culture

Twenty-four seasonal divisions are the seasons set by dividing the earth’s orbit around the sun into 24 parts.

As each of the seasonal divisions is the moment when the sun’s longitude changes by 15 degrees, the number of days between them is generally about 15 days.

In other words, there are two seasonal divisions in a month and they vary by one or two days according to year.

However, the central angle of the earth, or the position of the earth, in the ecliptic is always the same. 

The names of 24 seasonal divisions reflect the experience accumulated in the long historical course of nature study by the Korean ancestors and their everyday life and desire.

Even today, seasonal divisions are very helpful in everyday life including the organization of agricultural production.

Among them, Chunbun, Chubun, Haji and Tongji have been named in relation with the length of day and night, while Ripchun, Ripha, Ripchu and Riptong are associated with the beginning of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Sohan, Taehan, Choso, Soso, Taeso and others show the degree of cold or hot weather, while Usu, Kogu, Sosol, Taesol, Paengno, Hanno and Sanggang are related to the period when rain, snow, dew or frost comes.

Kyongchip represents the revival of everything in nature after spending winter, and Chongmyong represented the clearness of the sky.

Soman and Mangjong were named by directly associating them with farming seasons.