| - Chinese Lunar Calendar - |
The 60- Year Cycle
Below is a chart showing the beginning dates of the entire 78th and 79th 60-year cycle, Chinese calendar year and the corresponding element, animal, celestial stem, terrestrial branch and western date of the start of the Chinese New Year.
The 1st year of the 1st 60- year cycle began in 2696 BCE on 16 February, by the Gregorian Calendar.
The 1st year of the 60th 60- year cycle, 3540, began in 884 CE on 26 January, by the Gregorian Calendar.
The 1st year of the 79th 60- year cycle, 4682, began on 1 February 1984.
Previously, we were in the 28th year of the 79th 60- year cycle, 4709, a metal-rabbit xin-mao year, which began on 2 February 2011 and ended on 21 January 2012.
Presently, it is the 29th year of the 79th 60- year cycle, 4710, a water-dragon ren-chen year, which began on 22 January 2012.
The 30th year of the 79th 60- year cycle, 4711, a water-snake gui-si year, begins on 9 February 2013.
The 1st year of the 80th 60- year cycle will begin on 29 January 2044.
*- The year placement breaks down as follows:
79/25/01/01
79= Ordinate 60 year cycle.
25= Year within the 60 year cycle.
01= Month within the year.
01= Day within the month.
The date is read as the first day of the first month of the 25th year in the 79th cycle.
