What is the lunar April called, and what are its alternative names?
The lunar April is usually called:槐月 (Hua Yue), 孟夏 (Meng Xia), 首夏 (Shou Xia), 初夏 (Chu Xia), 阴月 (Yin Yue), 麦月 ( Mai Yue), 梅月 (Mei Yue), 纯月 (Chun Yue), 清和 (Qing He), 余月 (Yu Yue).槐月
With lush branches and leaves, the locust trees blossom with yellow and white flowers, so people call April "Hua Yue".
孟夏
It refers to early summer, i.e., the fourth month of the lunar calendar. In the four seasons of the lunar year, each season has the terms "Meng", "Zhong", and "Ji". The three months of summer in the lunar calendar, i.e., the fourth, fifth, and sixth months, are respectively called "Meng Xia", "Zhong Xia", and "Ji Xia".
初夏
The first month of summer. It is also known as Meng Xia. The fourth month of the lunar calendar enters summer, and the temperature warms up. April has alternative names such as Meng Xia, Yin Yue, and Mei Yue.
阴月
An alternative name for the fourth month of the lunar calendar. According to "Xijing Zaji" Volume 5: "In the fourth month, although yang is at work, it is not alone; this month is purely yang, and seems to have no yin, hence it is also called Yin Yue."
麦月
Refers to the fourth month of the lunar calendar. Cai Yong explains in "Yueling Zhangju": "Each grain has its own spring when it first grows and autumn when it matures. Wheat matures in early summer, hence it is called autumn." Therefore, the fourth month is called Mai Yue.
梅月
Refers to the fourth month of the lunar calendar. It also generally refers to the plum rain season. Qian Xiu from the Former Shu Dynasty wrote in his poem "Ji Wang Di": "Plum months open many doors, clothes are damp and dripping." Li Tinggui from the Southern Tang Dynasty wrote in his poem "Cang Mo Jue": "Suspend the gourd bag to avoid the heat, and pass the plum month in the wind."
清和
It is an alternative name for the traditional lunar April. Qing Yuan Mei wrote in "Suiyuan Shi Hua" Volume Fifteen: "Zhang Pingzi's 'Gui Tian Fu': 'Zhong Chun Ling Yue.' This refers to February. Xiao Xie followed this, so he said: 'First summer is still clear and harmonious, fragrant grass has not yet ceased.' People later removed the word 'still' and mistakenly took April as 'Qing He'. "
Seasonal Terms of the Lunar April
小满 (Xiaoman)Xiaoman refers to the time of Xiaoman, when the grains of summer crops begin to fill and become round but are not yet mature, just slightly full. As one of the twenty-four seasonal terms in China, the seasonal term occurs between May 21st and 22nd each year, marked by the sun reaching 60 degrees of the zodiac.
芒种 (Mangzhong)
Mangzhong means "wheat with awns is about to be harvested, and rice with awns can be planted." As the ninth seasonal term among the twenty-four seasonal terms in China, and also the third seasonal term of summer, its arrival signifies the beginning of the hot summer season. It is marked by the sun reaching 75 degrees of the zodiac.
