Lesser Fullness (xiaoman).[Photo provided to China Daily]

The committee said the inscription would give Chinese people an awareness of "the importance of transmitting and safeguarding intangible cultural heritage at the national level, as well as an enhanced understanding of regional variations of solar terms".

It also said the inscription would advance international "dialogue between traditional systems of knowledge about time", so that people would appreciate and respect cultural diversity and human creativity.

Fifth invention

The solar terms are viewed as "China's fifth invention" in international meteorological circles. The system originated in areas along the Yellow River which for a long period were China's political and economic center.

A solar term is any of 24 points on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar which matches an astronomical event or signifies a natural phenomenon. The points are spaced 15 degrees apart along the ecliptic and were used to keep lunisolar calendars synchronized with the seasons.