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Mandarin Go | Chinese lunar Calendar Introduction
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The lunar calendar (农历nónglì) is the traditional Chinese calendar and is often used in agriculture. The lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of a moon.
According to the lunar Calendar, the crescent appears on the first day of each month and full moon comes out at in the middle of the month. The cycle lasts for about 30 days. The 24 solar terms mark 24 divisions of the solar year in the lunar Calendar, according to the different positions of the sun. For example, the division 'lichun' （立春）or ' the beginning of spring', reminds people that spring is coming. 'Jingzhe'（惊蛰） or 'the walking of insects' means that the weather is getting warmer. 'Lixia' （立夏）or 'the beginning of summer' is the point that crops are blooming. 'Dahan'（大寒） or 'the great cold' is the end of severe winter. All these create a circle.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most countries in the international community, was adopted, but the lunar calendar was not abolished, and traditional Chinese festivals were still based on the lunar calendar. For example, the Chinese Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month, the Hungry Ghost Festival on the fifteenth day of July, the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth day of August, the ninth day of September, and so on.
Some Chinese celebrate their birthdays on the lunar calendar. Both the internationally accepted Gregorian calendar and the traditional Chinese lunar calendar are used in the Chinese calendar.
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