Chinese Calendar




Chinese Zodiac Calendar is depends on the 12 animals rat sign, ox sign, tiger sign, rabbit sign, dragon sign, snake sign, horse sign, ram sign, monkey sign, rooster sign, dog sign and pig sign.

All the 12 signs come in the sequence mentioned in a cycle of 12 years in Chinese Calendar. Every Chinese year (not English year) belongs to one animal, for example 2000 is the year of the Dragon.

The Chinese Calendar also depends on the five elements which are metal element, wood element, water element, fire element and Earth element. Metal element represents Planet Venus. Wood element represents Planet Jupiter. Water element represents Planet Mercury. Fire element represents Planet Mars. Earth element represents Planet Saturn. The combinations of these 12 animals and 5 universal elements combine to a 60 years Chinese year cycle. A person born in a day belongs to a Chinese calendar year and hence associated to one animal sign and one universal element. Note that Chinese calendar is not a English Calendar and hence Chinese new year is not 1st January. But like, English calendar, they have 12 phases having one new moon in each Lunar Month or phase.

All the calculation in Chinese astrology is based upon Chinese calendar and not by any other calendar. When a person is born his or her Chinese age is determined from the Chinese calendar. Yearly prediction is also based upon this calendar and the year start from the Chinese new year which is around January end in English calendar. Please note that this is Chinese astrology calendar and this may not apply to any real calendars, these calendars are used by Chinese astrologers for any predictions.

Here is the table of the English Date range and Chinese Year Mapping in 60 Year Cycle.

chinese calender 1
chinese calender 2
chinese calender 3
chinese calender 4


The New Year of Chinese is the most important holiday for more than 1/4th of earth’s population. The Gregorian calendar is used for civil reasons. The calendar of Chinese is used for deciding festivals. A variety of Chinese community also apply this Chinese calendar around the world.

The calendar of the Chinese is stood on perfect astronomical reflexion of longitude of sun and moon’s phases. So it proves that the ideas of modern science have an effect on the calendar of Chinese.

There are some similarities in the calendar of the Chinese and the calendar of the Hebrew. An ordinary year consists of 12 months and a leap year consists of 13 months. Again the ordinary year consists of 353 / 354 or 355 days. But a leap year consists of 383 / 384 or 385 days.

To decide whether it is a leap year or not, one must calculate the number of new moons between two successive years. If there are thirteen new moons then it should be leap year. Normally, in a leap year, one month does not hold a Principal term. Principal term is used for deciding the number of every month-
• When the angular distance of the sun is 330 Degree, Principal term 1 happens.
• When the angular distance of the sun is 0 Degree, Principal term 2 happens.
• When the angular distance of the sun is 30 Degree, Principal term 3 happens.
• When the angular distance of the sun is 270 Degree, Principal term 11 happens.
• When the angular distance of the sun is 300 Degree, Principal term 12 happens.


MoonAstro brings Free Reports on your Universal Element and Animal Signs.

To Know your Chienese AGE, Universal Element And Animal Sign please click here.