With the aid of technology, human knowledge is undergoing a large-scale downward shift. Confucius did not notice the significance of the evolution of technology and civilization platforms. His view that "only the wisest and the most ignorant cannot be changed" seems reasonable but is actually mistaken. Before the dominance of power, knowledge was once distributed among every individual, who invented and discovered with self-confidence and self-awareness. "For more than three dynasties, everyone knew astronomy" speaks to this phenomenon. Later, when power severed the connection between earth and heaven, people could neither observe the sky nor freely migrate across the land. Knowledge was issued by authorities, and the masses only had the obligation to study deeply.
Knowledge about solar terms, astronomical calendars, and other such topics was also monopolized by those in power and a minority. Whether in rural areas or cities, few people knew about time and understood the significance of natural timing, agricultural timing, and various time divisions of the day. Until the Republic of China era, the "Central Observatory of the Ministry of Education" still had to produce calendars annually. In the 1980s, market forces such as wall calendars and desk calendars broke the monopoly of power. Today, everyone knows how to inquire about time, adjust time, and set time.
The negative effects brought by our history of knowledge have not been effectively cleared up. For many phenomena, customs, and knowledge, we know what they are but not why they are, we know they exist but not their universality. The solar terms, one of the most widely known aspects of life and civilization in traditional China, are not only unknown to the general public in daily use, but even talented scholars rarely know their functional significance. Today's people, immersed in the mobile internet composed of 0s and 1s, find it hard to return, viewing without knowledge or understanding. Few delve into the coordinates composed of time and space to recognize their position, and even fewer analyze the various personal meanings of time and space.
Time and space are not uniform. Once time is divided into two principles and four phenomena, such as the four seasons, we inevitably know that we sprout and go outdoors in spring, stay indoors in winter, become reserved in autumn, and grow in summer. Although sages view time equally, able to give equally at "early sun", "mid-sun", and "late sun", there's still a distinction between morning diligence and evening caution. Wang Yangming even discovered the connection between time and the world: "In a day, a person experiences the worlds of past and present, but people don't see it. When the night air is clear, with no sight, no sound, no thought, no action, calm and peaceful, it's the world of the ancient sage-kings. At dawn when the spirit is clear and the air is fresh, harmonious and respectful, it's the world of Yao and Shun. Before midday, when etiquette and customs meet, with an orderly atmosphere, it's the world of the Three Dynasties. After midday, when the spirit gradually becomes hazy and there's hustle and bustle, it's the world of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. As night gradually falls, all things rest, and the scene becomes desolate, it's the world where people and things are exhausted."
In a traditional society that was based on agriculture, time was far from being as simple as growth and storage, and certainly not like the "leisurely passing of years" of nobles, elites, and idlers. The ancestors gradually understood the importance of time through their labor, realizing that the year's plan starts in spring, and the day's plan starts in the morning. Traditional farmers didn't have a concept of time, especially not a modern time consciousness, but they not only lived and worked according to the rhythm of the four seasons but could also distinguish more than 72 types of phenological changes throughout the year. "When I see good rain falling in the rice fields, I praise it; when I see stones without knowledge or awareness, I silently weep." Such poetry is not from farmers. Farmers have a natural sense of unity with nature, birds, beasts, insects, and fish, such as east wind, warm wind, cool wind, freezing weather, thunder and lightning, rainbows; plants like grass, islands, peach trees, paulownia trees, mulberry trees, chrysanthemums, bitter vegetables; animals like wild geese, swallows, magpies, pheasants, tigers, wolves, winter birds, cuckoos, shrikes, mockingbirds, goshawks, fireflies, crickets, mantises, silkworms, deer, cicadas, etc. Farmers are one of them.
Farmers understand the difference between extensive and intensive labor, understand the differences in crop yields, and know that sowing is not simply planting, but involves steps such as seed selection, breeding, and planting. The significance of agricultural China is still not fully understood today. Chinese farmers participated in creating paddy soil, which has had a profound impact on human agriculture. How many people can 100 mu of wheat support? About 25 people. 100 mu of corn can support about 50 people, while 100 mu of rice can support about 200 people. In the profession of farming, Chinese (including East Asian) farmers have reached the extreme. A British agronomist wrote in a survey report in the early 19th century that Eastern farmers' use of land had reached an artistic level, with one acre of land supporting six times the population compared to England, with impressive intercropping, fuel use, food utilization, fertilization cycles, and soil protection... All of these are related to farmers' fine perception of time.
The twenty-four solar terms are a unique contribution of Chinese civilization. With the help of solar terms, farmers fixed the year into a cyclical system of crop growth, planting, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting, fixing time and production and life into a state where humans and the Way of Heaven correspond and even unite. "Work at sunrise, rest at sunset." "The noble man enters to feast and rest as darkness approaches." Production and life have their time, society has its rhythm, and human body and nature have their energy. Solar terms not only form their own time coordinates but also evolve into integrity, reminding us that in the hundred years of life, we need to have spirit, to have principles and actions. Confucius, like a farmer, observed, "Only when the year turns cold do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to shed their leaves." He extended this to say: "An army can be deprived of its commander, but even a common man cannot be deprived of his will." "The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete." It can be said that China's long-standing spiritual integrity originates from the solar terms in time. From solar terms to integrity, it remains an important issue for people's survival today: Have we grasped the solar terms of time? Have we grasped the key points of life? When looking back on our path, can we say without shame that we have maintained the integrity of heaven, earth, and human life? If we honestly face ourselves, we should admit that we have become disconnected from nature. Contemporary people are wrapped up in social and technological matters, have lost touch with the biological world and the timing of nature, and are almost ignorant of the essence of following the way of nature. Thus, we have largely lost the spirit of our ancestors, not to mention integrity.
In traditional Chinese society, people had a nuanced perception of time and space in relation to nature. The concept of time, originating from farmers' understanding, was elevated and abstracted by sages and scholars. They saw time as a source of both happiness and meaning in life and society.
Time was categorized into favorable moments, moments to follow the natural flow, moments to go against the flow, and missed opportunities. People needed to align with the right timing or seize opportune moments, though they could sometimes act against the flow. However, missing the right timing was to be avoided. Once the ancient philosophers understood these multidimensional aspects of time, their perception of it became deeply emotional. In their writings, we often see exclamations about the harmony between heaven and man: "How great is the significance of anticipation!" "How profound is the meaning of following!" "How important is the timing of retreat!" These reflect the concept of following the natural flow of time. "How crucial is the moment of revolution!" "How significant is the time of resolution!" "How important is the period of nourishment!" These exemplify seizing the right moments.
When people's sense of time became chaotic and society's time consciousness disordered, sages or emperors would change era names or reign titles to realign and unify people's perceptions of time. Among all types of time, that which was in harmony with nature was considered most suitable for humans. Today, although urban dwellers may have irregular schedules, spending a day or two in the countryside can reset their biological clocks to natural rhythms, helping them regain a sense of time's cadence and vitality.
Naturally, poets and scholars throughout history have composed verses and essays about the solar terms, enriching the Chinese language's expressive power and validating the reality and wonder of these natural cycles.
If we divide a solar cycle into the four seasons, we have four temporal-spatial dimensions in a year. If divided into eight trigrams or sections, we have eight. The more finely we divide the Taiji (the supreme ultimate), the more specific and clear the function and meaning of each temporal-spatial dimension becomes. This is why the 24 solar terms are relevant not only to farmers but also to urban dwellers and elites. Within these 24 temporal dimensions, each places specific demands on life and humanity.
When one understands that the sun has reached the Southern Hemisphere and is returning north, one knows that life in the Northern Hemisphere is beginning to revive, and one should not act recklessly – "enter and exit without haste." When one deeply comprehends the logic of this temporal-spatial dimension, one understands the profound implications of the heart of heaven and earth.
If we understand that the Rain Water solar term is approaching, we know that farmers and the biological world not only "find good fortune in rain" but are also considering precautions against potential calamities. We understand that during the Great Heat period, river and well water become turbid, and the weather is hot, requiring everyone to have a sense of public welfare. The essence of this temporal-spatial dimension lies not only in finding ways to cool off and obtain materials for heat prevention but also in enhancing public solidarity – "encouraging people to work and advise each other."
Each of the 24 solar terms serves as a guide for human action. When the Winter Solstice arrives, the noble person observes the heart of heaven and earth; when Rain Water comes, the noble person thinks of precautions against calamities; when Great Heat arrives, the noble person encourages people to work and advise each other.
When I first wrote about the solar terms, I went from "not understanding but feeling impressed" to gradually comprehending their temporal-spatial significance. This process involved revisiting historical narratives, aesthetic narratives, and even narratives of goodness. The solar terms are not only related to farmers and agriculture, not only to health preservation, but also to each person's perception and understanding of life, nature, human existence, and the universe. Only by understanding the many meanings of the solar terms can ordinary people comprehend the relationship between heaven and man, and reflect on their position in the span of life.
During the Minor Cold solar term, one needs to have a sense of overall planning; during Major Cold, one needs to reflect on oneself; at the Beginning of Autumn, one needs to have a sense of strategizing; at the Autumnal Equinox, one should understand how to retreat from the world without melancholy... The ancients called five days a "hint," fifteen days a "manifestation," and slightly more than five days a "climate," while fifteen days constituted a solar term. Understanding the big picture from small hints, like observing climate to know the solar terms, was how the ancestors lived their lives and found their place in the world.
I realized that the essence of time and space has always been there. Historical stories and poets' inspirations merely explain and reinforce them from various aspects. Some essences of time and space still require us to constantly review and renew our understanding. While writing this essay and rereading the manuscript, I found that several materials had not been included. For instance, regarding the Grain in Ear solar term in June, time requires people to "not step on impropriety." My explanation for this was too rigid; in fact, if we associate it with rural life, we should be amazed by the coincidences. During the Grain in Ear period, when crops are ripe, some opportunistic people, especially those who want to gain without labor, might pretend to empty dirt from their shoes while passing through wheat fields, actually stealing a handful of wheat... Therefore, upright people passing by others' farmland would not lower their heads to adjust their shoes to avoid misunderstanding. This is the meaning of "not stepping on impropriety." While modern people might understand this as a result of scarcity in traditional rural societies, the behavior of casually taking from orchards and fields is not uncommon today. The Western philosopher Augustine stole pears from his neighbor's garden in his youth. Augustine did not let himself off easily; this incident became the starting point of his lifelong contemplation. His conclusion was not merely about not stepping on impropriety at the phenomenal level, but a profound examination of human sinfulness. Evidently, time gives people rich meanings, and meanings composed of historical and contemporary realities from home and abroad are continuously being generated.
The ripening of things in time reveals the original sin of human nature, a phenomenon that can be pondered and examined in our culture. Expressions like "resenting others' possessions," "being unable to bear others' success," "besieging a country experiencing economic takeoff," and so on, are examples. This book includes Chinese sayings like "calamity comes in August" and "it's auspicious to march south," which are all related to the covetousness of neighbors, neighboring villages, or countries during the summer and autumn when crops mature. The book even records an incident where the army of the state of Zheng harvested the Zhou king's grain right under his nose. Indeed, the relationship between humans and time can reveal people's temperament and principles, and can also show the state of an individual or a group. The truly principled attitude is: "If others have skills, consider them as your own; if others are virtuous and sage-like, appreciate them in your heart."
As a "sage of time," Confucius profoundly understood the importance of time for countries and societies. In answering how to govern a state, he said, "Follow the calendar of Xia, ride in the carriages of Yin, wear the ceremonial caps of Zhou." The Xia calendar is the lunar calendar that combines yin and yang. The importance of the Xia calendar lies in its observation of the birth of all things as the beginning of the four seasons. Confucius himself said: "What pleases me about the Xia calendar is that it takes the correctness of its time and the goodness of its orders." This means that the solar term time is not only correct, but its prescriptiveness for the human world, human body, and human life is also benevolent. Some dynasties did not use the Xia calendar as the standard, but started their time from the eleventh or even the tenth month, declaring "time has begun." In fact, this not only disrupted natural and agricultural time but also made people lose their bearings, losing their life coordinates by missing the right timing. Confucius saw that correctly adjusting and setting time could make the world revere it like the vast sky because each time has its own constitution. Each dimension of time has its own supreme prescriptiveness. In the era of globalization, Confucius's idea of "following the Xia calendar" means adopting the universal calendar, enjoying products from various countries, retaining Chinese elements, and embracing a global perspective.
Regrettably, as mentioned earlier, knowledge about solar terms and similar concepts was once monopolized by a few. Shamans, royalty, diviners, those who transmitted heavenly numbers, imperial astronomers, those who observed celestial phenomena, and various masters of divination, etc. – whether they were selfless in passing down this knowledge and whether they enlightened people with their dim understanding is questionable. Knowledge has been gradually disseminating, but even today, civilized society has not achieved the goal of distributing wealth among the people, decentralizing power to the masses, and cultivating wisdom in individuals. As Heidegger explained in "Being and Time," we must break away from subjective thinking and the technological view of time and space for humans to truly become "temporal beings." Heidegger thus predicted the alienation of modern humans: "Human existence is temporal, and time changes with human perception. In this sense, relativity theory is romantic, yet cruel... Since the time axis can be changed through perception, there's nothing impossible about deceiving oneself, others, or the world."
This is also why I highly value this book. Mr. Cai Youping once told me that for brewers, although collecting herbs for brewing is important, time is the most crucial parameter. Only when the time is right can the wine be truly moving. In this aspect, the solar terms can be considered the wisdom of Chinese civilization, the "being and time" that Chinese people have empirically verified over thousands of years. In an era where knowledge is disseminated to every individual, returning to the solar terms or time itself helps people reflect on their own integrity or spirit, facilitates self-growth, and allows people to retrieve more results from the river of time or the darkness of time. One problem with the large-scale dissemination of knowledge is that it makes everyone feel the pressure and temptation of knowledge, causing people to lose themselves in it. However, returning to time or solar terms should be a reliable coordinate in the ocean of knowledge. Like farmers of the past, we should feel the cycle of time and life; like poets, we should appreciate "the rose of time" and harvest "time as food": "Young people, your duty is to level the land, not to be anxious about time. What you do in March and April will have answers in August and September." "In a desolate valley, unpolluted, I listen to the teachings of a bird, gathering flowers and brewing honey to make my poetry. Beautiful sustenance, spiritual offerings, like some free wildflowers, growing lonely, withering. I wait for sunrise in my heart, like an old person's first love..."
Heidegger quoted Hölderlin's famous saying: "Life is full of toil, but we must still dwell poetically on this earth." In terms of the perception of time, traditional Chinese culture indeed had beautiful experiences of harmony between heaven and man, nature and the human heart. Go feel it, go comprehend it, go sing and cry: "If it's the spring wind and spring birds, autumn moon and autumn cicadas, summer clouds and summer rain, winter moon and severe cold, these are the four seasons that touch the poets. Joyous gatherings inspire poems of intimacy, leaving the group inspires poems of resentment. As for the minister of Chu leaving his land, the concubine of Han bidding farewell to the palace... the frontier traveler with thin clothes, the widow's tears exhausted; or the official removing his official belt to leave the court, never to return; the woman raising her eyebrows to enter favor, longing again to captivate the country; all these things that move the heart, how can their meaning be expressed without ancient poetry? How can their emotions be displayed without long songs?"
The richness of knowledge and the superiority of intelligence are not worth mentioning in the face of solar terms, because each of us must face ourselves. Shakyamuni sighed: "Excellent, excellent! All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Tathagata, but due to delusions and attachments, they have not realized it."
These are words to be believed!