天正

tiānzhèng

noun #85,062

Meanings

1 the Zhou calendar's first month (the 11th lunar month, containing the winter solstice)
2 the winter solstice itself (classical)

Characters

first / upright

Examples

周以建子之月为天正。

Zhōu yǐ jiànzǐ zhī yuè wéi tiānzhèng.

The Zhou dynasty took the 'jian-zi' month as the 'heavenly first' (its year's beginning).

冬至古称天正，是一年阳气初生之时。

Dōngzhì gǔ chēng tiānzhèng, shì yì nián yángqì chū shēng zhī shí.

The winter solstice was anciently called tiānzhèng — the moment when yang energy is first reborn.

Tips

history

Ancient dynasties disagreed over which lunar month started the year. Zhou began its calendar at the winter-solstice month (天正, 'heaven's first'), Shang at the following month (地正), Xia at the one after (人正) — the Xia system survives in today's 农历.

Stroke Order

天 tiān

正 zhèng