March is done. We entered it just after 雨水 (Yǔshuǐ, Rain Water), rode through 惊蛰 (Jīngzhé, Awakening of Insects) and 春分 (Chūnfēn, Spring Equinox), observed 龙抬头, 观音诞, and Easter, and emerged on the other side with Wood energy at full strength. If February was the opening act of spring, March was the first main chapter.
This wrapup does three things: reviews what March covered so you can catch anything you missed, gives you a Wood-season self-check to take stock of your body and home, and previews April with exact dates and a first-week to-do list. If you started March with us at the March Kickoff, this closes the loop.
Table of Contents
What March Covered
March was dense. Two solar terms, multiple festivals, and a full cycle of home, body, food, and culture content. Here is the month at a glance — click through to anything you missed.
Solar terms and festivals
| Date | Event | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 6 | 惊蛰 Jīngzhé (Awakening of Insects) | Solar Term Guide |
| Mar 9 | 龙抬头 Dragon Raises Its Head | Dragon Day Guide |
| Mar 14 | US Daylight Saving Time | Spring Forward Plan |
| Mar 19 | 花朝节 Flower Festival | Flower Festival Guide |
| Mar 21 | 春分 Chūnfēn (Spring Equinox) | Equinox Guide |
| Mar 26 | 观音诞 Guanyin's Birthday / Good Friday | Guanyin Guide |
| Mar 28 | Easter Sunday | Easter East-West |
Home feng shui
- Spring Cleaning 2027 — the room-by-room order based on the annual flying star chart
- East Sector in 2027 — why the East needs quiet this year (Star 7)
- Balcony Garden Feng Shui — apartment growers and direction-specific tips
- Bedroom for Spring — lighter layers, earlier light, Wood-season colors
- Q1 Wealth Check-In — reviewing your wealth corner six weeks into the Goat year
- Kitchen for Spring — raw vs cooked, sprout safety, Fire-Wood balance
- Wet-Weather Entry — mudroom systems for rainy March
- Qingming Home Prep — setting up or refreshing the ancestor shelf
TCM wellness
- Wind Season — why spring brings headaches and stiff necks
- 踏青 Spring Walk Protocol — the 20-minute morning walk as medicine
- DST Spring Forward — a 5-day plan for the lost hour
- Spring Allergies — acupressure, nasal care, and food adjustments
- Liver Emotions — anger, frustration, and spring's emotional weather
- Spring Skin — wind, pollen, and itch care
Food therapy
- The Sour Paradox — vinegar, plums, and the 省酸增甘 rule
- 惊蛰 Pears — the tradition and four preparations
- Wild Spring Greens — shepherd's purse, dandelion, and foraging safety
- Spring Soups — lighter broths after winter's bone broth season
- 明前茶 Pre-Qingming Tea — the first spring green tea pick
- Spring Bamboo Shoots — prep, recipes, and cautions
- Tofu in Spring — five Wood-season dishes
Wood-Season Self-Check
We are now deep enough into Wood season to feel its effects clearly. Take a few minutes to run through this self-assessment. It is not a diagnostic tool — it is a mirror. If several items on the "overactive" side ring true, you may need to ease off and cool down. If the "deficient" side resonates, you may need more movement, greens, and morning light.
| Wood Overactive (Liver Excess) | Wood Deficient (Liver Stagnant) |
|---|---|
| Irritability, short temper, impatience | Feeling stuck, unmotivated, heavy |
| Red, itchy eyes or skin flushing | Sighing frequently, chest or rib tightness |
| Headaches (especially temporal or behind the eyes) | Low energy despite adequate sleep |
| Waking between 1-3 AM | Difficulty making decisions, foggy thinking |
| Bitter taste in the mouth, acid reflux | Cold hands and feet despite warmer weather |
| Craving sour or spicy foods intensely | No appetite, bloating after meals |
If Wood is overactive
- More cooling foods (mung bean soup, chrysanthemum tea, tofu, cucumber)
- Less alcohol, chili, lamb, fried food
- Gentle exercise — walking, stretching — rather than intense workouts
- Earlier bedtime; protect the 1-3 AM Liver window
If Wood is deficient or stagnant
- More movement, especially morning outdoor walks
- Add slightly sour foods (a splash of vinegar, a few goji berries) to gently stimulate the Liver
- Green vegetables at every meal
- Express rather than suppress frustration — journaling, talking, creative work
Quick audit: home, body, calendar
Run through these nine yes-or-no prompts. Any "no" is an action item for the first week of April.
| Area | Prompt | Yes / No |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Is the SE sector (Star 8) still clean, lit, and active since the spring cleaning? | |
| Home | Is the East sector quiet — no renovations, loud speakers, or new water features placed there? | |
| Home | Has the entryway mat been washed or swapped in the last two weeks? | |
| Body | Are you sleeping before 11 PM at least five nights a week? | |
| Body | Have you eaten green vegetables every day this week? | |
| Body | Have you taken a morning walk outdoors at least three times this week? | |
| Calendar | Is 清明 Monday April 5 blocked for ancestor observance (even 30 minutes)? | |
| Calendar | Do you have a plan for the 上巳 weekend (Friday April 9) — a walk by water, a picnic, an outing? | |
| Calendar | Have you ordered 明前茶 spring green tea before the April 5 cutoff? |
Three or more "no" answers is normal at the end of a busy month. The purpose is not guilt — it is clarity about where to focus next week.
April 2027 Preview
April carries us from mid-spring into late spring. Wood energy remains strong through mid-month, then begins its transition toward Earth and the dampness that precedes summer. Here are the key dates.
| Date | Event | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, April 5 | 清明 Qīngmíng | Tomb-sweeping day. Visit graves, clean ancestor spaces, or observe at home. Also the line for 明前茶 (pre-Qingming tea) — the most prized spring green tea is picked before this date. See our Qingming guide and the home preparation article. |
| Friday, April 9 | 上巳节 Shàngsì Jié (lunar 3/3) | The ancient spring purification festival. Traditionally a day for bathing in rivers, picnicking by water, and celebrating fertility and renewal. A less well-known festival today, but worth observing with a spring outing. |
| Tuesday, April 20 | 谷雨 Gǔyǔ (Grain Rain) | The last solar term of spring and the line for 雨前茶 (pre-Grain Rain tea). After 谷雨, rain increases, dampness rises, and the body begins to need dampness-draining strategies. The bridge from spring to summer starts here. |
| Thursday, April 22 | Earth Day | A natural fit for feng shui's Earth element and sustainable living. Our Earth Day feng shui guide covers how to honor the day at home. |
The tea timeline
If you are a green tea drinker, April has two important markers. 明前茶 (míngqián chá) — tea picked before Qingming (April 5) — is the most tender and prized spring harvest. 雨前茶 (yǔqián chá) — tea picked between Qingming and Grain Rain (April 5-20) — is slightly more robust and still excellent. After 谷雨, the leaves coarsen and the premium spring window closes. If you want to buy a special spring tea this year, order before mid-April.
The Shift: Wood Peak Toward Late-Spring Dampness
March was dry wind and rising Liver heat. April introduces a new factor: 湿 (shī) — dampness. As rain increases after 谷雨, the environment becomes more humid, and the body faces a different challenge.
In Five Element terms, late spring is the transition zone where Wood begins to generate Fire, and Earth energy starts to stir. The Spleen — the Earth organ — is vulnerable to dampness. If March was about managing wind and Liver heat, April is about supporting the Spleen and keeping dampness from settling.
What changes in April
- Diet shifts again. Less focus on cooling the Liver; more focus on gentle Spleen support. Warming, drying foods like barley, Job's tears, and lightly cooked greens become more important.
- Movement becomes essential. Dampness is heavy and sinking. The best antidote is movement — walking, stretching, anything that keeps qi circulating and prevents stagnation.
- Home needs moisture management. As rain increases, watch for dampness in the entry, bathroom, and kitchen. Ventilation and dehumidification become daily concerns, not weekly ones.
- Sleep schedule stays early. The 1-3 AM Liver window matters all spring. As daylight extends, resist the urge to stay up later. The body still needs the same recovery time.
First Week of April To-Do List
Get ahead of April with this first-week checklist. Print it, screenshot it, or just read through and commit to three items.
| Area | Task | When |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Prepare or refresh the ancestor shelf for 清明 (Apr 5) | Apr 1-4 |
| Home | Check the SE and S sectors — are they still activated from the spring cleaning? | Apr 1 |
| Home | Deep-clean the entry mat and boot tray for the rainy weeks ahead | Apr 2 |
| Body | Take the Wood-season self-check above and adjust diet accordingly | Today |
| Body | Stock Job's tears and barley for dampness-draining congee next week | Apr 3 |
| Kitchen | Order spring green tea if you have not already — 明前茶 deadline is Apr 5 | ASAP |
| Calendar | Block 清明 Monday Apr 5 for observance — even 30 minutes at the ancestor shelf counts | Today |
| Calendar | Plan an outdoor outing for the 上巳 weekend (Apr 9-11) — a picnic, a park walk, a river visit | This week |
If you only do three things from the list: block 清明 on Monday April 5, take the body self-check above and act on one finding, and clean your entry zone before the heavier rains arrive after 谷雨 on Tuesday April 20. Those three moves carry more weight than a perfect score on the full checklist.
March was a month of waking up — insects, trees, energy, and you. April asks you to sustain that momentum while staying grounded. The wind eases, the rain comes, and the year's first real warmth arrives. Stay light, stay moving, and stay with us.
See you in the February Wrapup if you missed it, and look for the April Kickoff on April 1.
Your Spring Check-In
Halfway through spring is the perfect time for a BaZi and home feng shui review. What is working, what needs adjusting, and how to set up the next three months. Let's look together.
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