2024/03/20 05:11 Weather News
March 20, 2024 (Wednesday) is the “Vernal Equinox Day”, and the 24 solar terms can also refer to a period of time, and this year’s Vernal Equinox will be from March 20th to April 3rd.
The vernal equinox is the day when the sun rises due east and sets due west, and day and night are approximately equal in length. According to the 24 solar terms, “spring” starts from the first day of spring, but in astronomy, “spring” is the period from the vernal equinox to the day before the summer solstice (June 21st this year).
Let’s take a closer look at the spring equinox, both in name and reality.
The vernal equinox is “chunichi”
The “Spring Equinox” is a total of seven days, three days before and after the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox is also the “Chunichi”.
In the Saijiki, simply speaking “Higan” refers to the spring equinox, and it is treated as a season word for spring.
The same goes for autumn, with the day of the autumnal equinox being Chunichi, and the seven days before and after it being called “Autumn Equinox” and “Later Equinox.”
Higan originally refers to the state of enlightenment in Buddhism, where there is no hesitation. On the other hand, the world we currently live in is “this shore,” a real world full of confusion.
Eventually, the image of the Pure Land of Paradise came to be superimposed on the equinox.
There are many people who visit graves on the equinox. In Japan, it was once believed that the Pure Land of Paradise was located in the west.
The vernal equinox, when the sun sets due west, is thought to be the day closest to the Pure Land, and it is said that the spring and autumnal equinoxes are associated with memorial services, and that Buddhist services have come to be held during these seasons.
There is also a saying, “The heat and the cold are all the way to the equinoctial shore”. The weather is said to be hot until the autumn equinox, cold until the spring equinox, and after that the weather becomes moderate.
“Spring is Akebono” is good!
~Spring is dawn. The mountains are slowly turning white, and a little light shines through, and thin wisps of purple clouds waft through them.
This is the beginning of “The Pillow Book.”
“Makura no Soshi” is an essay written by Sei Shonagon, a female poet who lived during the mid-Heian period. The Pillow Book begins with a story about the seasons.
How did Sei Shonagon view spring? In modern language, it means: Let’s translate it a little more pop.
Early morning is nice in spring. It’s nice to see the gradually whitening sky over the mountains becoming a little brighter and the purple-tinted clouds waving thinly.
Some people may think that Sei Shonagon was a very early riser, but it is said that the aristocrats of the Heian period often stayed up late.
If so, Sei Shonagon may have stayed up until dawn admiring Akebono.
A relaxing and calm “spring sea”
The calm and idyllic “spring sea” is often written about in haiku.
~Spring sea all day long~
This is a haiku by Yosa Buson, a haiku poet and painter from the middle of the Edo period. The word “all day” is pronounced “hinemos” and means “from morning until night” or “all day long.”
Under the soft sunlight, you can see the calm spring sea gently undulating all day long.
March 27th is “Sakura Day”
Every year, March 27th is “Sakura Day”. The Japan Cherry Blossom Festival, a public interest incorporated foundation, is based on the period of “Sakura First Opening” of the 72nd December and the combination of words “3 x 9 (blooming, cherry blossoms) = 27”. Established by the Association.
The custom of admiring cherry blossoms is one of Japan’s traditional cultures.
It is said that cherry blossom viewing began in the Nara period with admiring plum blossoms, but since the Heian period, cherry blossom viewing has become more popular.
~If there were no cherry blossoms in the world, the heart of spring would be better off~
This is a waka poem written by Ariwara no Narihira, a poet of the early Heian period and one of the Rokukasen.
It means, “If there were no cherry blossoms in this world, how peaceful would the hearts of people who spend spring be?” That’s why cherry blossoms take away the calmness of people’s hearts.
During the vernal equinox, the fiscal year ends and a new one begins. This season is different from the year-end and New Year holidays, and is the season of beginnings.
It might be a good idea to start something new with a fresh mindset.
Reference materials etc.
Supervision/Keiko Yamashita: Writer. Books such as “24 solar terms and 72 seasons’ seasonal notebook” (Seibidoshuppan) and “72 seasons of Japanese beauty” (PHP Institute) explore the beauty of the Japanese language and words from the Japanese calendar. There are many books written by him.