分至

fēn zhì

The equinoxes and the solstices · fen zhi

Also rendered: The equinoxes and the solstices (this site; 分 is where day and night are parted, 至 where the qi reaches its end) · The two equinoxes and the two solstices (more explicit, and longer than the two graphs the chapter uses)

Cosmology

Reviewed · 2026-10-14

At a glance

Pinyin: fēn zhì
Simplified: 分至
Literal: 分 fēn — to divide, the point where day and night are parted equally; 至 zhì — to reach, the point where the qi reaches its limit. 分 are the two equinoxes, 至 the two solstices, and the chapter defines both by what the qi does.
Shuowen: **《說文》：分，别也；至，鳥飛从高下至地也**。**「分至」本篇一見**；**「分」字本篇11見，「至」字38見，二字單用者多（分治、各差其分、至而和則平）**；**「正紀」本篇一見，「天地之正紀」即此詞之註**；**此段緊接幽明之問，故分至為幽明之配所生**

In brief

The two equinoxes and the two solstices, defined by the state of the qi rather than by the calendar: 岐伯曰：氣至之謂至，氣分之謂分。至則氣同，分則氣異。所謂天地之正紀也. At a solstice the qi is single — 冬至 is pure yin and 夏至 pure yang, so the qi is the same throughout; at an equinox the qi is divided — at 春分 yang is on the left and yin on the right, and the reverse at 秋分, so the qi is not the same. The chapter calls the pair 天地之正紀, the regular record of heaven and earth, which is the same phrase it uses at the very end for the six qi’s own register. It is given here as the sequel to 幽明: the dark and the bright are cold and heat, and the four points are where cold and heat turn.

Senses in the classical corpus

The two 分、至

分者二分，至者二至

分至何如 — Suwen 74

至 defined 氣至之謂至

氣至其極而止

氣至之謂至 — Suwen 74

分 defined 氣分之謂分

氣分而各半

氣分之謂分 — Suwen 74

The solstices 至則氣同

冬純陰、夏純陽

至則氣同 — Suwen 74

The equinoxes 分則氣異

陰陽各半而相間

分則氣異 — Suwen 74

What they are 天地之正紀

一歲之紀以此為正

所謂天地之正紀也 — Suwen 74

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

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1 passages

Suwen 74 Suwen 74 · 至真要大論 Read in context →

歧伯曰：兩陰交盡，故曰幽；兩陽合明，故曰明。幽明之配，寒暑之異也。帝曰：分至何如？歧伯曰：氣至之謂至，氣分之謂分。至則氣同，分則氣異。所謂天地之正紀也。帝曰：夫子言春秋氣始于前，冬夏氣始于後，余已知之矣。然六氣往復，主歲不常也，其補冩柰何？歧伯曰：上下所主，隨其攸利，正其味，則其要也。左右同法。歧伯曰：两阴交尽，故曰幽；两阳合明，故曰明。幽明之配，寒暑之异也。帝曰：分至何如？歧伯曰：气至之谓至，气分之谓分。至则气同，分则气异。所谓天地之正纪也。帝曰：夫子言春秋气始于前，冬夏气始于后，余已知之矣。然六气往复，主岁不常也，其补写奈何？歧伯曰：上下所主，随其攸利，正其味，则其要也。左右同法。

Qí bó yuē: liǎng yīn jiāo jìn, gù yuē yōu; liǎng yáng hé míng, gù yuē míng. Yōu míng zhī pèi, hán shǔ zhī yì yě. Dì yuē: fēn zhì hé rú? Qí bó yuē: qì zhì zhī wèi zhì, qì fēn zhī wèi fēn. Zhì zé qì tóng, fēn zé qì yì. Suǒ wèi tiān dì zhī zhèng jì yě. Dì yuē: fū zǐ yán chūn qiū qì shǐ yú qián, dōng xià qì shǐ yú hòu, yú yǐ zhī zhī yǐ. Rán liù qì wǎng fù, zhǔ suì bù cháng yě, qí bǔ xiè nài hé? Qí bó yuē: shàng xià suǒ zhǔ, suí qí yōu lì, zhèng qí wèi, zé qí yào yě. Zuǒ yòu tóng fǎ.

Qi Bo said: two yins crossing come to an end, hence it is called the dark; two yangs joined make brightness, hence it is called the bright. The pairing of dark and bright is the difference of cold and heat. Huang Di said: what of the equinoxes and the solstices? Qi Bo said: the arriving of qi is called the solstice; the dividing of qi is called the equinox. At the solstice the qi is the same; at the equinox the qi differs. This is what is called the upright order of heaven and earth. Huang Di said: you say the qi of spring and autumn begins before, and the qi of winter and summer begins after — I know that already. But the six qi go and return, and the governance of the year is not constant; how is the draining and supplementing? Qi Bo said: what the upper and the lower govern, follow where it benefits and rectify its flavour — that is the essential. The left and the right follow the same law.

**「分至」本篇一見，即此句**；**「氣至之謂至，氣分之謂分」二句為其釋**；**「至則氣同，分則氣異」八字分疏二至二分**；**「所謂天地之正紀也」一句，與篇末「六氣正紀」同其語而異其事**

Compounds built on this term

天地之正紀

tiān dì zhī zhèng jì

the regular record of heaven and earth

本篇一見；分至之定名

幽明

yōu míng

the dark and the bright

本篇2見；分至之上文

各差其分

gè chà qí fèn

each differs in its measure

本篇一見；四時之差，與分至相參

三十度

sān shí dù

thirty degrees

本篇一見；差數，度者日也

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

This site	the equinoxes and the solstices	defined by sameness and difference in the qi rather than by the sun's course
Literal	the divisions and the reaches	exact about both graphs, and it means nothing without the gloss
Descriptive	the four turning-points of the year	clear, and it collapses the two kinds into one

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Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-14

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