By Raymond Lee
Every year, the Chinese New Year comes several days earlier than it did the year before. If you’re wondering why, it’s because the Chinese year is shorter than the western year. Of course, something has to be done or the Chinese New Year will just keep moving up. The Chinese calendar compensates for that by having a leap year every 12 years (I think). And during a leap year, there are actually 13 months. That’s why if you look at the movement of the Chinese New Year from year to year, you will see it come earlier and earlier, and then suddenly, boom, it gets pushed back by almost a month, and the cycle repeats.
Come Visit Mama Lisa’s Chinese New Year Page for more about the Chinese New Year.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China Page for Kids Songs from China and
The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs
This article was posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2006 at 6:05 pm and is filed under China, Chinese, Chinese New Year, Countries & Cultures, Holidays Around the World, Hong Kong, Taiwan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
2 Responses to “Why Does the Chinese New Year Move Around?”
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March 28th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
The Chinese New Year is based on the Lunar Year, so it starts on the first day of the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice (another Chinese Holiday). The problem is the lunar cycle is 354 days in 12 months and the regular year is 365 days. So about every 3 years they have a leap month.
My page of over Chinese New Year Events in the US and Canada
Sincerely,
Ray, Owner
ChildBook.com – Learning Chinese Products for Kids
February 7th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
I don’t think they would faovur being compared to an Ox.Are the Chinese New Year celebrations going the way of the western world and Christmas. Is it losing it’s traditional values to the 21st century China and it’s new prosperity, I wonder.A day off today so perhaps I’ll celebrate by dipping a few prawn crackers in my lager….Good luck…Martyn.Hoo Dons last blog post..