小雪 Xiǎoxuě
Minor Snow
In 2026: 22 November 2026 to 7 December 2026 (Beijing time)
“Minor snow”: the first light snow in the north. Heaven’s qi rises, earth’s sinks, and the two draw apart.
- Sun’s longitude
- 240°
- Month (earthly branch)
- 亥month
- Season
- Winter
- Five Phase
- 水Water
The three pentads
Each term is divided into three five-day pentads, named for what the ancients saw happen in nature.
- First pentad虹藏不见Rainbows hide away
- Second pentad天气上升地气下降Heaven’s qi rises, earth’s qi sinks
- Third pentad闭塞而成冬All closes up, and winter sets in
Wudang yangsheng for this term
- Breath
- Sit or stand quietly with long, soft breaths and loose shoulders.
- Warm tea and diet
- Warm soups with ginger; black tea to warm the stomach.
- Sleep and daily rhythm
- Shorter days can lower the mood: get daylight whenever you can.
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 亥 month it is 坤, The Receptive.
Seeker’s Q&A
Why does the hidden rainbow matter?
A rainbow needs sun and rain to meet. Its disappearance was read as yin and yang drawing apart for the winter, a sign that the outward season is over.
What does “heaven and earth no longer meet” mean in daily life?
Less exchange, more keeping: fewer late gatherings, fewer new projects, more time to digest what the year has already given you.
How should I look after myself now?
Tradition advises keeping the neck, back and feet warm and going to bed a little earlier. In an air-conditioned office, a light scarf does the same job. This is traditional guidance, not medical advice.
Is it wrong to feel low as the year closes?
Many people do. Daoist teaching treats a quieter mood in winter as natural, but if a low mood lasts or deepens, talk to a doctor.
One-minute practice
Sit with your back straight and your eyes closed. Breathe out slowly, as if misting a cold window, making each out-breath longer than the in-breath. After one minute, notice which “door” in your week you would like to close.