Meaning of Gogu (穀雨) — the 6th of the 24 Solar Terms, around April 19-21
Gogu (穀雨) is the 6th of the 24 solar terms, falling around April 19-21, when the sun reaches celestial longitude 30°.
At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 穀雨 |
| Season | 🌱 Spring |
| Gregorian timing | Around April 19-21 |
| Solar longitude | 30° |
| Saju monthly command | Mid-qi (中氣) — the middle of the month |
| Key ideas | Rain that nourishes grain, rice seedbeds |
Meaning and Origins
Gogu means “rain (雨) that nourishes grain (穀).” It is the final solar term of spring, when spring rain is understood to enrich all grains. Around this time, people soaked rice seeds and prepared seedbeds.
Customs and Foods
People believed that drinking “Gogu water,” sap collected from birch and hardy kiwi trees deep in the mountains, was good for the body. Ujeoncha (雨前茶), tea made from leaves picked before Gogu, is still regarded as a premium tea today.
Saju and the Solar Term
Gogu is a mid-qi (中氣), marking the middle of the lunar month. In myeongli, the boundaries of the month pillar (月柱) are based on the twelve seasonal nodes (節), while the mid-qi is read as the point when that month’s qi becomes most concentrated.
Wisdom for This Time
As rain helps grain grow, this is a time for steady watering — try adding a little care each day to something you have already started.
Learn More
- View all 24 solar terms: 24절기 사전
- Today’s iljin, zodiac, and tarot: 오늘의 우주 (oiyo.net)
- A saju calendar moved by the solar terms: 사주 대사전
The solar terms are a seasonal calendar that divides the sun’s path into twenty-four parts. This is a traditional explanation based on the climate of the Korean Peninsula; the actual date can vary by about a day each year.
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