The normal lunisolar calendar utilized in China designates years with a mixture of celestial stems and earthly branches, leading to a 60-year cycle. In 1961, this technique designated the 12 months because the “12 months of the Metallic Ox,” signifying diligence, dependability, power, and dedication. People born throughout this 12 months are believed by some to embody these traits. This calendar system is distinct from the Gregorian calendar and performs a major function in figuring out conventional Chinese language festivals and observances.
Understanding this conventional timekeeping technique offers worthwhile insights into Chinese language tradition and historical past. It governs the timing of serious cultural occasions, such because the Lunar New 12 months and different festivals, shaping social customs and household traditions. The 12 months’s designation throughout the sexagenary cycle additionally holds symbolic that means in Chinese language astrology and is usually consulted for fortune-telling and compatibility predictions. This method has been integral to Chinese language society for hundreds of years, reflecting a deep connection to agricultural cycles and celestial observations.
