Cheongmyeong (淸明) Meaning and Customs - the 5th of the 24 Solar Terms, around April 4-6
Cheongmyeong (淸明) is the 5th of the 24 solar terms. It arrives around April 4-6, when the sun reaches 15° ecliptic longitude.
At a glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 淸明 |
| Season | 🌱 Spring |
| Gregorian timing | Around April 4-6 |
| Solar ecliptic longitude | 15° |
| Saju monthly order | Solar-term boundary (節) - from this day, Jin (辰) month begins |
| Key themes | Clear sky, tree planting, ancestral grave visits |
Meaning and origin
Cheongmyeong means that the sky is clear (淸) and bright (明). It refers to a spring day when the sky is considered especially clean and luminous. Because it usually falls only about one day apart from Hansik (寒食), Korea has the saying, “Whether one dies on Cheongmyeong or on Hansik,” meaning there is little practical difference between two very close things.
Customs and foods
People visited ancestral graves, paid respects, and tended the burial sites. Cheongmyeong was also regarded as one of the best times for planting trees. The seasonal force of growth was considered so strong that people said even a fire poker stuck in the ground on Cheongmyeong would sprout.
Saju and the solar terms
The calendar used in Myeongri, or Four Pillars astrology, moves by solar terms. Cheongmyeong is one of the 12 major solar-term boundaries (節), and from this day, the month pillar (月柱) in Saju changes to Jin (辰) month. This is why the sexagenary sign of the birth month is determined by solar terms, not by the lunar calendar date.
Wisdom of this season
A solar term when anything planted begins to grow - if there is a beginning you have postponed, the days around Cheongmyeong are a fitting time.
Learn more
- View all 24 solar terms: 24 Solar Terms Dictionary
- Today’s day sign, zodiac, and tarot: Today’s Cosmos (oiyo.net)
- The Saju calendar that moves by solar terms: Saju Encyclopedia
The solar terms are a seasonal calendar that divides the sun’s path into 24 parts. This is a traditional explanation based on the climate of the Korean Peninsula, and the actual date may vary by about one day from year to year.
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