The most interesting folklore

Chapter 36 The Most Interesting Astronomical Calendar (2)
After tens of thousands of years, we will study the seasonal changes in more detail. After dozens of cold records, we finally sum up the law of seasonal changes and name it "solar calendar".When Wannian presented his research results to Emperor Zuyi, he was already a gray-haired old man.Zu Yi was deeply moved, so he changed the solar calendar to "perpetual calendar" and named Wannian "Sun Moon Shou Xing".This is the origin of the "perpetual calendar".There is a leap every four years, and there is no leap in a hundred years. What is a leap in 400 years? What is the period of the earth's orbit around the sun?The average year of the Gregorian calendar is only 365 days, which is about 5 days shorter than the return year, and the remaining time is about one day in four years. Therefore, one day is added to February every four years, so that the length of the calendar year is 48 days. The year is a leap year.There are 46 leap years every 365 years in the current Gregorian calendar.According to the calculation of a leap year every four years, an average of 24219 days will be calculated every year, so that after 365 years, about three days will be calculated. Therefore, three leap years will be reduced every 0 years.Therefore, it is stipulated that the year in the Gregorian calendar is a whole hundred, and it must be a multiple of 2422 to be a leap year, not a multiple of 2. Although it is a multiple of 1, it is also an ordinary year. Leap, leap again in 366 years.

19. Why is there a leap month in the lunar calendar?

The leap month in the lunar calendar is set to reconcile the contradiction between the lunar year and the return year.The return year is the length of the earth's revolution around the sun, and the time is 365 days. The lunar year is timed according to the lunar calendar, and the time length is 2422 days, which is 354 days shorter than the return year.In order to match the changes of months with the changes of seasons, the ancient Chinese ensured that the first month to March of the lunar calendar is spring, April to June is summer, July to September is autumn, and October to December is winter. For astronomical observation and calculation, a scientific leap month method is proposed, that is, 3672 leap months are added to every 10 return years, so that the length difference between the lunar year and the return year is only 88 days.As for which month is a leap in the lunar calendar, it is also related to the 19 solar terms.

The method of intercalation in the lunar calendar can make the average length of the lunar year close to the tropical year, and it also ensures that both the Gregorian calendar and the lunar calendar can be used, which is the best of both worlds.As for which month is a leap in the lunar calendar, it involves solar terms.It is just a traditional saying that there are 24 solar terms in a year. In detail, it should be said that there are 12 solar terms and 12 middle qi in a year.These 12 middle qi, which middle qi belongs to which month, are regulated: rain is the middle qi of the first month; The summer solstice is the middle qi of May; the great heat is the middle qi of June; the end of heat is the middle qi of July; the autumn equinox is the middle qi of August; the frost is the middle qi of September; the light snow is the middle qi of October; the winter solstice is the middle qi of October. The mid-qi of November; Great Cold is the mid-qi of December.

As for which months are the 12 solar terms, it is not certain.Also, the average month of the lunar calendar is a little over 29 and a half days, but the average interval from one Zhongqi to the next is a little less than 30 and a half days.In this way, Zhongqi will be postponed by one day every month in the lunar calendar. At a certain time, Zhongqi will not be in the middle of the month but will move to the end of the month. If the next month is a small month, it is very likely There is no Zhong Qi in this month, because the next Zhong Qi has moved to the beginning of the third month.The month in the middle with no energy is considered to be the leap month of the previous month.To give an example in 1: June 1998 of the Gregorian calendar is May 6B of the lunar calendar, which is the summer solstice (mid-qi in May); July 21 of the Gregorian calendar is the first day of June of the lunar calendar, and this day is Dashu (mid-June Qi); and in the lunar month from June 27 to July 7 in the Gregorian calendar (the month after the end of May in the lunar calendar), there is only one solar term, Xiaoshu, and there is no Zhongqi, so this month is considered a leap month.Therefore, which month is a leap in the lunar calendar is determined by people according to certain rules, and it is not mysterious.

20. What is the difference between the Gregorian calendar, the Gregorian calendar, and the Gregorian calendar?

Since the Spring Festival is calculated according to the lunar calendar, it is two different calendars from the Gregorian calendar, so the Gregorian calendar date of the Spring Festival always changes every year. It is found that there are three rules to follow between the two.

First, if there was no leap month in the previous year, the Spring Festival this year will come 11 days earlier than the previous year.For example, there was no leap month in 1999, so the Spring Festival (February 2000) of the lunar calendar in 2 was 5 days earlier than in 1999 (February 11).This is because when there is no leap month in the lunar calendar, the total number of days in a year is 2 days, which is 16 days less than the Gregorian calendar.

第二条，如果上一年农历有闰月，本年春节要比上一年推迟19天到来。如1982年农历有闰月(闰4月)，1983年春节在公历2月13日，比1982年春节(1月25日)推迟19天。这是因为农历有闰月时，一年的总日数则比公历多19天。

第三条，春节所在公历日期为19年重复一次。如：1981年的春节是在2月5日，19年后的2000年，春节也在2月5日。1980年的春节是在公历2月16日，19年后的1999年的春节也在公历2月16日。

21. What do the "three positives" in the calendar refer to?

The "Three Zhengs" in ancient my country are actually the three calendars used by the vassal states in the Zhou Dynasty of our country. "Three Zheng" refers to Xia Zheng (the lunar month of Jianyin, which is the first month of the current lunar calendar), Xia Zheng takes the first month as the beginning of the year; Yin Zheng (Jian Chou, that is, December of the current lunar calendar), Yin Zheng takes December It is the beginning of the year; Zhouzheng (Jianzi, that is, November in the current lunar calendar), Zhouzheng takes November as the beginning of the year.

There is another saying, in the calendar calculation: Tianzheng (November of the lunar calendar, the month of the winter solstice), is the month of the "least extreme" (winter solstice point) of the amount of sunlight, from this month, the daytime increases; , big cold month), is the "cold pole" of temperature, from this month, the climate will warm up; Renzheng (the first month of the lunar calendar, the rainy month), the amount of sunlight reaches half of the winter solstice and vernal equinox, and the temperature begins to warm up, Marks the beginning of spring.

22. What is the chronology of stems and branches?
According to the chronology of stems and branches, the historical age of our country can be calculated. For example, "Xianfeng Gengshen" refers to the number of years of Emperor Xianfeng. In ancient my country, only two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, were in power for more than one Jiazi year, that is, 60 years, and then they can be counted and recycled according to the stems and branches. .

In the calendar of Ganzhi, the first year of a cycle is "Jiazi", the second year is "Yichou", and so on, a cycle of 60 years, a cycle is over, repeated use, and the cycle goes on and on.For example, 2007 is the Dinghai Year of the lunar calendar, and 60, 2067 years later, is also the Dinghai Year of the lunar calendar.

It should be noted that the year of the Ganzhi begins with the beginning of spring, not the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

The order table of celestial stems and earthly branches is:

Jiazi, Yichou, Bingyin, Dingmao, Wuchen, Jisi, Gengwu, Xinwei, Renshen, Guiyou, Jiaxu, Yihai, Bingzi, Dingchou, Wuyin, Jimao, Gengchen, Xin Si, Renwu, Guiwei, Jiashen, Yiyou, Bingxu, Dinghai, Wuzi, Jichou, Gengyin, Xinmao, Renchen, Guisi, Jiawu, Yiwei, Bingshen, Dingyou, Wuxu, Jihai, Gengzi, Xin Chou, Ren Yin, Gui Mao, Jia Chen, Yi Si, Bing Wu, Ding Wei, Wu Shen, Ji You, Geng Xu, Xin Hai, Ren Zi, Gui Chou, Jia Yin, Ji Mao, Bing Chen, Bing Chen, Ding Si, Jiwei, Gengshen, Xinyou, Renxu, Guihai.

Since the folks still have the habit of using the Ganzhi year, we should learn to calculate the year of the year from the year of the year to the year of the year. The method is:
The first step is to number the celestial stems and earthly branches respectively in sequence; the second step is to subtract 3 or add 7 to the single digit of the noon part of the AD that needs to be calculated, and the resulting number is the number of the celestial stems. Based on this, find out the corresponding Tiangan; the third step is to divide the number of years in the AD year by 12, then subtract 0 or add 3 to the remainder (including 9), and the number obtained is the number of the earthly branch, and accordingly, find out the corresponding earthly branch; Four steps, combining the heavenly stems and earthly branches, is the year name of the year's stems and branches.For example, 2000 is the year of Gengchen.The method is: the first step is omitted; the second step is 07 7 2000, the heavenly stem: "Geng"; the third step, 12÷166: 8...8, 3-5: 2000, the earthly branch: "Chen"; the fourth step , the year [-] should be "Gengchen year" with the chronology of stems and branches.

23. When did the Emperor's Years End?

The emperor's year is a relatively common method of dating in ancient my country.The so-called year name is the name established by the feudal emperor to mark the year of his reign.According to the textual research in "22 History Notes" by Zhao Yi of the Qing Dynasty, the earliest year name started from the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and the use of the year name to record the year was first created in the 19th year of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (122 BC).Before that, the kings only had the number of years, not the title of the year.The reign title is a symbol of imperial power and a concrete manifestation of "family under heaven".

"Hanshu" records that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty led a group of officials to hunt and captured a rare one-legged beast, Bailin.Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty agreed, because the Bailin was captured during hunting, so he established the year name "Yuan Shou", and called that year (122 BC) the first year of Yuan Shou.In the future, it will be called the second year and the third year of Yuanshou... However, since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty only had the year name of Yuanshou in the 19th year when he ascended the throne, in order to record the time of his reign, he added the previous 18 years. Three era names were adopted, namely Jianyuan, Yuanguang, and Yuanshuo, that is, the year names were changed every six years.The first year of his accession to the throne (140 BC) is called the first year of Jianyuan. "Jianyuan" is the meaning of the first year of Jianwei, which means that the year name has started to be used. "Hanshu?It is also recorded in "Wu Di Ji".Historians of later generations took the first year of Jianyuan as the beginning of the first era in Chinese history.

The year number has been used since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty until the third year of Xuantong in the Qing Dynasty (1911), the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Aixinjueluo?Puyi announced his abdication, and the 2000-year-long autocratic monarchy came to an end. The chronology of the year was also abolished with the end of the feudal dynasty.

24. How did the zodiac calendar method come about?

This interesting correspondence between the twelve kinds of animals and the twelve earthly branches began as early as the Spring and Autumn Period.The source of this chronological method has always been different, mainly including:

①Determine the names of these animals according to Yin and Yang. For example, Ziyin, Chenwu, Shenxu belong to Yang, so they are represented by animals with odd numbers on their bodies. For example, rats, tigers, dragons, monkeys, and dogs all have five toes, and horses have odd hooves; Chou Mao Si Wei You Hai is said to be Yin, so it is represented by the even number of cattle, sheep, pigs (even hooves), chickens (four claws), rabbits (two lips) and snakes (two tongues).

② Totem said: A certain clan in ancient times had a close relationship with a certain animal, so it regarded this animal as its protector.Since then, several common animals have been gradually used to record the year, and twelve zodiac signs have been produced to pray for protection.

③From the Northwest nomads: Our country has had the method of dating the years with the stems and branches since ancient times, but only among the nomadic peoples in the ancient Northwest, they used the animals to count the years. The combination of the law and the law produced the twelve zodiac signs. Zhao Yi of the Qing Dynasty even concluded that this custom "started in the later Han Dynasty without a doubt".

In order to keep track of time, the ancient ancestors created a calendar with 12 as a cycle of reincarnation. Because it was difficult to count at that time, they selected 12 kinds of animals that were close to people in life to match them, and a method of counting years by animal names came into being. "Twelve Beasts Calendar".Because this method is vivid, specific, and easy to remember, it quickly became popular.Among the selected animals, some are revered and paid attention to for making a living, such as cattle, sheep, dogs, horses, chickens, pigs, etc., and some are feared by people and worshiped as totems, such as tigers, dragons, and snakes.But in the Chinese zodiac, there is no cat that people are very familiar with. What is the reason for this?

One explanation is that cats were indeed "rare animals" in our country in prehistoric times, and their numbers were extremely small.The earliest picture of a cat catching a mouse that we can see now was found in an ancient stone tomb in the Eastern Han Dynasty.It was not until the Tang Dynasty that raising cats became more popular.Since the Chinese zodiac was formed quite early, the animals included are the most common and most closely related to people's lives. Therefore, it is not surprising that cats, which were "rare animals" at that time, were not included.

The other is to explain it based on the principle of "same genus". Cats and tigers belong to the same genus. According to folklore, cats are the uncles of tigers.

25. Are New Year's Day and Spring Festival the same thing in ancient times?

According to current sayings, New Year's Day and Spring Festival are not the same thing, but New Year's Day in ancient books is today's Spring Festival, which is the general name of the Lunar New Year.

The reason for this is that in 1912, when the Gregorian calendar was adopted, the Gregorian New Year was called "New Year's Day" and the traditional New Year's Day was called "Spring Festival". The method of 掊木. It is easy to cause people who don’t know the truth to misunderstand, thinking that the New Year’s Day in the ancient books is the current Gregorian “New Year’s Day”. In fact, this is not correct. This “New Year’s Day” is not the other “New Year’s Day”. That is to say, today's Spring Festival is a traditional annual festival in our country, while New Year's Day in the Gregorian calendar (commonly known as the Gregorian calendar year in folklore) came from the West and is not our traditional festival.

26. What are the aliases for the twelfth lunar month?

January: "Zou" is called "Zou" in "Erya · Shitian", and "January, Yuyue, Mengyue, Duanyue, Shichun, Yuanchun" in folk;
February: "Ru" is called "Ru" in "Erya·Shitian", and "Ruyue, Zhonghe, Xingyue, Zhongchun, Early Spring" among the people;
March: "Erya · Shitian" is called "sickness", and the folks are called "sick month, peach month, Jichun, Bingyue, Sanchun, Yangchun";
April: "Yu" is called "Yu" in "Erya Shitian", and "Yuyue, Qingheyue, Huaiyue, Taoyue, Mengxia" among the people;
May: "Gao" is called "Gao" in "Erya·Shitian", and "Liuyue, Thin Moon, May, Duanyue, Midsummer" among the people;
June: "Dan" is called "Dan" in "Erya · Shitian", and "Qiyue, Heyue, Fuyue, Jixia, Tiankuang" among the people;
July: "Erya · Shitian" is called "Xiang", and the folks are called "Xiangyue, Qiaoyue, Shuangyue, Mengqiu, Tongyue";
August: "Erya · Shitian" calls it "Zhuang", and the folks call it "Zhuangyue, Guiyue, Huoyue, Mid-Autumn, and Mid-Autumn Moon";
September: "Erya · Shitian" is called "Xuan", and the folks are called "Hai Moon, Chrysanthemum Moon, Portuguese Moon, and Jiqiu";
October: "Erya · Shitian" is called "Yang", and the folks are called "Yangyue, Xiaoyangchun, Mengdong, Meiyue, Liangyue";
November: "Erya · Shitian" is called "Gu", and the folks are called "Guyue, Jiayue, Zhongdong";
December: "Erya · Shitian" is called "Tu", and the folks are called "Tu month, December, Jiaping month, Jidong".

27. Why is the first month of the lunar calendar also called the "first month"

(End of this chapter)