The Twenty-four Solar Terms, a great invention of the ancient Chinese people, was inscribed on the list of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO on November 30, 2016. The earliest complete record of the twenty-four solar terms is seen in the Huainanzi: Tianwen Xun, dating back 2159 years. The twenty-four solar terms are a combination of the yin and yang calendars, representing an eternal calendar formulated according to the operation laws of the sun, the moon, the big dipper handle, the 28 lunar mansions, the temperament, and the climate and phenology in each lunar month.

This book gives a detailed explanation for the scientific basis of the 24 solar terms, and illustrates their influences on state governance, agriculture and ecology, festivals and folk customs, diet and health care, and literature and art. This book helps us to understand the history, technology, customs and ways of life of the Chinese people.