Paremias within the “twenty-four solar terms” thematic group in Chinese: a linguoculturological analysis of the chrononyms Lichun, Qingming, and Dongzhi.

Aim. This article examines Chinese paremias containing chrononym components through the lenses of linguoculturology and linguoaxiology. This study aims to analyze the representation of the chrononyms Lichun (beginning of spring), Qingming (clear days), and Dongzhi (winter solstice), which operate at the intersection of seasonal solar points and traditional festivals, and to identify the key value dominants embedded within these paremias.

Methodology. The research material is based on an original database comprising approximately 3,000 units of paremia, selected via the continuous sampling method from the Collection of Agricultural Proverbs on the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. Linguoculturological, semantic, and interpretative methods of analysis were employed, allowing for the examination of paremias as cultural omen-texts with predictive functions and the identification of ethnolinguistic markers within festive traditions.

Results. The study demonstrates that paremias concerning the festival-seasons of Lichun, Qingming, and Dongzhi possess a dual nature: they record meteorological and agricultural experience while simultaneously transmitting cultural meanings. These festivals became entrenched in the language due to their high folkloric density compared to other chrononyms in the twenty-four-season cycle. It was established that ritual practices (flogging the spring bull, spring outings, ancestor veneration, and the consumption of seasonal dishes) function as stable ethnolinguistic markers of cultural memory. Gastronomic symbols (spring pancakes, green glutinous rice ball qingtuan, dumplings) exhibit axiological syncretism, bridging ideas of physical well-being, ritual purity, and the honoring of traditions.

Research implications. This research expands the understanding of the Chinese paremiological system as a carrier of linguocultural information and clarifies the role of festival-chrononyms in the formation of ethnocultural meanings. The compiled database and the findings obtained can be utilized in further studies on linguoculturology and intercultural communication, as well as in the practice of teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

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