Chinese zodiac - lunisolar calendar

Lunisolar calendar

The 60-year cycle consists of two separate cycles interacting with each other. The first is the cycle of ten heavenly stems, namely the Five Elements (in order Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) in their Yin and Yang forms.
The second is the cycle of the twelve Zodiac animal signs (生肖 shēngxiāo) or Earthly Branches . They are in order as follows: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.
This combination creates the 60-year cycle due to the least amount of years (least common multiple) it would take to get from Yang Wood Rat to its next iteration, which always starts with Yang Wood Rat and ends with Yin Water Boar. Since the zodiac animal cycle of 12 is divisible by two, every zodiac sign can also only occur in either Yin or Yang: the dragon is always yang, the snake is always yin, etc. The current cycle began in the year 1984 (as shown in "Table of the sixty year calendar" below).
When trying to traverse the Lunisolar calendar, an easy rule to follow is that years that end in an even number are yang, those that end with an odd number are yin. The cycle proceeds as follows:

• If the year ends in 0 it is Yang Metal.
• If the year ends in 1 it is Yin Metal.
• If the year ends in 2 it is Yang Water.
• If the year ends in 3 it is Yin Water.
• If the year ends in 4 it is Yang Wood.
• If the year ends in 5 it is Yin Wood.
• If the year ends in 6 it is Yang Fire.
• If the year ends in 7 it is Yin Fire.
• If the year ends in 8 it is Yang Earth.
• If the year ends in 9 it is Yin Earth.

However, since the (traditional) Chinese zodiac follows the (lunisolar) Chinese calendar, the switch over date is the Chinese New Year, not January 1 as in the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, a person who was born in January or early February has the sign of the previous year. For example, if a person was born in January 1970, his or her element would still be Yin Earth, not Yang Metal. Similarly, although 1990 was called the year of the horse, anyone born from January 1 to January 26, 1990 was in fact born in the Year of the Snake (the sign of the previous year), because the 1990 Year of the Horse did not begin until January 27, 1990. For this reason, many online sign calculators (and Chinese restaurant place mats) will give a person the wrong sign if he/she was born in January or early February.
The start of a new Zodiac is also celebrated on Chinese New Year along with many other customs.

Table of the sixty year calendar

The following table shows the 60 year cycle matched up to the Western calendar for the years 1924 - 2043 (see above article for years 1804 - 1923).
Note: The Chinese symbols in the table for the elements and animal signs are special ones used only in astrology, not the ordinary symbols used in general writing.

	Year	Associated	Heavenly	Earthly	Associated	Year
	1924 - 1983	Element	Stem	Branch	Animal	1984 - 2043
1	Feb 05 1924 - Jan 23 1925	Yang Wood	甲	子	Rat	Feb 02 1984 - Feb 19 1985
2	Jan 24 1925 - Feb 11 1926	Yin Wood	乙	丑	Ox	Feb 20 1985 - Feb 08 1986
3	Feb 12 1926 - Feb 01 1927	Yang Fire	丙	寅	Tiger	Feb 09 1986 - Jan 28 1987
4	Feb 02 1927 - Jan 21 1928	Yin Fire	丁	卯	Rabbit	Jan 29 1987 - Feb 16 1988
5	Jan 22 1928 - Feb 08 1929	Yang Earth	戊	辰	Dragon	Feb 17 1988 - Feb 05 1989
6	Feb 09 1929 - Jan 28 1930	Yin Earth	己	巳	Snake	Feb 06 1989 - Jan 26 1990
7	Jan 29 1930 - Feb 16 1931	Yang Metal	庚	午	Horse	Jan 27 1990 - Feb 14 1991
8	Feb 17 1931 - Feb 05 1932	Yin Metal	辛	未	Ram	Feb 15 1991 - Feb 03 1992
9	Feb 06 1932 - Jan 24 1933	Yang Water	壬	申	Monkey	Feb 04 1992 - Jan 22 1993
10	Jan 25 1933 - Feb 13 1934	Yin Water	癸	酉	Rooster	Jan 23 1993 - Jan 30 1994
11	Feb 14 1934 - Feb 02 1935	Yang Wood	甲	戌	Dog	Jan 02 1994 - Jan 30 1995
12	Feb 03 1935 - Jan 23 1936	Yin Wood	乙	亥	Boar	Jan 31 1995 - Feb 18 1996
13	Jan 24 1936 - Feb 10 1937	Yang Fire	丙	子	Rat	Feb 19 1996 - Feb 06 1997
14	Feb 11 1937 - Jan 30 1938	Yin Fire	丁	丑	Ox	Feb 07 1997 - Jan 27 1998
15	Jan 31 1938 - Feb 18 1939	Yang Earth	戊	寅	Tiger	Jan 28 1998 - Feb 15 1999
16	Feb 19 1939 - Feb 07 1940	Yin Earth	己	卯	Rabbit	Feb 16 1999 - Feb 04 2000
17	Feb 08 1940 - Jan 26 1941	Yang Metal	庚	辰	Dragon	Feb 05 2000 - Jan 23 2001
18	Jan 27 1941 - Feb 14 1942	Yin Metal	辛	巳	Snake	Jan 24 2001 - Feb 11 2002
19	Feb 15 1942 - Feb 03 1943	Yang Water	壬	午	Horse	Feb 12 2002 - Jan 31 2003
20	Feb 04 1943 - Jan 24 1944	Yin Water	癸	未	Ram	Feb 01 2003 - Jan 21 2004
21	Jan 25 1944 - Feb 11 1945	Yang Wood	甲	申	Monkey	Jan 22 2004 - Feb 08 2005
22	Feb 12 1945 - Feb 01 1946	Yin Wood	乙	酉	Rooster	Feb 09 2005 - Jan 28 2006
23	Feb 02 1946 - Jan 21 1947	Yang Fire	丙	戌	Dog	Jan 29 2006 - Feb 17 2007
24	Jan 22 1947 - Feb 09 1948	Yin Fire	丁	亥	Boar	Feb 18 2007 - Feb 06 2008
25	Feb 10 1948 - Jan 28 1949	Yang Earth	戊	子	Rat	Feb 07 2008 - Jan 25 2009
26	Jan 29 1949 - Feb 15 1950	Yin Earth	己	丑	Ox	Jan 26 2009 - Feb 13 2010
27	Feb 16 1950 - Feb 05 1951	Yang Metal	庚	寅	Tiger	Feb 14 2010 - Feb 02 2011
28	Feb 06 1951 - Jan 25 1952	Yin Metal	辛	卯	Rabbit	Feb 03 2011 - Jan 22 2012
29	Jan 26 1952 - Feb 13 1953	Yang Water	壬	辰	Dragon	Jan 23 2012 - Feb 09 2013
30	Feb 14 1953 - Feb 02 1954	Yin Water	癸	巳	Snake	Feb 10 2013 - Jan 30 2014
31	Feb 03 1954 - Jan 23 1955	Yang Wood	甲	午	Horse	Jan 31 2014 - Feb 18 2015
32	Jan 24 1955 - Feb 10 1956	Yin Wood	乙	未	Ram	Feb 19 2015 - Feb 07 2016
33	Feb 11 1956 - Jan 29 1957	Yang Fire	丙	申	Monkey	Feb 08 2016 - Jan 27 2017
34	Jan 30 1957 - Feb 17 1958	Yin Fire	丁	酉	Rooster	Jan 28 2017 - Feb 18 2018
35	Feb 18 1958 - Feb 06 1959	Yang Earth	戊	戌	Dog	Feb 19 2018 - Feb 04 2019
36	Feb 07 1959 - Jan 27 1960	Yin Earth	己	亥	Boar	Feb 05 2019 - Jan 24 2020
37	Jan 28 1960 - Feb 14 1961	Yang Metal	庚	子	Rat	Jan 25 2020 - Feb. 11 2021
38	Feb 15 1961 - Feb 04 1962	Yin Metal	辛	丑	Ox	Feb 12 2021 - Jan 31 2022
39	Feb 05 1962 - Jan 24 1963	Yang Water	壬	寅	Tiger	Feb 01 2022 - Jan 21 2023
40	Jan 25 1963 - Feb 12 1964	Yin Water	癸	卯	Rabbit	Jan 22 2023 - Feb 09 2024
41	Feb 13 1964 - Jan 31 1965	Yang Wood	甲	辰	Dragon	Feb 10 2024 - Jan 28 2025
42	Feb 01 1965 - Jan 20 1966	Yin Wood	乙	巳	Snake	Jan 29 2025 - Feb 16 2026
43	Jan 21 1966 - Feb 08 1967	Yang Fire	丙	午	Horse	Feb 17 2026 - Feb 05 2027
44	Feb 09 1967 - Jan 29 1968	Yin Fire	丁	未	Ram	Feb 06 2027 - Jan 25 2028
45	Jan 30 1968 - Feb 15 1969	Yang Earth	戊	申	Monkey	Jan 26 2028 - Feb 12 2029
46	Feb 16 1969 - Feb 05 1970	Yin Earth	己	酉	Rooster	Feb 13 2029 - Feb 02 2030
47	Feb 06 1970 - Jan 25 1971	Yang Metal	庚	戌	Dog	Feb 03 2030 - Jan 22 2031
48	Jan 26 1971 - Feb 14 1972	Yin Metal	辛	亥	Boar	Jan 23 2031 - Feb 10 2032
49	Feb 15 1972 - Feb 02 1973	Yang Water	壬	子	Rat	Feb 11 2032 - Jan 30 2033
50	Feb 03 1973 - Jan 23 1974	Yin Water	癸	丑	Ox	Jan 31 2033 - Feb 18 2034
51	Jan 24 1974 - Feb 10 1975	Yang Wood	甲	寅	Tiger	Feb 19 2034 - Feb 07 2035
52	Feb 11 1975 - Jan 30 1976	Yin Wood	乙	卯	Rabbit	Feb 08 2035 - Jan 27 2036
53	Jan 31 1976 - Feb 17 1977	Yang Fire	丙	辰	Dragon	Jan 28 2036 - Feb 14 2037
54	Feb 18 1977 - Feb 06 1978	Yin Fire	丁	巳	Snake	Feb 15 2037 - Feb 03 2038
55	Feb 07 1978 - Jan 27 1979	Yang Earth	戊	午	Horse	Feb 04 2038 - Jan 23 2039
56	Jan 28 1979 - Feb 15 1980	Yin Earth	己	未	Ram	Jan 24 2039 - Feb 11 2040
57	Feb 16 1980 - Feb 04 1981	Yang Metal	庚	申	Monkey	Feb 12 2040 - Jan 31 2041
58	Feb 05 1981 - Jan 24 1982	Yin Metal	辛	酉	Rooster	Feb 01 2041 - Jan 21 2042
59	Jan 25 1982 - Feb 12 1983	Yang Water	壬	戌	Dog	Jan 22 2042 - Feb 09 2043
60	Feb 13 1983 - Feb 01 1984	Yin Water	癸	亥	Boar	Feb 10 2043 - Jan 29 2044

Chinese agricultural calendar

There are some newer astrological texts which follow the Chinese Agricultural Calendar (the jie qi), and thus place the changeover of zodiac signs at the solar term li chun (beginning of Spring), at solar longitude 315 degrees. The Chinese New Year is determined by the start of the Lunar calendar. However, the annual division between the signs is not the Chinese New Year. Rather, it is the beginning of spring, which is the 4th or 5th of February of each year. In this calendar, Combination Element is the result of the Elements movement.

Begin	End	Heaven Element	Combination Element	Sign
1960 Feb 4	1961 Feb 3	金 Metal 庚	earth	鼠 Rat
1961 Feb 4	1962 Feb 3	金 Metal 辛	earth	牛 Ox
1962 Feb 4	1963 Feb 3	水 Water	Gold	虎 Tiger
1963 Feb 4	1964 Feb 3	水 Water	Gold	兔 Rabbit
1964 Feb 4	1965 Feb 3	木 Wood	fire	龍 Dragon
1965 Feb 4	1966 Feb 3	木 Wood	fire	蛇 Snake
1966 Feb 4	1967 Feb 3	火 Fire	water	馬 Horse
1967 Feb 4	1968 Feb 3	火 Fire	water	羊 Ram
1968 Feb 4	1969 Feb 3	土 Earth	earth	猴 Monkey
1969 Feb 4	1970 Feb 3	土 Earth	earth	雞 Rooster
1970 Feb 4	1971 Feb 3	金 Metal	Gold	狗 Dog
1971 Feb 4	1972 Feb 3	金 Metal	Gold	豬 Pig
1972 Feb 4	1973 Feb 3	水 Water	wood	鼠 Rat
1973 Feb 4	1974 Feb 3	水 Water	wood	牛 Ox
1974 Feb 4	1975 Feb 3	木 Wood	water	虎 Tiger
1975 Feb 4	1976 Feb 3	木 Wood	water	兔 Rabbit
1976 Feb 4	1977 Feb 3	火 Fire	earth	龍 Dragon
1977 Feb 4	1978 Feb 3	火 Fire	earth	蛇 Snake
1978 Feb 4	1979 Feb 3	土 Earth	fire	馬 Horse
1979 Feb 4	1980 Feb 3	土 Earth	fire	羊 Ram
1980 Feb 4	1981 Feb 3	金 Metal	wood	猴 Monkey
1981 Feb 4	1982 Feb 3	金 Metal	wood	雞 Rooster
1982 Feb 4	1983 Feb 3	水 Water	water	狗 Dog
1983 Feb 4	1984 Feb 3	水 Water	water	豬 Pig
1984 Feb 4	1985 Feb 3	木 Wood	Gold	鼠 Rat
1985 Feb 4	1986 Feb 3	木 Wood	Gold	牛 Ox
1986 Feb 4	1987 Feb 3	火 Fire	fire	虎 Tiger
1987 Feb 4	1988 Feb 3	火 Fire	fire	兔 Rabbit
1988 Feb 4	1989 Feb 3	土 Earth	wood	龍 Dragon
1989 Feb 4	1990 Feb 3	土 Earth	wood	蛇 Snake
1990 Feb 4	1991 Feb 3	金 Metal	earth	馬 Horse
1991 Feb 4	1992 Feb 3	金 Metal	earth	羊 Ram
1992 Feb 4	1993 Feb 3	水 Water	Gold	雞 Monkey
1993 Feb 4	1994 Feb 3	水 Water	Gold	猴 Rooster
1994 Feb 4	1995 Feb 3	木 Wood	fire	狗 Dog
1995 Feb 4	1996 Feb 3	木 Wood	fire	豬 Pig
1996 Feb 4	1997 Feb 3	火 Fire	water	鼠 Rat
1997 Feb 4	1998 Feb 3	火 Fire	water	牛 Ox
1998 Feb 4	1999 Feb 3	土 Earth	earth	虎 Tiger
1999 Feb 4	2000 Feb 3	土 Earth	earth	兔 Rabbit
2000 Feb 4	2001 Feb 3	金 Metal	Gold	龍 Dragon
2001 Feb 4	2002 Feb 3	金 Metal	Gold	蛇 Snake
2002 Feb 4	2003 Feb 3	水 Water	wood	馬 Horse
2003 Feb 4	2004 Feb 3	水 Water	wood	羊 Ram
2004 Feb 4	2005 Feb 3	木 Wood	water	猴 Monkey
2005 Feb 4	2006 Feb 3	木 Wood	water	雞 Rooster
2006 Feb 4	2007 Feb 3	火 Fire	earth	狗 Dog
2007 Feb 4	2008 Feb 3	火 Fire	earth	豬 Pig
2008 Feb 4	2009 Feb 3	土 Earth	fire	鼠 Rat
2009 Feb 4	2010 Feb 3	土 Earth	fire	牛 Ox
2010 Feb 4	2011 Feb 3	金 Metal	wood	虎 Tiger