The official calendar in modern China has been the Gregorian Calendar since October 1, 1949, when Mao Zedung proclaimed People's republic of China.
However, the old, traditional Chinese calendar is stil observed in traditional Chinese communities around the world as well as in rural China. It is used to determine auspicious dates for important events (such as weddings, business deals, etc.) and most of the traditional Chinese festivals.
The traditional Chinese calendar is also called the 'Yin Calendar', the 'Han Calendar', or the 'Rural Calendar'.
The Chinese calendar is the longest chronological record in human history. It dates from 2637 BC, when Emperor Huangdi (or Huang Ti) introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac / calendar.
The traditional Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar. This means that it combines the solar year and the moon phases.
In the Chinese calendar, a month begins with the day of new moon ('dark moon'), and a year can have 12 or 13 lunar months. An ordinary Chinese year has 12 months and 353-355 days. Every second or third year has 13 months and 383-385 days, and is called a leap year.
A Chinese year begins on the second or third new moon after the winter solstice, depending on the number of new moons between two consecutive winter solstices. Therefore, the date of the Chinese New Year in the Gregorian calendar is variable between January 20th and February 20th. Lower on this page you will find the Gregorian calendar dates of the Chinese New Years in the 77th and 78th cycles (i.e. 1924-2043).
While the Gregorian calendar counts years in an infinite sequence, the Chinese calendar counts years in 60-years cycles.
Each year in the Chinese calendar is assigned a name consisting of two components: a celestial stem and a terrestrial branch.
There are 10 celestial stems:
The terrestrial branches are the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle:
The 60-years cycle is generated by combining the two components in a rather complicated sequence. Each 60-years cycle in the Chinese calendar begins with the Wood Rat (Jia Zi) year and ends with the Water Pig (Gui Hai) year.
The 77th cycle of the traditional Chinese calendar began on February 5, 1924 with the year of the Wood Rat (chinese year 4622).
Zodiac Sign (Element) | Chinese New Year |
---|---|
Rat (Wood) | 1924, Feb 5 |
Ox (Wood) | 1925, Jan 25 |
Tiger (Fire) | 1926, Feb 13 |
Rabbit (Fire) | 1927, Feb 2 |
Dragon (Earth) | 1928, Jan 23 |
Snake (Earth) | 1929, Feb 10 |
Horse (Metal) | 1930, Jan 30 |
Goat (Metal) | 1931, Feb 17 |
Monkey (Water) | 1932, Feb 6 |
Rooster (Water) | 1933, Jan 26 |
Dog (Wood) | 1934, Feb 14 |
Pig (Wood) | 1935, Feb 4 |
Rat (Fire) | 1936, Jan 24 |
Ox (Fire) | 1937, Feb 11 |
Tiger (Earth) | 1938, Jan 31 |
Rabbit (Earth) | 1939, Feb 19 |
Dragon (Metal) | 1940, Feb 8 |
Snake (Metal) | 1941, Jan 27 |
Horse (Water) | 1942, Feb 15 |
Goat (Water) | 1943, Feb 5 |
Monkey (Wood) | 1944, Jan 25 |
Rooster (Wood) | 1945, Feb 13 |
Dog (Fire) | 1946, Feb 2 |
Pig (Fire) | 1947, Jan 22 |
Rat (Earth) | 1948, Feb 10 |
Ox (Earth) | 1949, Jan 29 |
Tiger (Metal) | 1950, Feb 17 |
Rabbit (Metal) | 1951, Feb 6 |
Dragon (Water) | 1952, Jan 27 |
Snake (Water) | 1953, Feb 14 |
Horse (Wood) | 1954, Feb 3 |
Goat (Wood) | 1955, Jan 24 |
Monkey (Fire) | 1956, Feb 12 |
Rooster (Fire) | 1957, Jan 31 |
Dog (Earth) | 1958, Feb 18 |
Pig (Earth) | 1959, Feb 8 |
Rat (Metal) | 1960, Jan 28 |
Ox (Metal) | 1961, Feb 15 |
Tiger (Water) | 1962, Feb 5 |
Rabbit (Water) | 1963, Jan 25 |
Dragon (Wood) | 1964, Feb 13 |
Snake (Wood) | 1965, Feb 2 |
Horse (Fire) | 1966, Jan 21 |
Goat (Fire) | 1967, Feb 9 |
Monkey (Earth) | 1968, Jan 30 |
Rooster (Earth) | 1969, Feb 17 |
Dog (Metal) | 1970, Feb 6 |
Pig (Metal) | 1971, Jan 27 |
Rat (Water) | 1972, Feb 14 |
Ox (Water) | 1973, Feb 3 |
Tiger (Wood) | 1974, Jan 23 |
Rabbit (Wood) | 1975, Feb 11 |
Dragon (Fire) | 1976, Jan 31 |
Snake (Fire) | 1977, Feb 18 |
Horse (Earth) | 1978, Feb 07 |
Goat (Earth) | 1979, Jan 28 |
Monkey (Metal) | 1980, Feb 16 |
Rooster (Metal) | 1981, Feb 4 |
Dog (Water) | 1982, Jan 23 |
Pig (Water) | 1983, Feb 11 |
The 78th cycle of the traditional Chinese calendar began on February 2, 1984 with the year of the Wood Rat (chinese year 4682) and will end on January 30, 2044.
Zodiac Sign (Element) | Chinese New Year |
---|---|
Rat (Wood) | 1984, Feb 2 |
Ox (Wood) | 1985, Feb 20 |
Tiger (Fire) | 1986, Feb 9 |
Rabbit (Fire) | 1987, Jan 29 |
Dragon (Earth) | 1988, Feb 17 |
Snake (Earth) | 1989, Feb 6 |
Horse (Metal) | 1990, Jan 27 |
Goat (Metal) | 1991, Feb 15 |
Monkey (Water) | 1992, Feb 4 |
Rooster (Water) | 1993, Jan 23 |
Dog (Wood) | 1994, Feb 10 |
Pig (Wood) | 1995, Jan 31 |
Rat (Fire) | 1996, Feb 19 |
Ox (Fire) | 1997, Feb 8 |
Tiger (Earth) | 1998, Jan 29 |
Rabbit (Earth) | 1999, Feb 17 |
Dragon (Metal) | 2000, Feb 6 |
Snake (Metal) | 2001, Jan 25 |
Horse (Water) | 2002, Feb 13 |
Goat (Water) | 2003, Feb 2 |
Monkey (Wood) | 2004, Jan 23 |
Rooster (Wood) | 2005, Feb 10 |
Dog (Fire) | 2006, Jan 29 |
Pig (Fire) | 2007, Feb 17 |
Rat (Earth) | 2008, Feb 7 |
Ox (Earth) | 2009, Jan 26 |
Tiger (Metal) | 2010, Feb 14 |
Rabbit (Metal) | 2011, Feb 3 |
Dragon (Water) | 2012, Jan 23 |
Snake (Water) | 2013, Feb 10 |
Horse (Wood) | 2014, Jan 31 |
Goat (Wood) | 2015, Feb 19 |
Monkey (Fire) | 2016, Feb 8 |
Rooster (Fire) | 2017, Jan 28 |
Dog (Earth) | 2018, Feb 16 |
Pig (Earth) | 2019, Feb 5 |
Rat (Metal) | 2020, Jan 25 |
Ox (Metal) | 2021, Feb 12 |
Tiger (Water) | 2022, Feb 1 |
Rabbit (Water) | 2023, Jan 22 |
Dragon (Wood) | 2024, Feb 10 |
Snake (Wood) | 2025, Jan 29 |
Horse (Fire) | 2026, Feb 17 |
Goat (Fire) | 2027, Feb 6 |
Monkey (Earth) | 2028, Jan 26 |
Rooster (Earth) | 2029, Feb 13 |
Dog (Metal) | 2030, Feb 3 |
Pig (Metal) | 2031, Jan 23 |
Rat (Water) | 2032, Feb 11 |
Ox (Water) | 2033, Jan 31 |
Tiger (Wood) | 2034, Feb 19 |
Rabbit (Wood) | 2035, Feb 8 |
Dragon (Fire) | 2036, Jan 28 |
Snake (Fire) | 2037, Feb 15 |
Horse (Earth) | 2038, Feb 4 |
Goat (Earth) | 2039, Jan 24 |
Monkey (Metal) | 2040, Feb 12 |
Rooster (Metal) | 2041, Feb 1 |
Dog (Water) | 2042, Jan 22 |
Pig (Water) | 2043, Feb 10 |
In Chinese astrology, the 12 Earthly Branches (later replaced by the 12 Chinese zodiac signs) are also used to record the time of day. The 24 hours of the day are divided into 12 two-hour intervals, each ruled by one zodiac sign.
People born within each time interval have the coresponding Chinese zodiac sign as companion sign (aka Ascendant, or Rising Sign). Therefore, in Chinese astrology just as in European astrology, the Ascendant is determined by the time of birth.
The companion sign in Chinese astrology plays a similar role to the Ascendant (Rising Sign) in European astrology: a supplementary influence on one's personality, one's 'hidden self'.
The Rat Ascendant makes the sign more communicative and sociable. They are also more careful when it comes to money, disciplined, cautious and temperate.
Having the Rat as companion sign is especially good for people born in the Chinese years of the Horse, Monkey, Pig or Rabbit.
The Ox Ascendant lends the sign patience and self-control. They are also more determined, hardworking and reliable.
Having the Ox as companion sign is particularly beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Goat, Rabbit or Tiger.
The Tiger Ascendant gives the sign more passion and impulsiveness. They are also affectionate, humanitarian and generous.
Having the Tiger as companion sign has a good influence especially on people born in the Chinese years of the Horse, Ox, Snake or Tiger.
The Rabbit Ascendant makes the sign more reserved, graceful and diplomatic. They also tend to be cautious, sensitive and discreet people.
Having the Rabbit as companion sign is favourable for people born in the Chinese years of the Dragon, Monkey, Rat or Rooster.
The Dragon Ascendant lends the sign more determination and strength. They can also be fiery, impetuous and very ambitious.
Having the Dragon as companion sign is especially beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Dog, Goat, Monkey or Rabbit.
The Snake Ascendant makes the sign more intuitive, creative and meditative. They also tend to be more independent, distrustful and solitary.
Having the Snake as companion sign has a good influence for people born in the Chinese years of the Goat, Pig or Tiger.
The Horse Ascendant makes the sign bolder, more active and inclined towards adventure. Sometimes they can also be unpredictable and impulsive.
Having the Horse as companion sign is especially beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Dog, Pig, Rabbit or Snake.
The Goat Ascendant makes the sign more sensitive, compassionate and tolerant. They can also have special creative talents in artistic fields.
Having the Goat as companion sign is generally beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Dragon, Ox, Rooster or Snake.
The Monkey Ascendant lends the sign a higher adaptability and a special sense of humor. They can often be energetic and resourceful.
Having the Monkey as companion sign is good for people born in the Chinese years of the Goat, Ox, Rat or Snake.
The Rooster Ascendant makes the sign more practical, organized and responsible. They are usually meticulous, even perfectionists.
Having the Rooster as companion sign is especially beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Horse, Ox, Rabbit or Tiger.
The Dog Ascendant makes the sign more reasonable, open-minded and fair. They also tend to be loyal and faithful partners.
Having the Dog as companion sign is particularly favourable for people born in the Chinese years of the Goat, Dragon or Tiger.
The Pig Ascendant makes the sign more sociable and gallant. They can also be easy-going and self-indulgent.
Having the Pig as companion sign is especially beneficial to people born in the Chinese years of the Dragon or Monkey.