24 solar term pillars constructed in Beijing

Recently, 24 solar terms pillars 二十四节气柱 appeared on the south moat's bank in Beijing (located near the south gate of Temple of Heaven). The 24 pillars are divided into four groups x 6 pillars - representing the 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

The 24 solar terms are spaced 15° apart along the ecliptic and are used by the Chinese calendar, representing the Sun's motion on the celestial sphere as seen from Earth. For a first time, the 24 solar terms are mentioned in the classic of Huainanzi 《淮南子·天文训》, written in 2nd century BC, during Han dynasty in China.




The solar term pillar "Beginning of Spring" Li chun

Emperor Yongzhen and Astrology

Emperor Yongzhen 雍正 (13.12.1678 – 8.10.1735) from Qing Dynasty in China had a great passion in Four Pillars Chinese Astrology and I Ching divination.



He often checked the Four Pillars astrology chart of his officials and generals, analyzed what is the of situation of their individual 10-year cycles, what was the strength of their day master/personality. When his high officials were sick, the emperor did some calculations to see how will their diseases develop, etc. He did all calculations and horoscopes by himself.

When this emperor had to decide the appointment of new officials and generals to go for important work at the boundaries of the country or do some other special mission, he first checked not their merits, experience or level of knowledge, but their Ba Zi 八字 (the Four Pillars): whether their four pillars chart is suitable for this kind of job, is there a clash or combination of the branches between their chart and the geographical direction of the mission; are there signs in their charts of turning against the emperor; is there a combination and good harmony aspects between the his own horoscope chart and that of the officials.

Emperor Yong Zhen in a Taoist attire


Annie Pecheva
Hanlin Academy

Yin Yang crop circle

Whoever has made this Yin Yang crop circle on 07.07.2007 in Stantonbury Hill, N. Somerset, UK, probably knows Chinese:

the 12 ornaments around the Yin-Yang monad resemble the Chinese character 丰 feng, which means "abundance".

Is this a wish for abundant harvest?

The Mid-Autumn Festival and the energy

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), celebrated widely in East Asia. It marks the full moon that is nearest to the September Equinox, always occurring on the 15th lunar day of the 8th lunar month.

According to the Chinese tradition, this is supposed to be the biggest and fullest moon of the year. However, in fact this perception comes because of the clear sky view in the Autumn in China and other East-Asian countries, when the humidity particles of the Summer have already disappeared and the moon now looks very clear and bright.

Here is more info about the Mid-Autumn Festival:
Mid-Autumn Festival

In other parts of the world, this specific full moon is known as Harvest Moon. Here is a citation from wikipedia:

"Often, the Harvest Moon seems to be bigger or brighter or more colorful than other moons. These effects have to do with the seasonal tilt of the earth. The warm color of the moon shortly after it rises is caused by light from the moon passing through a greater amount of atmospheric particles than when the moon is overhead. The atmosphere scatters the bluish component of moonlight (which is really reflected white light from the sun), but allows the reddish component of the light to travel a straighter path to one's eyes".

Similar to all other new moons and full moons during the year, as well as the days of moon perigee and apogee, the 1-2 days around the Mid-Autumn Festival are very important time for meditation and receiving energy from the moon, according to qigong.



Annie Pecheva

To know the order of Nature...

"To know the order of Nature and regard the universe as orderly is the highest function of the mind".

-- Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher