Solar term 2 of 24 · Earth · spring
Pure Brightness 清明
Clear air, wet ground. The season turns a corner.
Qīngmíng · begins 5 April 2026 · approximately fifteen days
The first Earth month of the year: a hinge between rising spring and the fullness to come. Traditionally a time for tending graves and for walking out into the new green — the two are the same gesture, looking backward and forward in one afternoon.
The three micro-seasons
Every term divides into three pentads of about five days.
- Paulownia blooms
- Voles become quails
- Rainbows appear
What to do in these fifteen days
- Take one long walk without a destination. This is the walk the month is named for.
- Tidy a small thing you have been stepping around for weeks.
- Cook something that takes two hours. The point is the two hours.
On the table
Fresh herbs — mugwort, dill, parsley · Rice with spring vegetables, eaten warm
One question
Who would you tell about this year, if you could only tell one person?
Seasonal and cultural information only. Not medical advice, and no claim is made about treating any condition. See method & limits.