases from here on, and crops start to grow rapidly
|
|
Start of
Summer
|
立夏
(Li Xia)
|
May 6
|
Spring
harvest on Wu Yi Yan Cha (武夷岩茶) starts a few days before Li Xia
Spring
harvest on Lapsang Souchong (正山小种) starts.
|
|
|
Grain
Full
|
小滿
(Xiao Man)
|
May 21
|
Spring harvest on Da Yu Ling High Mountain Oolong
(大禹岭) is between now and Mang Zhong. Many official
spring-season competitions of Taiwan oolong are held around this time.
|
Grains
are getting plump
|
|
Awns on
Grains
|
芒种 (芒種)
(Mang Zhong)
|
Jun. 6
|
Harvest on Bai Hao Oolong starts shortly before
or after this day (around Lunar Calendar May 5th), with annual
variations and affected by lunar cycle. Harvest on Sweet Summer Oolong is on
Lunar Calendar May 5th.
|
Grains
gain awns
|
|
Summer
Solstice
|
夏至
(Li Xia)
|
Jun. 21
|
|
Daytime
is the longest on this day of the year
|
|
Minor
Heat
|
小暑
(Xiao Shu)
|
July 7
|
Production of Fu Zhuan Tea Brick (茯砖) starts around this time.
|
|
|
Major
Heat
|
大暑
(Da Shu)
|
July 23
|
|
|
|
Start of
Autumn
|
立秋
(Li Qiu)
|
Aug. 8
|
|
|
|
End of
Heat
|
处暑 (處暑)
(Chu Shu)
|
Aug. 23
|
|
|
|
White Dew
|
白露
(Bai Lu)
|
Sep. 8
|
|
Much of
night dew as a result of dropping temperature
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Autumnal
Equinox
|
秋分
(Qiu Fen)
|
Sep. 23
|
Autumn harvest on Feng Huang Dan Cong starts.
|
Lengths
of day and night equal on this day.
|
|
Cold Dew
|
寒露
(Han Lu)
|
Oct. 8
|
Autumn
harvest on An Xi Tie Guan Yin starts. Winter harvest on Da Yu Ling High Mountain Oolong (大禹岭) is between now and Shuang Jiang.
|
|
|
Appearance
of Frost
|
霜降
(Shuang Jiang)
|
Oct. 23
|
|
Night
frost starts to appear
|
|
Start of
Winter
|
立冬
(Li Dong)
|
Nov. 7
|
Winter harvest on Dan Cong (雪片单枞)
is between Li Dong and Xiao Xue
|
|
|
Minor
Snow
|
小雪
(Xiao Xue)
|
Nov. 22
|
|
Some snow
precipitation starts to happen
|
|
Major
Snow
|
大雪
(Da Xue)
|
Dec. 7
|
Many official winter-season competitions of
Taiwan oolong are held around this time.
|
Chance
grows for significant snow precipitation.
|
|
Winter
Solstice
|
冬至
(Dong Zhi)
|
Dec. 22
|
Harvest on Dong Pian (冬片，post-winter
tea) of Si Ji Chun (Four Season Spring, 四季春) happens
within several days before or after Dong Zhi
|
Daytime
is shortest on this day of the year
|
|
Minor
Cold
|
小寒
(Xiao Han)
|
Jan. 6
|
Harvest starts for green tea of Yunnan.
|
|
|
Major
Cold
|
大寒
(Da Han)
|
Jan. 20
|
|
|
* Date may vary by 24 hours.
** There are variations due to climate changes and new
varietals adapted to lower temperature.
*** The notes focus on climatic changes and agricultural
events (however, with large variations existing across the country).
**** Start of Spring, Start of Summer, Start of Autumn, and
Start of Winter are 4 of the Solar Term days that mark the start of seasons.
However, when each of them comes, most part of the country is still in the
previous season.
Sources of
information:
1.
Tea farmers, who are, of course, the best
sources of anything pertaining to tea.
2.
中国茶谱 － Wan Xiaochun et al. (2007) The Book of Chinese Tea. China Forestry
Publishing House, Beijing.
3.
中国茶经 － Chen Zongmao et al. (1992) The Tea Classic of China. Shanghai
Cultural Publishing House, Shanghai.
4.
中国茶叶大辞典 － Chen Zongmao et
al. (2000) The Encyclopedia of Chinese
Tea. China Light Industries Publishing House, Beijing.
5.
中国名茶图谱 － Shi Haigen et
al. (2007) The Atlas of Chinese Famous
Teas. Shanghai Cultural Publishing House, Shanghai.
6.
品茶图鉴 － Chen Zongmao, Yu Yongming, Liang Guobiao
& Zhou Zhixiu (2009) An Atlas for Tea
Tasting. Yellow Mountain Press, Hefei.
7.
中国乌龙茶 － Gong Zhi (2004) China Oolong Tea. Zhejiang Photography Press, Hangzhou.
8.
中国红茶 － Gong Zhi (2005) China Red Tea. Zhejiang Photography Press, Hangzhou.
9.
茶文化学 － Liu Qinjin et al. (2000) Studies on Tea Culture. China Agriculture Publishing House,
Beijing.