The Chinese calendar is based on exact astronomical observations of the longitude of the sun and the phases of the moon. This means that the principles of modern science have had an impact on the Chinese calendar.
The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600BC, when the Emperor Huangti (the Yellow Emperor) introduced the first cycle of thezodiac. Like the Western calendar, theChinese Lunar Calendaris a yearly one, with the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon. Therefore, because of this cyclical dating, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. This year it falls on February 12. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each.
The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the twelve years after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from Earth. Only 12 came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."
|
Rat
|
1924
|
1936
|
1948
|
1960
|
1972
|
1984
|
1996
|
|
Ox
|
1925
|
1937
|
1949
|
1961
|
1973
|
1985
|
1997
|
|
Tiger
|
1926
|
1938
|
1950
|
1962
|
1974
|
1986
|
1998
|
|
Rabbit
|
1927
|
1939
|
1951
|
1963
|
1975
|
1987
|
1999
|
|
Dragon
|
1928
|
1940
|
1952
|
1964
|
1976
|
1988
|
2000
|
|
Snake
|
1929
|
1941
|
1953
|
1965
|
1977
|
1989
|
2001
|
|
Horse
|
1930
|
1942
|
1954
|
1966
|
1978
|
1990
|
2002
|
|
Sheep
|
1931
|
1943
|
1955
|
1967
|
1979
|
1991
|
2003
|
|
Monkey
|
1932
|
1944
|
1956
|
1968
|
1980
|
1992
|
2004
|
|
Rooster
|
1933
|
1945
|
1957
|
1969
|
1981
|
1993
|
2005
|
|
Dog
|
1934
|
1946
|
1958
|
1970
|
1982
|
1994
|
2006
|
|
Boar
|
1935
|
1947
|
1959
|
1971
|
1983
|
1995
|
2007
|
Email to Friends
Print
Save