Correlative Cosmology in Chinese Medicine: The 12 Organ Systems and their Relationship to the 12 Months of the Year, the 24 Seasonal Nodes (jieqi), and the 72 Material Manifestations (wuhou)

正月

(February 4/5)

LUNG

(Beginning of Spring)

(315°)

Yushui 雨水

(Rain Water)

(330°)

• Dongfeng jiedong 東風解凍 (The East Wind Liberates From Icy Shackles)

• Zhechong shi zhen 蟄蟲始振 (Hibernating Insects Begin to Stir)

• Yu shang bing 魚上冰 (Fish Rise Up to the Ice)

• Ta ji yu 獺祭魚 (Otters Sacrifice Fish)

• Hongyan lai 鴻雁來 (Swan Geese Appear)

• Caomu mengdong 草木萌動 (Vegetation Sprouts)

二月

(March 5/6)

LARGE INTESTINE

(Awakening of Insects)

(345°)

Chunfen 春分

(Spring Equinox)

(0°)

• Tao shi hua 桃始華 (Peach Trees Begin to Blossom)

• Canggeng ming 倉庚鳴 (Orioles Sing)

• Ying hua wei jiu 鷹化爲鳩 (Hawks Transform Into Cuckoos)

• Xuanniao zhi 玄鳥至 (Swallows Arrive)

• Lei nai fasheng 雷乃發聲 (Thunder Starts Resounding)

• Shi dian 始電 (Beginning of Lightning)

三月

(April 4/5)

STOMACH

(Clear and Bright)

(15°)

Guyu 穀雨

(Grain Rain)

(30°)

• Tong shi hua 桐始華 (Tung Trees Begin to Blossom)

• Tianshu hua wei ru 田鼠化為鴽 (Field Voles Transform Into Quails)

• Hong shi jian 虹始見 (Rainbows Begin to Appear)

• Ping shi sheng 萍始生 (Duckweed Begins to Grow)

• Mingjiu fu qi yu 鳴鳩拂其羽 (Cuckoos Flutter Their Wings)

• Daisheng jiang yu sang 戴勝降于桑 (Hoopoes Land on Mulberry Trees)

立夏

(May 5/6)

SPLEEN

(Beginning of Summer)

(45°)

Xiaoman 穀雨

(Minor Fullness)

(60°)

• Luguo ming 螻蟈鳴 (Mole Crickets Croon)

• Qiuyin chu 蚯蚓出 (Earthworms Emerge)

• Wanggua sheng 王瓜生 (Snake Gourds Grow)

• Kucai xiu 苦菜秀 (Sow Thistles Are in Seed)

• Micao si 靡草死 (Shepherd’s Purses Expire)

• Xiaoshu zhi 小暑至 (麥秋至) (Minor Summer Heat Expires)

五月

(June 5/6)

HEART

(Bearded Grain)

(75°)

Xiazhi 夏至

(Summer Solstice)

(90°)

• Tanglang sheng 螳螂生 (Praying Mantises Are Born)

• Ju shi ming 鵙始鳴 (Shrikes Begin to Sing)

• Fanshe wusheng 反舌無聲 (Mocking Birds Cease to Vocalize)

• Lujiao jie 鹿角解 (Deer Shed Their Horns)

• Tiao shi ming 蜩 (蟬) 始鳴 (Cicadas Begin to Sing)

• Banxia sheng 半夏生 (Pinellia Grows)

六月

(July 7/8)

SMALL INTESTINE

(Minor Heat)

(105°)

Dashu 大暑

(Major Heat)

(120°)

• Wenfeng zhi 溫風（始）至 (Sultry  Winds Arrive)

• Xishuai ju bi 蟋蟀居壁 (Crickets Take Up Residence in Walls)

• Ying nai xuexi 鷹乃學習 (Young Hawks Learn How to Fly)

• Fucao hua wei ying 腐草化為螢 (Decaying Grass Transforms Into Fire Flies)

• Tu run ru shu 土潤溽暑 (The Earth Lies Wet Beneath Sweltering Heat)

• Dayu shixing 大雨時行 (Heavy Rain Falls Intermittently)

七月

(August 7/8)

BLADDER

(Beginning of Autumn)

(135°)

Chushu 處暑

(End of Heat)

(150°)

• Liangfeng zhi 涼風至 (Cool Winds Arrive)

• Bailu jiang 白露降 (White Dew Descends)

• Hanchan ming 寒蟬鳴 (Autumn Crickets Sing)

• Ying nai ji niao 鷹乃祭鳥 (Hawks Start to Sacrifice Birds)

• Tiandi shi su 天地始肅 (Heaven and Earth Become Austere)

• He nai deng 禾乃登 (Rice Plants Are Harvested and Presented as Offering)

八月

(September 7/8)

KIDNEY

(White Dew)

(165°)

Qiufen 秋分

(Autumn Equinox)

(180°)

• Hongyan lai 鴻雁來 (Swan Geese Pass Through)

• Xuanniao gui 玄鳥歸 (Swallows Go Back)

• Qunniao yangxiu 群鳥養羞 (Flocks of Birds Stockpile Morsels)

• Lei shi shousheng 雷始收聲 (Thunder Begins to Retract Its Sound)

• Zhechong pei hu 蟄蟲培戶 (Hibernating Insects Reinforce Their Shelters)

• Shui shi he 水始涸(Water Begins to Dry Up)

九月

(October 8/9)

PERICARDIUM

(Cold Dew)

(195°)

Shuangjiang 霜降

(Hoarfrost Descends)

(210°)

• Hongyan lai bin 鴻雁來賓 (Swan Geese Come and Stay)

• Jue ru dashui wei ge 爵入大水爲蛤 (Siskins Dive Into the Watery Abyss to Become Clams)

• Ju you huanghua 菊有黃華 (Chrysanthemums Display Yellow Flowers)

• Chai nai ji shou 犲乃祭獸 (Dholes Start to Sacrifice Beasts)

• Caomu huangluo 草木黃落(Vegetation Withers and Defoliates)

• Zhechong xianfu 蟄蟲咸附 (Hibernating Insects Stop Up Their Burrows)

十月

(November 7/8)

TRIPLE WARMER

(Beginning of Winter)

(225°)

Xiaoxue 小雪

(Minor Snow)

(240°)

• Shui shi bing 水始冰 (Water Begins to Freeze)

• Di shi dong 地始凍 (Earth Begins to Harden)

• Zhi ru dashui wei shen 雉入大水為蜃 (Pheasants Dive Into the Watery Abyss to Become Giant Clams)

• Hong cang bujian 虹藏不見 (Rainbows Stay Hidden and Out of Sight)

• Tianqi shangteng, diqi xiajiang 天氣上騰，地氣下降 (Heavenly Qi Ascends, Earthly Qi Descends)

• Bisai er cheng dong 閉塞而成冬 (All is Shut Up and Has Reached Its Wintry End)

十一月

(December 7/8)

GALL BLADDER

(Major Snow)

(255°)

Dongzhi 冬至

(Winter Solstice)

(270°)

• Hedan bu ming 鶡旦不鳴 (Spangled Drongos Cease to Sing)

• Hu shi jiao 虎始交 (Tigers Begin to Couple)

• Li tingsheng 荔挺生 (Water Irises Grow)

• Qiuyin jie 蚯蚓結 (Earthworms Congeal)

• Mijiao jie麋角解 (Moose Deer Shed Their Horns)

• Shuiquan dong 水泉動 (Aquifers Churn)

十二月

(January 5/6)

LIVER

(Minor Cold)

(285°)

Dahan 大寒

(Major Cold)

(300°)

• Yan bei xiang 雁北向 (Geese Head North)

• Que shi chao 鵲始巢 (Magpies Begin Nest-Building)

• Zhi shi gou 雉始雊 (Ring-necked Pheasants Begin to Crow)

• Ji shi ru 雞始乳 (Hens Begin to Breed)

• Zhiniao liji 鷙鳥厲疾 (Birds of Prey Act Fierce and Swift)

• Shuize fujian 水澤腹堅 (Rivers and Lakes Are Frozen Within)