Ukuqala kwekwindla kuyigama leshumi nantathu lelanga le-“Twenty-Four Solar Terms” kanye negama lokuqala lelanga ekwindla. I-Dou ibhekisela eningizimu-ntshonalanga, ilanga lifinyelela ku-135° ecliptic longitude, futhi lihlangana ngo-Agasti 7 noma 8 wekhalenda likaGregory minyaka yonke. Ukushintsha kwemvelo yonke kuyinqubo eyenzeka kancane kancane. Ukuqala kwekwindla kuyisimo sokuguquka lapho i-yang qi incipha kancane kancane, i-yin qi ikhula kancane kancane, kanti i-yang qi ishintsha kancane kancane ibe yi-yin qi. Emvelweni, konke kuqala ukukhula kusukela ekuchumeni kuye ekufiphaleni nasekuvuthweni.

Ukuqala kwekwindla akusho ukuphela kwesimo sezulu esishisayo. Ukuqala kwekwindla kusesesikhathini esishisayo, futhi ihlobo alikaphumi. Isikhathi sesibili selanga ekwindla (ukuphela kwehlobo) yihlobo, kanti isimo sezulu sisashisa kakhulu ekuqaleni kwekwindla. Lokho okubizwa ngokuthi “ukushisa kungama-volt amathathu”, futhi kukhona isisho esithi “i-volt eyodwa ngemva kwekwindla”, futhi kuzoba okungenani “i-volt eyodwa” yesimo sezulu esishisayo kakhulu ngemva kokuqala kwekwindla. Ngokwendlela yokubala ye-“San Fu”, usuku “lweLiqiu” luvame ukuba sesikhathini esiphakathi, okungukuthi, ihlobo elishisayo alikapheli, futhi ukuphola kwangempela kuvame ukuza ngemva kwesikhathi selanga seBailu. Indawo eshisayo nepholile akuyona ukuqala kwekwindla.

Ngemva kokungena ekwindla, ishintsha isuka ehlobo elinemvula, elinomswakama nelishisayo iye esimweni sezulu esomile nesomile ekwindla. Ngokwemvelo, i-yin ne-yang qi ziqala ukushintsha, futhi zonke izinto ziwohloka kancane kancane njengoba i-yang qi ishona. Ushintsho olusobala kakhulu ekwindla yilapho amaqabunga eshintsha esuka eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka aye kophuzi bese eqala ukuwisa amaqabunga bese izitshalo ziqala ukuvuthwa. Ukuqala kwekwindla kungenye “yezinkathi ezine nemikhosi eyisishiyagalombili” ezikhathini zasendulo. Kukhona isiko phakathi kwabantu lokukhulekela onkulunkulu bezwe nokugubha isivuno. Kukhona namasiko anjengokunamathela amafutha ekwindla” kanye “nokuluma kwekwindla”.