The ancient Romans were among the first to carve up the year into quarters (four seasons), which has been widely adopted by Western countries*. But not every culture in the world divides a year into four seasons like that in modern Western countries. Different cultures have different ways of separating a year into seasons. A year may be divided into five seasons or more.
Per Indian Hindu Calendar, there are six seasons in a year: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn or pre-winter, and winter
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are five seasons in a year:
- Spring
- Summer
- Late summer
- Autumn
- Winter
The Vietnamese five seasons are similar to the Chinese seasons: Spring, Summer, monsoon (rainy season), autumn, and winter.
The five seasons are widely used in China for the purpose of cultivating body energy, curing illnesses, building strong organs and bodies, as well as farming. There are particular organs that require special care in each of the five seasons. For instance, summer heat results in increased blood circulation, forcing the heart to work harder to pump more blood throughout the body. Summer is the time when heart problems usually arise or worsen because of the extra workload and pressure on the heart. Be sure to take special care of your heart during the summer to avoid these heart-related health issues and to maintain a healthy heart for the entire year.
* Winter is a time of regeneration: we’ll miss it when it’s gone, by Bernd Brunner, posted on Aeon.co: https://aeon.co/ideas/winter-is-a-time-of-regeneration-well-miss-it-when-its-gone