立春 Lìchūn
Start of Spring
In 2026: 4 February 2026 to 18 February 2026 (Beijing time)
Spring is “established”, and the traditional year begins. Hexagram 11, Peace, rules the month: heaven and earth meet again.
- Sun’s longitude
- 315°
- Month (earthly branch)
- 寅month
- Season
- Spring
- Five Phase
- 木Wood
The three pentads
Each term is divided into three five-day pentads, named for what the ancients saw happen in nature.
- First pentad东风解冻The east wind thaws the ice
- Second pentad蛰虫始振Hibernating insects begin to stir
- Third pentad鱼陟负冰Fish rise up under the ice
Wudang yangsheng for this term
- Breath
- Tradition gives spring to the liver: breathe out with a soft “xu” sound to release tension.
- Warm tea and diet
- Fresh sprouts and greens with a little pungency, such as spring onion and chives.
- Sleep and daily rhythm
- Loosen hair and clothing and walk slowly in the garden, “so the will comes to life”, says the Huangdi Neijing.
Traditional guidance, not medical advice. The terms follow the seasons of central China.
In the Book of Changes
Each month has a sovereign hexagram (消息卦) that shows how far yin or yang has grown. For the 寅 month it is 泰, Peace.
Seeker’s Q&A
How is Start of Spring different from Chinese New Year?
Start of Spring follows the sun and falls around 4 February every year; the New Year follows the moon and moves between late January and mid-February. In BaZi, the year pillar changes at Start of Spring, not on New Year’s Day.
What does “protect what is beginning” mean for me?
Start new habits small and guard them. A new practice dies more often from doing too much at once than from doing too little.
Is there a traditional custom for this day?
Many families “bite spring” (咬春), eating spring pancakes, spring rolls or radish with fresh greens. This is traditional custom, not medical advice.
Is this a good day to start something?
Tradition sees it as the natural day to begin: the wood phase rises and growth is supported. Plan in winter, begin now.
One-minute practice
Stand facing east if you can, arms hanging loosely. Breathing in, raise your arms slowly in front of you to shoulder height, like a young branch rising; breathing out, let them float down. Repeat for one minute.