Instrument of the Heavens and Earth

The central diagram represents a celestial or terrestrial globe, illustrating the major circles of the sphere and the path of the sun.

The equator is represented by the central horizontal band.

The ecliptic (the sun's annual path) is represented by the diagonal band, inscribed with the twenty-four solar terms.

...Summer Solstice, Minor Heat, Major Heat, Beginning of Autumn, End of Heat, Autumnal Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost Descent, Beginning of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, Major Cold, Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insects, Vernal Equinox, Pure Brightness, Grain Rain, Beginning of Summer, Grain Buds, Grain in Ear... These 24 solar terms divide the year into segments based on the sun’s position, used traditionally to guide agricultural activities.