Written by Daniel Hanna 2011
On February 4th 2011 we enter a new Solar Chinese year, the year of the Rabbit. Please do not get muddled with solar and lunar calendars.
Chinese New Year 2011:
Chinese New Year starts on the 3rd February 2011 and is celebrated all over the world. It messengers new starts. It is very much a family affair, a time of reunion, forgiveness, sharing and thanksgiving. In 2011 Chinese New Year falls on Thursday February 3rd 2011 at 10.31 (am) China (Lunar calendar), Thursday 3rd in the United Kingdom, Wednesday 2nd 18.31 California USA, and Thursday 3rd 03.31 Barcelona Spain.
The Lunar Chinese New Year Day is very different from the Solar (Hsia) New Year Day (February 4th 2011). The Lunar Calendar formulates the days of the month according to the cycle of the moon whereas the solar year is governed by the sun.
Although the Chinese solar year starts on a different date from the western year, the theory whereby the year is calculated on how long it takes the earth to rotate the sun is the same. The lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days and in order that the start of the Lunar New Year is not too far detached from the Solar New Year, the Chinese insert an extra month, this being called an intercalary month, once every few years.
Whilst the solar (Hsia) calendar starts the New Year at the beginning of Spring, which falls normally between the 4th and 5th of February, the lunar (yueh) calendar marks the New Year on the second New moon after the winter solstice.
In 2011, Lunar Chinese New Year also called the ‘Spring Festival’, falls on 3rd February 2011 which is the New Year that is celebrated by many. The solar New Year (3rd February 2011) is not celebrated at all and only used for Feng Shui assignment of cures and enhancers.
You may have come across a few websites stating that 2011 is the 4709th Chinese New Year, if you cannot find the reason, here is an answer for you:
The Yellow King’s appointment was held in the spring of 2697 B.C. But they used the winter solstice day as the first day of the year. So the first winter solstice was on around December 23rd, 2698 B.C. Today’s January 1st means nothing to the Yellow King. If we count that extra eight days in 2698 B.C. for a year, then year 2011 is the 4708th Chinese year.
For more information on the Chinese New Year go to our blog and resource page, you will all these pages packed with information on Feng Shui and also the Chinese way of life.
© Daniel Hanna 2011
