Li Chun / 立春

Li Chun / 立春

The beginning of spring is known to the Chinese as Li Chun / 立春 (Lap Chun in Cantonese) and it is the first term of the 24 terms in the Chinese solar calendar. These 24 solar term is also known as Jie Chi / 節氣.

Li Chun falls between 3rd or 4th February every year, and it is an important day to the ancient chinese farmers. They would often celebrate the beginning of Li Chun with ceremonies and worships for a prosperous year. Traditionally, it is believed that a clear day on Li Chun would means good harvest through the year while a raining day is a sign to the farmers that they should take extra precaution on their crops for the year.

In Chinese astrology, Regardless of when the first day of Chinese lunar new year begins, those born BEFORE the time of Li Chun are known to belong to the 12 Chinese zodiac sign of the previous year and those born AFTER the time of Li Chun are born with the astrological sign of the current year.

It is believed that if two Li Chun falls within the same year of the lunar calendar, it would be an auspicious year known as a Shuang Chun Nian / 雙春年 / Double Spring Year while a year in the lunar calendar without Li Chun is known as a Mang Nian / 盲年 / Blind Year or Gua Fu Nian / 寡婦年 / Widow Year. A lunar year without Li Chun is said to be an omen of bad luck and many chinese believed that it is inauspicious to get married in these blind years.

Kindly visit Auspicious Dates for Chinese New Year 2016 to obtain the transition time of Li Chun / 立春 for year 2016.

Egg balancing on Li Chun.

On the day of Li Chun, a strange phenomenon is known to happen. It is belief that it is much easier to balance an egg on its end during this time. Some explanation has it that this amazing balancing act is said to be due to the sun crossing the equator, making night and day equal on all parts of the earth.

Li Chun / 立春

Li Chun / 立春


My Time – my.72dragon.com – A web blog cataloging chinese temples in malaysia / 記錄馬來西亞廟宇文化.

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    • You get a lunar new year without Li Chun when the lunar new year begins after Li Chun. Meaning when Chinese New Year begins after Feb 3-4 (Li Chun day).

  1. How do we calculate the time for Li Chun? Because in Feb 4th, 2014, it is started at 6.05am (Horse Year) and if we take a look to 6.04am (Snake Year) it is not counted yet. How can it be only 1 minute different then it is not counted as Horse Year? Pls adv and thanks

    • Hi Lee,

      We did not formulate the timing for Li Chun. The time and date were taken from the almanac. If you have found out how the time was formulated, we would be glad that you could share it here.

      Cheers and A happy Chinese New Year.

    • Hi, You will get Double Li Chun / Shuang Chun Nian / 雙春年 when the Li Chun of THIS and NEXT year falls between one Lunar year. The next Shuang Chun Nian will be in 2017.

  2. Hi, thanks for this information. Unfortunately, many people these days do not know the significance of Lichun. Especially in regard to the transition of the zodiac signs, people have come to believe in following the Chinese lunar new year; they believe that the first day of the lunar new year marks a new zodiac sign. That is however, actually true if Yuan Shi Kai, former-president of the ROC did not change the Chinese New Year’s date. It used to fall on Lichun prior to 1913.

  3. Do you have the timing on Li Chun on 2012?
    My baby born on 3rd February 2012, and I’m not particularly sure which zodiac he belongs to

    • Hi, Li Chun for 2012 falls on 4th February at 18.24pm Beijing time. Based on chinese astrology, the RABBIT would be a zodiac sign of your baby. Cheers.

    • Hi Jason, Li Chun for 2017 falls on 3rd February at 23.35pm Beijing time. Based on chinese astrology, the ROOSTER would be a zodiac sign of your baby. Cheers.