Lichun 立春
Lì Chūn · Start of Spring — the instant the zodiac year actually changes.
What it means
Lichun is the first of the twenty-four solar terms and marks the beginning of the Chinese solar year. It is an astronomical instant, not a date: the moment the sun reaches 315° of ecliptic longitude, which falls on 3, 4 or 5 February depending on the year. Both the year pillar and the first solar month begin at that instant.
Why it matters
Lichun is the single most common source of error in English-language zodiac material. A great many sites set the sign change at Chinese New Year, which can be three weeks away in either direction, and some use 1 January. In classical BaZi practice the year pillar turns at Lichun, so anyone born in January or the first days of February needs the exact moment checked rather than assumed.
| Year | Lichun (Beijing time) | Chinese New Year | Sign from Lichun |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2025-02-03 22:10 | 2025-01-29 | Snake |
| 2026 | 2026-02-04 04:02 | 2026-02-17 | Horse |
| 2027 | 2027-02-04 09:46 | 2027-02-06 | Goat |
| 2028 | 2028-02-04 15:31 | 2028-01-26 | Monkey |
Where this site uses it
Every page on this site states the Lichun boundary, and the zodiac calculator applies it to a specific birth date and time instead of guessing from the calendar year.