清明 Qīngmíng
Clear and Bright
In 2026: 5 April 2026 to 20 April 2026 (Beijing time)
“Clear and bright”: the air is fresh and plants are vivid. It is also the season of Qingming, when families tend their ancestors’ graves.
- Sun’s longitude
- 15°
- Month (earthly branch)
- 辰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桐始华Paulownia trees begin to flower
- Second pentad田鼠化为鴽Field mice turn into quail (an old belief)
- Third pentad虹始见Rainbows first appear
Wudang yangsheng for this term
- Breath
- Walk among trees and grass, breathing in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth.
- Warm tea and diet
- Fresh, light dishes; the new green tea picked before Qingming (明前茶).
- Sleep and daily rhythm
- A time to remember the ancestors and walk in the spring air; open the chest and sides as in Baduanjin’s “drawing the bow”.
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 辰 month it is 夬, Breakthrough.