Guyu 穀雨, Grain Rain: the last term of spring

Guyu (穀雨, Gogu in Korean), "Grain Rain", is the sixth and last solar term of spring. At solar longitude 30 degrees, warm rain soaks the fields just as rice seed is being readied, and spring hands over to early summer.

Dates and place in the calendar

Guyu came on 20 April 2026 at 10:39 Korea time, and arrives on 20 April 2027 at 16:18. It is a qi (middle) term inside the Dragon month opened by Qingming, so the month pillar is 壬辰 in 2026 and 甲辰 in 2027. The next term, Lixia, opens summer.

Grain Rain at a glance: 2026 and 2027
Item	2026	2027
Moment (KST)	2026-04-20 10:39	2027-04-20 16:18
Sun longitude	30°	30°
Kind	qi (中氣) - middle of a month	qi (中氣) - middle of a month
Year pillar in force	丙午	丁未
Month pillar in force	壬辰	甲辰
Time since Clear and Bright 清明	15 d 6 h 59 min	15 d 7 h 1 min
Time to Start of Summer 立夏	15 d 10 h 10 min	15 d 10 h 7 min
Shift from 2026 to 2027	-	365 d 5 h 39 min

Why the gaps between terms keep growing

If you line up the spring terms, the space between them slowly stretches. From Lichun to Yushui in 2026 the gap was 14 days 19 hours 50 minutes; from Guyu to Lixia it is 15 days 10 hours 10 minutes. The reason is orbital. Each term is a fixed 15-degree step of the sun along the ecliptic, but the Earth moves more slowly when it is farther from the sun, which happens in the northern summer. So each 15-degree step takes a little longer as the year moves toward July, and a little less toward January.

Gaps between spring terms grow longer
Interval	2026	2027
Start of Spring -> Rain Water	14 d 19 h 50 min	14 d 19 h 47 min
Rain Water -> Awakening of Insects	14 d 22 h 7 min	14 d 22 h 6 min
Awakening of Insects -> Spring Equinox	15 d 0 h 47 min	15 d 0 h 46 min
Spring Equinox -> Clear and Bright	15 d 3 h 54 min	15 d 3 h 52 min
Clear and Bright -> Grain Rain	15 d 6 h 59 min	15 d 7 h 1 min
Grain Rain -> Start of Summer	15 d 10 h 10 min	15 d 10 h 7 min
Start of Summer -> Grain Buds	15 d 12 h 48 min	15 d 12 h 53 min

What the name means

穀 means grain and 雨 means rain. The name says the rain of this season "gives birth to the hundred grains". In five-phase terms the tradition reads Guyu as the Water stored in the Earth branch 辰 finally reaching the seeds, a moment when moisture and warmth meet.

What changes in nature

By late April Korea is fully green. Paddies are flooded and farmers soak rice seed; tea bushes on the southern hills put out their first tender leaves. The almanac's pentads: duckweed begins to grow on ponds, the turtledove shakes its feathers, and the hoopoe settles in the mulberry trees - a sign that silkworm season is near.

萍始生 - duckweed begins to grow
鳴鳩拂其羽 - the cooing dove preens its wings
戴勝降于桑 - the hoopoe alights on the mulberry

Seasonal foods

Korean green tea picked before Guyu is called ujeon (雨前, "before the rain") and is prized as the most delicate first flush. Yellow croaker caught at this time was traditionally called gogu-sari and valued for its taste. Dureup and water parsley (minari) are still in season, and a bowl of rice with lightly seasoned spring greens remains the simplest seasonal meal.

Gentle habits for late spring

Days are warm but nights can still be cool, and rain makes the air damp. It is a good time to wash and sun winter bedding, put away heavy coats and air out closets. Light gardening, repotting or planting a few herbs suits the season's mood of sowing. The tradition simply suggests dressing in layers and not rushing into summer habits too soon.

Korean customs

Soaking rice seed (bopssi damgeugi) is the classic Guyu task, and old farming sayings treat rain on this day as a good sign for the year's planting. In some mountain areas people collected birch sap around Guyu, known as gogumul, "Guyu water". In China the tree peony is nicknamed the "Guyu flower" because it blooms now.

A classical line for the season

唯有牡丹真國色，花開時節動京城。

Only the peony has true national beauty; when it blooms, the whole capital is stirred.

Liu Yuxi, "Admiring the Peonies (賞牡丹)"

Questions

Is Guyu the last spring term?

Yes. The six spring terms run from Lichun to Guyu; the next term, Lixia, is the Start of Summer.

What is ujeon tea?

Green tea picked before Guyu - ujeon means "before the rain". It is the first, most tender picking of the year.

Why is Guyu to Lixia longer than Lichun to Yushui?

The Earth moves more slowly in its orbit toward northern summer, so the sun takes longer to cover each 15-degree step: 15 d 10 h 10 min versus 14 d 19 h 50 min in 2026.

Which month pillar is in force at Guyu?

The Dragon month: 壬辰 in 2026 and 甲辰 in 2027.

Recipes for this season

Abalone Rice Porridge (Jeonbokjuk) and the Water ElementKorean abalone porridge in 40 minutes: 2 abalone, 1 cup of rice, 6 cups of water. Why the tradition reads it as an even, all-season Water dish.Broccoli and Tofu Salad: a 15-Minute Wood and Water SideA 15-minute Korean side of blanched broccoli and mashed tofu, and how the five-element tradition reads its green Wood and soft Water.Garlic Chive Pancake (Buchujeon): a Spring Wood DishCrisp garlic chive pancake in 20 minutes with 1 cup of pancake mix and 1 egg. A warm Wood dish the tradition pairs with spring and summer.Braised Tofu with Kelp: a Water and Earth Side DishTofu braised in kelp broth and soy sauce in 20 minutes. An even, year-round side dish the tradition reads as Water and Earth together.Beef Seaweed Soup (Miyeokguk) and Its ElementsKorean beef and seaweed soup in 35 minutes: 15 g dried seaweed, 150 g beef, 6 cups water. A warm Water and Earth soup for autumn, winter and spring.Spinach Doenjang Soup: Green Wood in a 15-Minute BowlSpinach and tofu soybean-paste soup in 15 minutes with 4 cups of anchovy broth. A Wood and Earth soup for spring, autumn and winter.