The Chinese calendar is a soli-lunar calendar, which means it blends elements from both the sun and the moon.

The solar part tracks the seasons and ensures that important agricultural events happen at the right time each year. Meanwhile, the lunar aspect brings in the moon’s waxing and waning, creating a month that aligns more closely with natural cycles.
Why would anyone go through the trouble of mixing two celestial bodies into one calendar? Well, it comes down to tradition and practicality. Ancient Chinese societies were deeply connected to nature. They observed how plants bloomed, rivers swelled, and animals migrated in sync with the changing seasons. At the same time, they noticed the moon’s phases influenced tides, moods, and even social activities. Combining these observations, they created a calendar that honored the sun’s patterns and the moon’s cycles. This blend allowed them to celebrate festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival when the moon was full and bright, ensuring farmers knew when to plant and harvest based on the sun’s position.
Due to its complexity, it can be challenging to figure out exactly which day in our modern calendar corresponds to specific dates in the Chinese one, especially when accounting for variations such as leap years. For this reason, I created this online tool to convert any date easily.
Date converter
The list of local festivals is limited for the time being. I am updating the database with more festivals as I find more information. Also, remember that this tool may not be 100% accurate. I recommend that you always check the data through official government sources.
- Lunar Date: This specifies the date according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, indicating the day and the lunar month.
- Zodiac Animal: The Chinese calendar assigns one of twelve animals to each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. The twelve animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
- Lunar Month: Unit of time used in lunar calendars, which are based on the cycles of the Moon. A lunar month typically lasts about 29.5 days, from one new moon to the next. This results in a lunar year of approximately 354 days, about 11 days shorter than a solar year.
- Solar Term: Unit of time used in traditional East Asian lunisolar calendars, dividing the year into 24 periods based on the Sun’s position along the ecliptic. Each solar term lasts about 15 days and marks specific seasonal changes and agricultural events. This system helps synchronize the lunar months with the solar year, ensuring that seasonal festivals and activities align with the natural cycles.
- Ecliptic Longitude (λs): Measurement used in astronomy to specify positions along the ecliptic, the Sun’s apparent path on the celestial sphere. Expressed in degrees, it ranges from 0° to 360°, starting from the vernal equinox. This system helps determine the precise location of celestial objects relative to Earth’s orbit, aiding in tracking planetary movements and solar terms.
- Festival: This is quite self-explanatory. Interestingly, Festivals in China are calculated using a mix of three systems. Some National holidays, such as Labour Day, always fall on the same day since they are celebrated on some specific date in our modern calendar. Most holidays are calculated using the Lunar calendar (for example, the Spring Festival). Finally, some festivals are calculated using the Solar Term, for example, the Tomb-Sweeping Day, which occurs around the 15th day after the Spring Equinox.
Here are brief descriptions of each of the twelve zodiac animals in the Chinese calendar

If you want to plan a trip to China and discover its thousand-year-old culture, this article is a good place to start.
Since this year, I arrange tours around China in collaboration with Shan China Tours. Send me a DM on Instagram if you want more info.