The top candidates in the provincial, metropolitan, and palace levels of the civil service examinations, specifically the 解元jièyuán, 会元huìyuán, and 状元zhuàngyuán; achieving first place in all three is called "continuous top honors"
Three Primordials
A collective term for the 15th day of the first, seventh, and tenth lunar months, known respectively as the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordials.
New Year's Day
The first day of the first lunar month, so named because it marks the beginning of a new year, month, and day.
the three realms
A philosophical or spiritual term referring to heaven, earth, and humanity; sometimes used in Taoism to refer to the three officials of the universe.
three-cycle period
A term in traditional divination or chronometry where a 180-year period is divided into three 60-year cycles called the upper, middle, and lower primordials.