The Book of Time
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Summary
The solar terms are the backdrop and time of Chinese existence, as well as a guide to production and daily life. With a grand sweep and a unique perspective, the book introduces common knowledge about the solar terms in astronomy, climate, agriculture, health preservation, history, aesthetics, and philosophical concepts.
The solar terms are also related to our feelings and understanding of life, nature, and the universe; they contain the Chinese people's wisdom of observing heaven and earth and their philosophy of survival, serving as a reference for how our ancestors conducted themselves and found their place in life. Revisiting the solar terms is not merely nostalgia for a lost pastoral idyll but a journey of rediscovery and renewal—a search for roots.
Only by understanding the many meanings of the solar terms and regaining the rhythm and vitality of time can we establish our own order of life and find peace within time.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginning readers who want a systematic understanding of the twenty-four solar terms and traditional cultural knowledge
- People interested in reflecting on the sense of time, life rhythms, and personal order
- Readers who enjoy slow reading and browsing with the seasons
- Readers interested in intersections of astronomy, farming, health preservation, and philosophy
Not a good fit for
- Utility-oriented readers who only want to quickly look up solar-term dates and farming rhymes
- Readers expecting purely literary essays or pure storytelling
- Readers with little patience for conceptual, cross-disciplinary discussion
Reading tips
- Read in solar-term order, taking up each chapter as that term arrives, following the rhythm of nature.
- While reading, pay attention to passages linking solar terms with your own experience of life, and jot down seasonal observations.
- Read alongside a calendar or weather log to ground abstract discussion in your daily experience.
- First read through for the framework; afterward, revisit relevant chapters with the seasons each year—rereading brings fresh insight.
About the publisher
Founded in 1983, Tianjin Ancient Books Publishing House focuses on collating ancient texts, academic works in literature and history, and books on traditional culture, with additional titles on calligraphy and antique appreciation. Judging from its catalog, its publishing centers on classical and folk literature, represented by two-volume editions of the four great classics—Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Water Margin—reflecting an approach of making ancient works accessible. It also publishes historical novels such as Tang Haoming's Zeng Guofan and Yang Du, along with prose and essays by Chen Nianxi (Renjian Lüguan) and Yu Shicun, touching on literary appreciation and cultural themes. Its authors range from classical writers Cao Xueqin, Wu Cheng'en, Luo Guanzhong, and Shi Nai'an to contemporary figures like Tang Haoming, Chen Nianxi, and Yu Shicun, showing a parallel commitment to collating ancient texts and contemporary literary-historical writing. Public information is limited, so its series structure and specific editorial methods are not detailed here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 自序 行夏之时 ——关于二十四节气
- 春
- 立春 ○ 天下雷行而育万物
- 雨水 ○ 君子以思患而预防之
- 惊蛰 ○ 天地盈虚，与时消息
- 春分 ○ 君子以类族辨物
- 清明 ○ 君子以议德行
- 谷雨 ○ 君子以同而异
- 夏
- 立夏 ○ 君子以辅相天地之宜
- 小满 ○ 君子以饮食宴乐
- 芒种 ○ 君子以非礼勿履
- 夏至 ○ 君子以自强不息
- 小暑 ○ 君子以正位凝命
- 大暑 ○ 君子以劳民劝相
- 秋
- 立秋 ○ 君子以作事谋始
- 处暑 ○ 君子以慎辨物居方
- 白露 ○ 君子以常习德教
- 秋分 ○ 君子遁世无闷
- 寒露 ○ 君子以矫枉过正
- 霜降 ○ 君子以反身修德
- 冬
- 立冬 ○ 君子以俭德避难
- 小雪 ○ 君子以自昭明德
- 大雪 ○ 君子以寒江独钓
- 冬至 ○ 君子以见天地之心
- 小寒 ○ 君子以经纶
- 大寒 ○ 君子以修省
- 后记 和节气的无数次约会
FAQ
How is this book different from ordinary books of solar-term knowledge?
Can readers without a traditional-culture background understand it?
Why is it suggested to read with the seasons rather than all at once?
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About the author
Yu Shicun, born in Suizhou, Hubei in 1969, graduated from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University and is a contemporary scholar, poet and writer. He formerly served as executive editor of Strategy and Management and has hosted the Contemporary Chinese Language Contribution Award, devoting long-term attention to Chinese time culture and spiritual life. His writing spans cultural essays, miscellaneous prose, education and documentary literature. Representative works include The Book of Time, The Book of Festivals, 1839: A Journey of Gong Zizhen, Chinese Family Traditions, Eastern Classics and Be Your Own Lighthouse; six of his works are held in the collection. His writing often starts from solar terms, festivals, family histories and figures' journeys, connecting traditional experience with contemporary circumstances, and is both informative and readable. Several of his books have received the Wenjin Book Award.
