24 Solar Terms: 6 things you must know about Awakening of Insects

The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Awakening of Insects (Chinese: 驚蟄) falls on March 5 and ends on March 19 this year.

Awakening of Insects signals a rise in temperature and increased rainfall. As the third solar term in the solar year, its name alludes to the fact that animals sleeping in winter are awakened by spring thunder and that the earth begins to come back to life. It is the key time for spring agricultural activities.

Here are 6 things you may not know about Awakening of Insects.