East-West Question｜Shao Fengli: Why use "hour" instead of "big hour"? Gregorian Calendar | China News Service | Shao Fengli
China News Service, Beijing, May 10th: Why use “hour” instead of “hour”?
——Exclusive interview with Shao Fengli, professor of the School of Liberal Arts of Liaoning University
"When I wash my hands, the days pass by the basin; when I eat, the days pass by the rice bowl; when I am silent, the days pass by my gaze." Time is everywhere, and it is objective in a certain sense, but for The feeling of time is subjective. Some people see that "cherries turn red and bananas turn green", while others realize that "time crushes all things, and everything ages due to the power of time." "Clouds are different, things are different, places and countries are different." The differences in time cognition between different cultures are most easily reflected in the "measurement" and "quantity" of time.
What are the cultural implications of the naming and experience of time in the East and the West? Why do we use "hour" instead of "hour" today? How does this relate to China’s exchanges and interactions with the world? China News Service's "East-West Question" conducted an exclusive interview with Shao Fengli, a professor at the School of Liberal Arts of Liaoning University.
China News Service, Shao Fengli: The Chinese began to explore the laws of natural operation very early and accurately divided time. The popular way of dividing time in ancient China was the twelve hours, that is, one day is divided into twelve parts, and each hour is equivalent to two hours today. Each hour can be further divided into two parts, namely "beginning" and "zheng". For example, "Zi Shi" means 11 o'clock at midnight to 1 o'clock in the morning, while "Zi Chu" means 11 o'clock at midnight, and "Zi Zheng" means 12 o'clock at midnight. Therefore, one hour is the "big hour" and half an hour is the "hour".
A sundial located in the Forbidden City in Beijing. A sundial is a timekeeping instrument used by humans in ancient times to measure time using the shadow of the sun. Photo by Sun Zhongnan
Shao Fengli, China News Service: In fact, this is a relatively long development and evolution process.
Historically, at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, large mechanical clocks had entered China, and people began to be exposed to the twenty-four-hour timekeeping method. However, large mechanical clocks could only be seen in palaces, palaces and other places, so this timekeeping method was It has not become popular in society.
With the continuous advancement of watchmaking technology, small clocks and pocket watches began to circulate, and the twenty-four-hour timekeeping method began to be understood and accepted by more people. Until the early 20th century, the further development of industrial production required more accurate time calculation methods. The twenty-four-hour timing method began to have a comprehensive impact on society and life. In addition, teaching, transportation, medicine and other fields also began to use the twenty-four-hour timing method. , the traditional twelve-hour timekeeping method was slowly replaced, and "hour" replaced "big hour".
Tourists visit the Clock and Watch Hall of the Palace Museum in Beijing. Photo by Du Yang
Shao Fengli, China News Service: In ancient China, people used a unique time system called the lunar calendar to arrange the planting and harvesting of crops and celebrate festivals. This is a calendar system based on the lunar cycle, which is determined by agricultural seasons and astronomical observations. This time system has been used in China for thousands of years. The basic unit is the month, and each month usually starts with a new moon and lasts about 29.5 days. A year is divided into 12 months, which is 354 or 355 days, which is about 10 days shorter than the solar year. To align with the solar year, leap months are inserted into the lunar calendar system. A leap month is the addition of an extra month in some years.
The Chinese also have a time system formed by observing the movement of the sun - the twenty-four solar terms. It uses a cycle of the earth's revolution around the sun as a cycle, depicts the difference in the position of the sun on the ecliptic in different seasons of the year, as well as the occurrence of natural phenomena such as the coming and going of cold and summer, rainfall and snowfall, and records some phenology in nature. The moment when the phenomenon occurs. Therefore, the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" is a solar calendar that reflects the impact of the sun on the earth. The Twenty-Four Solar Terms divide a year into 24 parts, each of which lasts about 15 days, and each part has its own solar term name. Each of the twenty-four solar terms is divided into two parts: solar terms and middle energy. If a month has only solar terms but no middle energy, then this month is a leap month of the previous month.
On March 20, 2024, farmers in Liuzhou, Guangxi, seized the time to carry out seedling cultivation during the vernal equinox. Photo by Tang Xiaokui
China News Service, Shao Fengli: In Chinese culture, time is not only the physical time of the movement of the sun and moon, but also the humanistic time of the longevity of crops and the extension of life. There are four seasons in a year, each season has its own seasonal characteristics, and the Chinese give the four seasons unique spiritual qualities. The ancient people's concept of time is closely related to agricultural production. Spring planting, summer growth, autumn harvest, and winter storage. Among these four seasons, spring is the season of sowing and crop germination; and autumn is the season of harvest and joyful celebration. . During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the folk had formed the custom of praying for the spring and praying for the autumn harvest, that is, in the spring, they worshiped the land and held the Spring Festival to pray for good weather and abundant grains; in the autumn, they worshiped the land again and held the Autumn Festival to express gratitude for the gifts of the land. For people in agricultural societies, only a good harvest can provide people with food and clothing, so the Spring and Autumn Period are particularly important in the ancient people's concept of time.
China News Service, Shao Fengli: The traditional Chinese calendar, based on the needs of astronomical observation and agricultural production, has a long history and rich cultural connotation. It represents the Chinese nation’s observation and perception of nature, and can allow people to better understand and inherit traditional culture. . The traditional Chinese calendar reflects the changes in nature, reminds people to pay attention to and protect the ecological environment, and also provides certain guidance for health and wellness.
In the early morning of January 1, 2024, people welcomed the first ray of dawn of the new year at the Shanghai Top Observation Hall in Shanghai Center. January 1 of the Gregorian calendar and the Lunar New Year are both important festivals in China. Photo by Tang Yanjun
However, with the development of modern society and the increase in international exchanges, China also adopted the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar is an internationally accepted time system based on the Earth's revolution and is scientifically accurate and easy to unify. China uses both the Gregorian calendar and the lunar calendar, which reflects the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization. This approach of integrating Chinese and foreign countries not only retains the uniqueness of traditional culture, but also adapts to the needs of modern society. It reflects the Chinese people's respect for history and culture. Inheritance also demonstrates China’s open attitude and inclusive spirit in cultural exchanges.
China News Service, Shao Fengli: As the ancient Chinese time scale and calendar system, the Chinese lunar calendar and the 24 solar terms are still widely used in China and some Asian countries, and are of great significance and vitality.
The reason is that the lunar calendar and the twenty-four solar terms reflect the ancient Chinese people's observation and understanding of the natural environment. By observing the movements of the sun, moon and stars, ancient farmers concluded the time scale and calendar system closely related to agricultural production, arranged the time for important agricultural activities, and better engaged in agricultural production according to seasonal changes. The objectivity and scientific nature of the lunar calendar and the twenty-four solar terms make it still an important reference for agricultural activities today.
The lunar calendar and the 24 solar terms carry rich culture and traditions. The Chinese commemorate and celebrate various important festivals and events through the lunar calendar and the twenty-four solar terms. These festivals and activities have profound significance in Chinese culture and have been passed down from generation to generation, becoming an important element of Chinese identity and social cohesion.
On July 11, 2023, the first day of entering the ambush, in a hospital in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, medical staff applied "Sanfu patches" to children. "Sanfu Tie" is a traditional treatment method for winter diseases and summer diseases. Photo by Liu Wenhua
In addition, the lunar calendar and the 24 solar terms still have practical value in folk customs, medicine, meteorology and other fields. For example, in folk customs, they are used to guide activities such as weddings, sacrifices, and blessings. In medicine, they are used to guide the collection and use of traditional Chinese medicine. Meteorology is used to observe and predict weather changes.
China News Service, Shao Fengli: The traditional Chinese time scale and calendar carry rich historical, philosophical and cultural connotations. To strengthen the exploration and elucidation of its world significance, we can start from the following aspects:
First, we should increase academic research efforts, conduct in-depth research on the origin, evolution and application of traditional Chinese time scales and calendars, understand their impact on other cultures, and more deeply explore their world significance and connotations.
Second, government protection should be strengthened. By declaring the intangible cultural heritage of mankind, we promote the inheritance of relevant knowledge to ensure the effective protection and continuation of this precious cultural resource.
The 2021 spring flower viewing cultural event in Beijing Yuyuantan Park opens on the vernal equinox. A tourist wearing Hanfu takes photos in front of the cherry blossom trees. Photo by Yi Haifei
Third, social communication should be strengthened. Carry out exchanges and cooperation with scholars, research institutions and cultural organizations from other countries to promote cross-cultural understanding of the traditional Chinese time scale and calendar; integrate the traditional Chinese time scale and calendar into tourism development, hold relevant themed exhibitions, cultural festivals, etc.; integrate Literature, painting, music, movies, etc., enable the audience to better understand and feel its charm through art appreciation and experience.
Shao Fengli, Ph.D., is a professor at the School of Liberal Arts of Liaoning University, a master's tutor, a director of the Chinese Folklore Society, a member of the Folklore Subcommittee of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Terminology Approval Committee, and an intangible cultural heritage expert in the integration of culture and tourism in Liaoning Province. Mainly engaged in folklore and intangible cultural heritage research, he has published more than 40 papers in newspapers and periodicals such as Guangming Daily, Folklore Research, and Cultural Heritage, and published "Traditional Festivals and Social Governance - Field Survey Based on Manchu Villages in Liaoning "Zhu Xi's "Family Rites" and the Etiquette Practice of Folk Ancestor Worship in Traditional Society", "Family Traditions and Family Instructions and the Construction of Rural Civilization - A Case Study of Pei Bai Village in Wenxi, Shanxi" and other works, and has hosted two National Social Science Fund projects and a number of provincial scientific research projects.
