Chinese calendar

The Chinese calendar, today as " almanac " (Chinese农历/农历, Pinyin Nónglì ) denotes, was the official calendar of the Empire of China. He is a combination of a lunisolar calendar and a solar calendar. The traditional name was Huangli (皇 历, also黄 历, imperial calendar '); names used today are also Xiali (夏历, Chinese calendar '), Yinli (阴历, lunar calendar ') or JIULI (旧历, Chinese lunar calendar '). Officially, the Chinese calendar was replaced after the end of the Qing Dynasty on January 1, 1912, the date of the founding of the Republic of China, by the Gregorian calendar. The turmoil in the years after the founding of the Republic, the Chinese civil war and the partial occupation of China by Japan prevented, first, that the new calendar system in China Xili (西 历, western calendar ') or Gongli (公历, civic calendar ') called is, across the country prevailed. Therefore, the government of the Kuomintang renewed the introduction of the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1929 and the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 was the Western calendar in all of China. In the People's Republic of China while the western era, the count was taken over from the birth of Christ, while is counted in the Republic of China on official documents from establishment of the Republic in 1912 (see Minguo calendar).

The Chinese calendar is still in the whole Chinese -speaking world for the calculation of the traditional Chinese holidays, such as the " Spring Festival " on the 1st day of the 1st month (春节/春节, Chunjie ), the "Dragon Boat Festival " on the 5th day of the 5th month (端午节, Duānwǔjié ), the " moon Festival " on the 15th day of the 8th month (中秋, Zhongqiu ) and the " double nine festival " on the 9th day of the 9th month (重九 节, Chóngjiǔ, also 重阳节, Chóngyángjié ) used. In addition, he serves supporters of Chinese astrology as the basis for defining "better " days to celebrate festivals and celebrations, or the avoidance of special activities " bad days ".

• 2.1 The ten Heavenly Stems
• 2.2 The Twelve Earthly Branches
• 2.3 The 60 combinations

• 3.1 spring
• 3.2 summer
• 3.3 fall
• 3.4 Winter
• 3.5 Watch poem

• 5.1 The Tibetan calendar
• 5.2 The Uighur "Twelve Animals Calendar"

Rules

Today's calendar, which applies since the reform of 1645, which was carried out with the help of the Jesuits (Adam Schall von Bell ), can be summarized in the following five rules:

Demarcation to the 12 years divisions (节气) and the 12 Zhongqi (中 气)

These are based on the solar year and have nothing to do with the lunisolar calendar. This is illustrated by the example of the year 2012:

2012 began the Water Dragon year ( in the 60 -year cycle ;壬辰Renchen the 29th year ), which runs from January 23 2012 to 9 February 2013. It has the 4 ( Chinese ) month as ( 13 ) leap month.

The beginning of the Chinese (calendar) year (New Year) may be between January 21 and February 21 and also 13 months (and seven leap months within 19 years ).

Italics denote beginnings month is a leap month (闰), which is inserted after the regular month.

Each month (in the lunisolar calendar! ) Assigned two years divisions, the second annual classification of Zhongqi (the "central" Years classification ). The date (. Example, 4th-6th April ) marks the beginning of each annual scheduling period, which then lasts until the beginning of next year scheduling period: so take the 5th period "Bright clarity " of 4 - 6th April to 19th - 21st April. Behind the months are the Earthly Branches in parentheses.

The twelve Zhongqi divide the ecliptic into twelve parts, each of 30 °, the solstices and equinoxes are four of the twelve Zhongqi. The mean time interval between two Zhongqi thus is one twelfth of a tropical year or 30.43685 days and is slightly longer than the mean synodic month of 29.53059 days.

The calculation of the Chinese calendar, is such a complicated, because it is not based upon the average values ​​but on the exact astronomical positions of the moon and sun. The time between two Zhongqi fluctuates from 29.44 to 31.44 days, a synodic month from 29.27 to 29.84 days. Therefore, it happens in rare cases that fall at one month, two Zhongqi and there are months to which no Zhongqi falls, although not leap months are (apparent leap months ).

Chinese leap months (1984-2025)

The 60 - cycle

The 60 - cycle of years, months and days consists of a cycle of ten heavenly stems ( tiāngān天干) and the twelve Earthly Branches ( dizhi地支), better known as the twelve zodiac together. The 60- day cycle goes back at least to the 13th century BC, and the 60 - month cycle is old. The 60- year cycle was introduced in the 3rd century during the Han Dynasty. Today, only the 60 -year cycle or the 12 -year cycle of the zodiac, among other things, the Chinese astrology is important.

The ten Heavenly Stems

The ten Heavenly Stems are a combination of the five phases and yin and yang.

The twelve Earthly Branches

The Twelve Earthly Branches are used not only for the calendar old numbering system throughout CJKV culture. Since every earthly branch next to the number is also assigned to another animal, there is a 1:1 relationship between earthly branch and zodiac. In the West, these animal characters are often equated with the zodiac sign of Western astronomy and astrology; but in fact the two names has nothing to do with each other. The Chinese Earthly Branches ( zodiac ) are also used to describe the years in a twelve -year cycle.

The Twelve Earthly Branches are also used to divide the day into twelve (double) hours. Here子is the hour at midnight ,午the hour around noon. In Chinese, who to this day the names下午receive xiawu (Ch afternoon) and上午, Shangwu (Ch morning), as well as in the Japanese and Korean wǔqián (午前, gozen jap, kor. Ojeon ) for morning and wǔhòu (午后, gogo jap, kor. ohu ) for the afternoon.

According to the Chinese calendar year begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice. [Note 1] The Chinese New Year may occur after the Gregorian calendar between January 21 and February 21. The annual length can vary 353-385 days, as the year of seven short months x 29 days and five long months of 30 days or eight long months of 30 days and five short months can consist à 29 days.

People in Asia believe in a horoscope cycle, which was the time of the Han Dynasty. The emergence of this cycle goes back to a legend: For New Year Buddha invited all animals to a feast of his universe. But only twelve appeared - first the rat, the buffalo, followed by Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and finally the Pig animal. To thank Buddha made his followers the gift that each ruler should be more than a year and could determine all events and destinies. Indeed, according to legend, the Chinese horoscope.

The 60 combinations

Since 60 is the least common multiple of 10 and 12, there are 60 combinations of stem and branch ( Ganzhi干支), even after the first combination jiǎzǐ (甲子) called. The right table shows the 60 combinations with the corresponding years are listed in the period 1864-2103. It should be noted that the Chinese New Year (see above) does not coincide with that of the Gregorian calendar.

The 24 stations of the year

The Year of the Chinese calendar Bauer (also festival calendar ,农历, nónglì ) is divided into 24 stations, 24-year divisions ( Jieqi节气), which divide the solar year into 24 parts. More specifically, the ecliptic is in 24 parts ( each of 15 °, Chunfen = 0 ° to jingzhe = 345 ° ) is divided. These stations are traditionally important for the Chinese agriculture and, even today in most calendars in China and Taiwan. Climatically they are more likely to meet for North China, South China less.

Starting with Yǔshuǐ (雨水) every second station Zhongqi (中 气). Because of leap years in the Gregorian calendar and the elliptical orbit of the earth is slightly different time intervals between two years classifi-cations. Therefore, the data vary slightly (the same as the spring, summer, autumn and early winter in the Gregorian calendar).

Spring

No. Length

Summer

No. Length

Autumn

No. Length

Winter

No. Length

Wish poem

The following features poem / song - or used to better memorize the 24 stations:

"节气 歌"

春 雨 惊 春 清 谷 天, 夏 满 芒 夏 暑 相连, 秋 处 露 秋 寒 霜降, 冬 雪 雪 冬 小 大寒.

« Jiéqìgē »

Chun Chun yǔ jīng qīng gǔtiān, xià mǎn Mang xià shǔ Xianglian, Qiu Qiu Chu lù Hán Shuangjiang, DONG Xue Xue Dong xiǎo Dahan.

立春,雨水,惊蛰,春分,清明,谷雨〖 〗谷 天, 立夏,小满,芒种,夏至,小暑,大暑〖 〗相连, 立秋,处暑,白露,秋分,寒露,霜降, 立冬,小雪,大雪,冬至,小寒,大寒.

Lichun, yǔshuǐ, jingzhe, Chunfen, Qingming, gǔyǔ ( gǔtiān ) Lixia, xiǎmǎn, mángzhòng, Xiazhi, xiǎoshǔ, dàshǔ ( Xianglian ) Liqiu, chùshǔ, Bailu, qiūfēn, hánlù, Shuangjiang, Lidong xiǎoxuě, Daxue, Dongzhi, xiǎohán, Dahan.

Traditional Chinese festivals

Other cultural influences

The Tibetan calendar

The traditional Tibetan calendar is based on the first chapter of the Indian Kālacakratantra and is therefore in principle of Indian origin. It is based on the Lunisolarjahr. Its calculation requires knowledge of complicated astronomical calculations, such as the mid-point equations of the sun and moon, and mastery of calculations on the Tibetan Sanda Baku ahead. The New Year is called Losar and falls in February or March, usually four weeks later than in China. As for the various commonly used in Tibet years counts, these contain some elements that are of Chinese origin.

The Uighur "Twelve Animals Calendar"

1256 Iran became part of the Mongol Empire, China in 1258. The Mongol Khan Hulagu left in Maragheh in western Iran an observatory for the astronomer Nasir al -Din al - Tusi built, in which some Chinese astronomers worked.

The result gave the Chinese- Uighur calendar that al - Tusi describes in his work Zij -e Ilkhani. A twelve -year cycle, with Turkish / Mongolian names of animal names (also known under the name sanawât -e turki سنوات ترکی, " Turkish Years " ), was speaking in the chronology, historiography and in the bureaucracy in all Turkish and Persian territories Asia, from Turkey today into the India of today, from the early Middle ages to the early Modern, used. In Iran, this calendar was used in agricultural records until the ban in 1925.