Daxue (solar term)

The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms (節氣). Dàxuě (pīnyīn) or Taisetsu (rōmaji) (Chinese and Japanese: 大雪; Korean: 대설; Vietnamese: Đại tuyết; literally: "major snow") is the 21st solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 255° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 270°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 255°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 7 December and ends around 21 December (22 December East Asia time).

Pentads

• 鶡旦不鳴, 'The jie-bird ceases to crow': the jie is a bird, similar to the pheasant, which is believed to be aggressive and combatant. As winter progresses, even this active bird slows and ceases to crow.
• 虎始交, 'Tigers begin to mate'
• 荔挺生