In daily life, we commonly use the Gregorian calendar (solar calendar/Western calendar), while traditional Chinese festivals, zodiac signs, and the 24 solar terms are based on the Chinese lunar calendar (lunisolar calendar/old calendar). Due to the existence of "leap months" and varying month lengths in the lunar calendar, there is no fixed conversion formula between the two calendars; precise calculation algorithms are required.
This tool not only provides mutual conversion of date numbers but also deeply integrates data from traditional Chinese calendar culture:
Enter your birth date or any date to obtain the corresponding lunar date, zodiac year (e.g., Dragon, Snake), and Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches (e.g., Jia-Chen Year, Yi-Hai Month).
Convenient for users to query the specific Gregorian dates of their annual lunar birthdays or traditional festivals such as Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Automatically identifies the 24 solar terms such as Lichun (Beginning of Spring), Qingming (Pure Brightness), and Dongzhi (Winter Solstice), and marks important Chinese and Western holidays like New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
To help you use this tool more accurately, understanding the following concepts is crucial:
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Zodiac Change | The traditional zodiac change is based on Lichun (Beginning of Spring), not the first day of the lunar new year. This tool will mark the precise switching point of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches year for you. |
| Leap Month | To reconcile the number of days in a tropical year with a lunar year, the lunar calendar adds an extra month approximately every three years. |
| Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches | Composed of the Ten Heavenly Stems (Jia, Yi, Bing...) and the Twelve Earthly Branches (Zi, Chou, Yin...), forming a 60-year cycle (Huajiazi). |
Q: Why do some lunar years have 13 months?
A: This is because it is a "leap year." To align lunar months with the seasons, the lunar calendar adopts the "7 leap months in 19 years" rule, adding leap months to compensate for the day count difference.
Q: Is the zodiac switch based on the first day of the lunar new year or Lichun?
A: In folk customs, it is often based on the first day of the lunar new year (Chinese New Year); however, in numerology and calendrical studies, the zodiac switch strictly follows the Lichun node. This tool's conversion results will present both date information for your reference.
Q: Why can't dates before 1900 be queried?
A: Modern computer calendar libraries typically use 1900 as a baseline. For calendar conversions during the Qing Dynasty and earlier periods, due to multiple calendar reforms, specialized ancient texts and documents need to be consulted.