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Chinese Lunar Calendar
Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. On that day, the Chinese are particularly thankful for having passed through another year safely, and they wish each other another prosperous and good year. They thank the gods, goddesses and their
ancestors for all the blessings of the past year. It is a day for family reunions and big family dinners.
There is a great deal of early preparation. The entire house is cleaned and tidied up, the kith is of special importance. Brooms, knives and other sharp items are hidden away until the second day of the Chinese New Year. It is believed that any sweeping on New Year's day would bring bad luck (e.g. "sweeping away money"). Red scrolls are hung on the door posts outside and in the house. Flowers such as peonies, narcissus and blossoms from plum and peach trees are displayed throughout the house; they symbolize prosperity and happiness.
On New Year's Eve, family members get together for a dinner reunion; this is considered very important. It is the one time during the year that everyone has the opportunity to see all the family members together. The adults and children stay up for the entire night. It is believed that the longer one stays up the longer one's parents will live. At midnight the New Year is welcomed in by food offerings of vegetables to the gods and goddesses. The firecrackers are exploded scaring away lazy and evil spirits.
On Chinese New Year's Day, family members greet each other. Married adults give out red envelopes containing money to children and single adults. These envelopes express gratitude and good wishes.
People greet one another saying "Gung Hay Fat Choy" (wishing you a prosperous New Year). In China, the new year is celebrated for 14 days.
CHINESE LUNAR CALENDAR
GREGORIAN CALENDAR
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LUNAR CALENDAR
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| Follows the cycles of the sun
Has 365 ¼ days per year
30-31 days per month except February
Leap year every 4 years
We use this calendar every day |
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Follows the cycles of the moon
Has 354 to 360 days per year
29-30 days per month
Leap year every 3 years
All Chinese festivals are based on this calendar |
Lunar Calendar
There is a cycle of 12 years with an animal representing each year. The first month of the year is called the First Moon; the second month of the year is called Second Moon, etc. Some moons
have a nickname in relations to flowers because they play a significant part on in most Chinese
festivals. Flowers are also used to represent different months.
Months of the Year (First Moon = First Month)
First Moon |
Holiday Moon |
The Plum Blossom |
| Second Moon |
Budding Moon |
The Peach Blossom |
| Third Moon |
Sleepy Moon |
The Peony |
| Fourth Moon |
Peony Moon |
The Cherry Blossom |
| Fifth Moon |
Dragon Moon |
The Magnolia |
| Sixth Moon |
Lotus Moon |
The Pomegranate |
| Seventh Moon |
The Moon of the Hungry Ghosts |
The Lotus |
| Eighth Moon |
Harvest Moon |
The Pear |
| Ninth Moon |
Chrysanthemum Moon |
The Mallow |
| Tenth Moon |
Kindly Moon |
The Chrysanthemum |
| Eleventh Moon |
White Moon |
Gardenia |
| Twelfth Moon |
Bitter Moon |
Poppy |
Future Chinese New Year Dates
| Gregorian Calendar |
Zodiac Animal |
Chinese Lunar Year |
| FEBRUARY 1, 2003 |
YEAR OF THE SHEEP |
4701 |
| JANUARY 22, 2004 |
YEAR OF THE MONKEY |
4702 |
| FEBRUARY 9, 2005 |
YEAR OF THE ROOSTER |
4703 |
| JANUARY 29, 2006 |
YEAR OF THE DOG |
4704 |
| FEBRUARY 18, 2007 |
YEAR OF THE BOAR |
4705 |
| FEBRUARY 7, 2008 |
YEAR OF THE RAT |
4706 |
| JANUARY 26, 2009 |
YEAR OF THE OX |
4707 |
| FEBRUARY 10, 2010 |
YEAR OF THE TIGER |
4708 |
| FEBRUARY 3, 2011 |
YEAR OF THE HARE |
4709 |
| JANUARY 23, 2012 |
YEAR OF THE DRAGON |
4710 |
| FEBRUARY 10, 2013 |
YEAR OF THE SNAKE |
4711 |
| JANUARY 31, 2014 |
YEAR OF THE HORSE |
4712 |
| FEBRUARY 19, 2015 |
YEAR OF THE SHEEP |
4713 |
| FEBRUARY 9, 2016 |
YEAR OF THE MONKEY |
4714 |
| JANUARY 28, 2017 |
YEAR OF THE ROOSTER |
4715 |
| FEBRUARY 16, 2018 |
YEAR OF THE DOG |
4716 |
| FEBRUARY 5, 2019 |
YEAR OF THE BOAR |
4717 |
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