unMing journal

#general

2 articles tagged #general.

2026-01-23#glossary #general
What Are the Twenty-Four Solar Terms?
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms (èr shí sì jié qì) are time nodes that divide the solar year into twenty-four equal segments of roughly fifteen days each, based on the sun’s position along the ecliptic. They precisely indicate seasonal and phenological changes. This article explains the structure of the solar terms, their decisive role in Four Pillars chart construction (using Start of Spring to set the year pillar and the seasonal nodes to set the month pillar), the correspondence between solar terms and the movement of the Five Elements, and common misconceptions such as “the Chinese New Year changes the zodiac animal.”
2026-01-08#glossary #general
What Is Yin Yang?
Yin Yang (yīn yáng / 阴阳) is the foundational category of Chinese philosophy and metaphysics — two faces of a single energy, mutually rooted, mutually complementary, waxing, waning, and transforming into each other. This article explains what Yin Yang is and how the logic works, how the ten Heavenly Stems, twelve Earthly Branches, Ten Gods, and hexagram lines map onto Yin and Yang, how the balance shapes personality, career, and relationships, and clarifies common misreadings such as "yang strong is always good and yin strong is always weak."