The solar and lunar calendars are both incorporated in the Chinese astrology calendar. However it is best to remember that it is not only China that uses this calendar but many Asian cultures. The western Gregorian calendar is the one that people in Asia use every day but the Chinese one is still used for many things.

There are a number of names that the Chinese astrology calendar is known by. The Yin calendar is one of the names and this will relate to the fact that there are lunar elements in the calendar. Another name would be the Xia calendar. This name is used because during the Xia dynasty it was known that the year started on the second new moon.

The calendars workings are controlled by a set of rules that have been used in the calendar since 104 BCE. All of the months in the year will be lunar months according to these rules. This means that each month will start on what is called a dark moon. Each year will also be comprised of 12 months. However there is an intercalary month that comes every two or three years. One of the other rules is that the sun must pass the winter solstice in the 11th month of the year.

The complete cycle of this calendar is 60 years which is made up of smaller 12 year cycles. Each year in the 2 year cycle is named after an animal which is part of the Chinese zodiac. A legend states that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to bid him farewell when he left the Earth. However only 12 came and to reward them he named the years after them. This is how the zodiac years cam about and they appear in the same order they came to Lord Buddha.

It should be known that there are two cycles which work together to create the 60 year cycles. The one cycle is that of the 10 heavenly stems. These stems are the yin and yang forms of the 5 elements. The elements are water, metal, earth, fire and wood.

The second cycle would be the zodiac cycle. The boar, dog, rooster, monkey, sheep, horse, snake, dragon, rabbit, tiger, ox and rat are the animals that make this cycle. Of course it should be noted that the cat takes the place of the rabbit in Vietnam.

The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are only a part of what makes the Chinese astrology calendar. There is a complex weaving of many other elements as well.

 

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