The Chinese calendar, whose form was determined more or less under the Han, is a lunisolar calendar formed over several centuries by combining observations of various movements of the moon, sun and the planet Jupiter , length of shadows, hours on the days and nights, agricultural phenomena. Tradition claims it was created by the Yellow Emperor in the Gregorian calendar -2697. This mythical ruler would have also created the sexagesimal cycle, the most ancient Chinese system of numbering the years. Currently we are in the 79th round.
The Gregorian calendar was officially adopted in 1912, but, in keeping the popular habits and occupation of northern China by the warlords, it was not until 1 January 1929 to be applicable throughout the extent of the country. The official time was chosen in the first ports opened to the West on the East Coast (120 ° east longitude) rather than that of Beijing.
The traditional calendar is used to determine the dates of religious festivals or as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) and the Feast of Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as astrology.
He was given several names, the most common being that of "farmer's calendar" (农历nónglì), as opposed to "calendar" (公历gōnglì) or "Western calendar" (西历xīlì).
The non-Han populations in general had their own calendar, still used by national minorities of China to determine their holidays.
Origin of the lunisolar calendar
The association lunisolar is old, because he found written on divination from the Shang dynasty years of the 12 lunar months with one or two months interest. It is from 841 BC, when King Liwang Zhou was forced to leave the throne to his son, that there are specific indications calenders. The first calendar month Zhou always around the winter solstice, and there is no rule for the precise astronomical position of intercalary months. Other systems exist as vassals sometimes enact their own agenda, particularly from the Warring States. At the beginning of this period, 484 BC, began the use of a system comparable to Metonic cycle which provides for seven leap years (each containing a month) over a period of 19 years. In 256 BC, the Kingdom of Qin fixed the winter solstice in the 11th month. Qin build the empire, and this principle will be taken over by the Han for the establishment of a timetable that will become the main reference to the twentieth century: the timing of "major" (Tàichū太初), set in 104 BC by Emperor Wudi. The winter solstice falls on the 11th month, is regarded as the intercalary month in which the sun does not fit into a new sign. Because of the difficulties in calculating astronomical movements of the sun and moon are averages, not actual movements. In 619, under the Tang, the moon, the moon will replace real average from 1645, the Qing schedule will be based on the sun through the real calculation sinusoids introduced by the Jesuit Adam Schall.
Besides the schedule, there were many types of calendars used by different specialists: astrologers, astronomers etc.
Some principles of the lunisolar calendar
The basic rules were already laid down the timetable Taichu Han, but the increased accuracy of calculations of the position of the sun from 1645 has some complicated rules for determining the intermediate months.
1. The months are lunar months, the first day of each month beginning at midnight on the day of the astronomical new moon. They wear their name serial number (1 to 12).
2. Each year has 12 regular months, and sometimes (every 2 or 3 years on average) a month (闰月rùnyuè), which can theoretically up position after any month regular, but generally falls between the 2nd and 9th month. It has the same number as the months preceding ordinary, but it is marked as interlayer.
3. If twelve months between two successive occurrences of the eleventh month, one of these twelve months must be an intercalary months, and is the first of these twelve months during which the sun remains in the same zodiac sign.
4. Monthly tabs are arranged so that between the sun still in the constellation of Capricorn during the eleventh month of the regular year, which was once the first and has remained astrology. The winter solstice is therefore still the 11th month.
5. The official time of the astronomical new moon and the sun in a zodiac sign is the local time of the observatory of Purple Mountain (紫金山天文台Zǐjīnshān Tiānwéntái) in Nanjing.
By following this system, the New Year falls between January 21 and February 21 (inclusive). This schedule meets the requirements of agricultural purely solar calendar (see jieqi) vis-à-vis the date of Chinese New Year, except in very rare occasions, this is the case in 2033.
96.6% during the month the sun enters a new zodiac sign. Cases a year with no intercalary months:
Name months Longitude Sign of the Zodiac
1正月Zhengyu 330 ° Pisces
2二月èryuè 0 ° Aries
Sanyu三月3 ° 30 Taurus
Sìyuè四月4 ° 60 Gemini
5 ° 90五月wǔyuè Cancer
6六月liùyuè 120 ° Lion
7七月Qiyue 150 ° Virgin
8八月Bayu balance 180 °
9九月jiǔyuè 210 ° Scorpio
10十月Shiyu 240 ° Sagittarius
11十一月shíyīyuè 270 ° Capricorn
12十二月shí'èryuè 300 ° Aquarius
The Chinese and Gregorian calendars are in sync every 19 years. Most Chinese notice that their Chinese and Western birthdays often fall on the same day for their 19th, 38th [...] birthday.
The agricultural calendar and Jieqi
The sun along the ecliptic is the subject long ago the attention of farmers. It forms the basis of the agricultural calendar which divides the year into 24 periods called alternatively jie (节) "node" and qi (气) "breath". They are generally named jieqi (节气). Each represents the movement of the sun of 15 degrees along the ecliptic, ie about 15 days. This system is entirely solar, it has a fairly regular correspondence with the Gregorian calendar. The periods have names referring to the changes in the nature or farming activities of the moment.
Although the agricultural calendar does not directly take into account the movements of the moon, the life of the peasants was also marked by traditional festivities, including the date depends, however, the lunisolar calendar. The reference for the beginning of the year was the period known Lichun, the Chinese New Year is normally the day of the new moon that falls during this period or is the closest.
In popular tradition the months often had names. One of those first months, Zhengyu (正月), "month rule" is still used; Dongyue (冬月) " 'winter months' and layue (腊月), named after a sacrifice, referring respectively the 11th and 12th months in northern China, are no longer employees but are found in proverbs and literature. In regions with abundant agricultural produce, each month the name of a fruit.
Table Jieqi
Chinese name Occurrence in the Gregorian calendar Note literal meaning
立春(Lichun) February 4 February 18 ~ early spring
雨水(yǔshuǐ) February 19 ~ March 4 indicates more rain water than snow
惊蛰(Jingzhi) March 5 ~ March 20 réveil insects indicates that animals and insects are waking up from hibernation
春分(chūnfēn) March 21 ~ April 4 spring equinox
清明(Qingming) 5 April ~ April 19 bright and clear when dealing with graves
谷雨(gǔyǔ) April 20 ~ May 5 rain for grain indicates that the rain will help the growth of grain
立夏lixia May 6 ~ May 20 start of the summer
小满xiǎmǎn May 21 ~ June 5 small roundness indicates the roundness of the grains
芒种mángzhòng June 6 ~ June 20 grain spike indicates that the grain of corn (use botany)
夏至xiàzhì June 21 ~ July 6 Summer Solstice
小暑xiǎoshǔ ~ 7 July 22 July heat light
大暑dàshǔ July 23 ~ August 6 Primary heat
立秋lìqiū August 7 ~ August 22 start of the fall
处暑chùshǔ August 23 ~ September 7 arrest of heat
白露báilù September 8 ~ 22 white dew September humidity condenses into dew white
秋分qiūfēn September 23 ~ October 7 autumn equinox
寒露hánlù October 8 ~ October 22 cold dew
霜降Shuangjiang October 23 ~ November 6 possible decrease of freezing temperature and frost occurrence
Lidong立冬November 7 ~ 21 November early winter
小雪xiǎoxuě November 22 ~ December 7 low snow
大雪daxue 21 ~ December 7 December snow important
冬至Dongzhi December 22 ~ January 5 Winter Solstice
小寒xiǎohán 6 ~ January 19 January cold low
Dahan大寒January 20 ~ February 3 very cold
The above dates are approximate and may vary slightly from year to year. Chinese New Year is usually the day of the new moon nearest Lichun.
Song Jieqi
It is used to simplify the storage of Jiéqì. "节气歌" "Jiéqìgē"
春雨惊春清谷天yǔ chun chun qing jing gǔtiān,
夏满芒夏暑相连mǎn máng xia xia shǔ Xianglian,
秋处露秋寒霜降qiu qiu chù Lù Hán shuang xiang,
冬雪雪冬小大寒xue xue dong dong da han xiǎo.
Numbering of years
There are different systems for naming years. The oldest, which was mainly used to count the days before the Han, combines two sets of signs: the 10 heavenly stems (天干tiāngān) and 12 terrestrial branches (地支dìzhī). Each year is named by a pair stem-branch (干支Ganzha). The heavenly stems are associated with Yin and Yang (阴阳Yinyang) and the five elements (五行wǔxíng). Each branch is associated with an animal.
The large cycle formed by the combination of the two rounds last sixty years (the lowest common multiple of 10 and 12) and is called in Chinese jiǎzǐ (甲子), name of first grade. "Jiǎzǐ" is a metaphor to mean a lifetime; in Japan where the system was used Jiazi past, the anniversary of sixty years kanreki called "completion of the calendar."
The months, days and hours may also be written using the heavenly stems and branches land, but they are usually reported using the Chinese numbering. Together the four stems and four branches are the eight characters (八字bāzi) used in Chinese astrology.
Besides the year of Chinese calendar lunisolar called nian (年), a period that links two Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) consecutive, there is a solar year (岁SUI) which spans from the beginning Spring (Lichun立春) to the following (see Jiéqì). The dates of traditional festivals are listed in the luni-solar years. Some astrologers argue that the change of Jiazi, so animal-sign, must be made at the beginning of the solar year and not the Chinese New Year as is usual.
This cycle of 60 years is inadequate for the historical references. For the imperial and feudal periods, the reigns given in principle by the posthumous name of the sovereign (Nian Hao), or eras (division rule), followed by the number of years. For example康熙壬寅(Kangxi rényín) (1662) is the first壬寅(rényín) year of the reign of康熙(Kangxi), which was the only emperor to reign over 60 years.
Twelve animals
These are, in order, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, the rooster (his pronunciation, ji, is the same as "luck") , dog and pig.
There was no difference between being the first animal or the last to be reached, because it's not a competition but rather an invitation to better know and better understand others.
It is important to clarify that Astrology does not compare people to animals and vice versa.
Indeed, this Astrologie people have too much respect for treating pig or rat, like the Egyptians, Asian Astrology is based on some characteristics of animals to make some sort of deities and not make fun of them .
The legend tells that the first Buddha invited all the animals at New Year's Eve in order to communicate their observations.
12 animals went to this appointment, first arrived on passionné Rat or Mouse, and then determined the Beef or Buffalo, and the brave Tiger, then Lievre homebody or Rabbit or chatting and then unifying the Dragon or lizard, and the frivolous Snake, Horse and free, and then spend the goat or sheep or goat, then Acrobat Monkey, then the French Rooster or Phénix then, the dog and then justiciary generous Pig or Boar or Pig or Ours.
For animals that have different names, the reason is that almost all of Asia took this legend, each country adapting Petfinder by its fauna countries (China, Vietnam, Japan, etc ...).
Buddha said: "To thank you all for coming this eve, from this year, each of you will receive favors not the year of his animals but of the Favorable Year Animals Compatibles his triangle and each year according to the Animal has the characteristics of the animal from which came the year.
Thus, each of which has Pets Pets him that they were compatible and their bad years and bad depending on the item / agent of the year of birth of each of 12 animals.
Twelve animals were thus live a serene life without suffering as Triangle Lotus Buddha.
The Rat and Mouse began years ago in 2697 BC (Jesus Christ is born in a Year of the Monkey), this round of Animals.
Holidays
Name Date Name Chinese French Activities 2003 2004 2005
months 1 day 1 Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)春节Chunji meeting family and important celebrations January 1 February 22 February 9
1 months 15 days Lantern Festival元宵节yuánxiāojié torchlight, consumption yuánxiāo February 15 February 23 February 5
3 months 10 days Qing Ming Jie清明节qīngmíngjié and cleaning visit family graves April 5
5 months 5 days Dragon Boat Festival端午节duānwǔjié Dragon Boat Races and consumption Zongze 4 June 22 June 11 June
7 days 7 months Qi Qiao Jie (day of Saint Valentine Chinese)乞巧节qǐqiǎojié The girls are showing their skills home and pray for a good marriage 4 August 22 August 11 August
7 months 15 days中元节Ghost Festival zhōngyuánjié ceremonies and offerings to the wandering souls August 12 August 30 August 19
8 months 15 days holiday from mid-autumn (Moon Festival)中秋节zhōngqiūjié Meeting Family and Consumer moon cakes 11 September 28 September 18 September
9 months 9 days Day double nine (chrysanthemum festival)重阳节zhòngyángjié excursion in the mountains and visiting exhibitions floral 4 October 22 October 11 October
rin. Another Code was to set color button on the top hats. Each button indicated the social position of the person (9 different buttons for different ranks 9). Ming official headdresses could vary.
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