“土圭测景”与二十四节气

“Tugui Ceying” and the Twenty-Four Solar Terms

西周初年,周公为营建成周城而进行的＂土圭测景＂活动,为＂二十四节气＂的产生奠定了科学基础。至迟在战国中期,我国明显具有河洛地区物候特征的＂二十四节气＂已经逐渐成熟并被广泛使用。＂二十四节气＂是当时世界上最先进的历法节令,比罗马＂儒略历＂早300多年。2000多年来,它对我国农业经济的发展起到了巨大的促进作用。

In the early days of the Western Zhou, in order to build the city of Chengzhou, Duke Zhou determined the center of China through observing the shadow of ＂tugui＂ under the sun. That lay a scientific foundation for the invention of the 24 Solar Terms. As late as the middle Warring States period, the the 24 Solar Terms, showing evident phonological traits of the Heluo region, became sophisticated and was widely used. The 24 Solar Terms were the most advanced calendar in the world in its time and about 300 years earlier than the establishment of the Julian calendar. For more than 2000 years, the 24 Solar Terms have played an important role in Chinese agriculture.