Dahan 大寒 — Major Cold
Overview
Dahan falls around 20 January and closes the cycle. The next term is Lichun, and the year begins again.
Meaning
The last of the twenty-four — the closing term of the year.
Traditional Interpretation
As the closing term it carries the customary weight of year-end preparation: the almanacs place the final household tasks here, between Dahan and the new year.
Related Concepts
FAQ
What is dahan 大寒 — major cold in the Chinese calendar?
The last of the twenty-four — the closing term of the year. Dahan falls around 20 January and closes the cycle. The next term is Lichun, and the year begins again.
Is dahan 大寒 — major cold a festival or a calendar date?
It is a solar term — a date fixed by the sun's position, not by the moon. The last of the twenty-four — the closing term of the year. The cycle closing with a cold term and reopening with Lichun is the calendar's clearest statement of its own logic — the year turns at the point of greatest cold, not at the point of first warmth.
How is dahan 大寒 — major cold read in Chinese tradition?
As the closing term it carries the customary weight of year-end preparation: the almanacs place the final household tasks here, between Dahan and the new year. It is grouped under Water (水) in the five-element system.
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