Spring
Insects Awakening
Mar 5–19
Awakening of Insects (Jingzhe) is the third solar term of the twenty‑four solar terms, marking the sun’s arrival at the celestial longitude of 345°. In ancient times it was called “Qi Zhe” (the Awakening of Hibernating Creatures). This article explains in detail the origin of its name — “spring thunder awakens all insects” — the phenological phenomena of its three pentads (peach trees begin to blossom, orioles sing, hawks transform into doves), its defining climatic features (sudden spring thunder, rising yang qi, increasing rainfall), and folk customs that have been passed down to this day, such as eating pears, sacrificing to the White Tiger, beating the villain, and covering drumheads with leather. Awakening of Insects is an important solar term when all things burst into vigorous life and farming production gets fully underway.
Awakening of Insects (Jingzhe)
Jingzhe is the third of the twenty-four solar terms. It occurs when the Big Dipper points to the celestial stem ding and the sun reaches the ecliptic longitude of 345°, typically falling on March 5–6 in the Gregorian calendar. Jingzhe reflects the state in which living organisms in nature, influenced by seasonal rhythmic changes, begin to germinate and grow. By the time of Jingzhe, yang qi is rising, temperatures are warming, spring thunder begins to rumble, rainfall increases, and all things are brimming with vitality. Agricultural production is closely linked to the rhythms of nature, and the Jingzhe solar term holds considerable significance for farming, reflecting ancient agricultural culture's sensitivity to natural seasonality.
“Zhe” means “hiding in concealment,” referring to insects that burrow into the earth to overwinter. “Jing” means “to awaken,” as the spring thunder in the heavens startles the dormant insects. The saying “spring thunder awakens a hundred insects” means that at the time of Jingzhe, spring thunder begins to sound, rousing the insects that have been hibernating underground. In ancient times it was called “Qizhe” (Opening of Insects); the name was changed to its current form during the Western Han dynasty to avoid the personal taboo name of Emperor Jing, Liu Qi. In ancient times on the day of Jingzhe, in some regions people would use aromatic herbs and mugwort to fumigate the four corners of their homes, using the fragrance to drive away snakes, insects, mosquitoes, rodents, and musty odors. Over time, this gradually evolved into the custom of “beating the petty person” to dispel misfortune. Other customs include “drumming on ox-hide drums,” “eating pears,” and “offering to the White Tiger to resolve disputes.” In Guangdong folk tradition, during the White Tiger ceremony, fatty pig's blood is fed to the paper tiger, and raw pork is smeared on its mouth to prevent it from opening its jaws to harm people. Jingzhe is divided into three pentads: “In the first pentad, peach blossoms begin to bloom; in the second pentad, the cang geng (oriole) sings; in the third pentad, the hawk transforms into the turtledove.” The corresponding flower-wind sequence is peach blossom, kerria, and rose.
The defining features of the Jingzhe solar term are the stirring of spring thunder and the surging vitality of all living things. Observing the natural phenological processes across different regions of China, due to the vast latitudinal span of the country, the timing of the first spring thunder varies considerably. In southern Yunnan, the first thunder can be heard as early as the end of January, whereas in Beijing it may be delayed until late April. The saying “thunder begins at Jingzhe” thus aligns only with the natural rhythms of certain southern parts of China. During this period, aside from the northeast and northwest regions, the average temperature in most parts of China rises above 0°C, with daily mean temperatures reaching 3–6°C in North China, exceeding 8°C south of the Yangtze River, and reaching 10–15°C in the southwest and South China.
