Joomla! site syndication http://www.learn-chinese-language.org Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:43:11 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.learn-chinese-language.org Joomla! site syndication http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/chinese-calendar/what-was-the-early-chinese-calendar-2.html In China, the calendar was a sacred document, sponsored and promulgated by the reigning monarch. For more than two millennia, a Bureau of Astronomy made astronomical observations, calculated astronomical events such as eclipses, prepared astrological predictions, and maintained the calendar. After all, a successful calendar not only served practical needs, but also confirmed the consonance between Heaven and the imperial court. Chinese Culture - Chinese calendar Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:27:24 +0100 http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/chinese-calendar/how-does-one-count-years-2.html Unlike most other calendars, the Chinese calendar does not count years in an infinite sequence. Instead years have names that are repeated every 60 years.(Historically, years used to be counted since the accession of an emperor, but this was abolished after the 1911 revolution.)Within each 60-year cycle, each year is assigned name consisting of two components:The first component is a Celestial Stemm. These words have no English equivalent: Chinese Culture - Chinese calendar Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:24:53 +0100 http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/chinese-calendar/what-years-are-leap-years-2.html Leap years have 13 months. To determine if a year is a leap year, calculate the number of new moons between the 11th month in one year (i.e., the month containing the Winter Solstice) and the 11th month in the following year. If there are 13 new moons from the start of the 11th month in the first year to the start of the 11th month in the second year, a leap month must be inserted. Chinese Culture - Chinese calendar Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:23:09 +0100 http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/chinese-calendar/details-of-early-calendars-2.html One of the two methods that they used to make this calendar was to add an extra month of 29 or 30 days, which they termed the 13th month, to the end of a regular 12-month year. There is also evidence that suggests that the Chinese developed the Metonic cycle (see above Complex cycles) -- i.e., 19 years with a total of 235 months--a century ahead of Meton's first calculation (no later than the Spring and Autumn period, 770-476 BC). During this cycle of 19 years there were seven intercalations of months. The other method, which was abandoned soon after the Shang started to adopt it, was to insert an extra month between any two months of a regular year. Possibly, a lack of astronomical and arithmetical knowledge allowed them to do this. Chinese Culture - Chinese calendar Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:17:53 +0100 http://www.learn-chinese-language.org/chinese-calendar/year-of-the-tiger-2.html Tigers are said to be bold and adventurous, and are bestowed with initiative and charm. However, they have a tendency to be risk takers, making them act before they think about the consequences. They tend to make good bosses, explorers or racing drivers. Chinese Culture - Chinese calendar Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:16:17 +0100