About

Chinese Calendar Atlas is a free reference to the Chinese calendar and the traditions that give its dates meaning. It brings together the history of the calendar, the stories behind festivals, and the customs through which families and communities mark the year.

Our aim is to make this heritage easier to understand and explore. The articles explain familiar celebrations alongside less familiar ideas, from seasonal observances to the language of the traditional almanac. They consider how traditions developed and how their meanings and practices differ across communities.

The Atlas is for anyone curious about Chinese culture, whether reconnecting with a family tradition, learning about a festival or following an interest in history.

Calendar methods and limits

All calendar tools use the same fixed software version, lunar-javascript 1.7.7, with shared corrections for seven Ming-dynasty dates. Supported civil dates run from AD 1 to 2100, using the Julian calendar through 4 October 1582 and the Gregorian calendar from 15 October 1582. Checks include converting dates and then converting them back, testing Chinese New Year and leap-month boundaries, and comparing selected contemporary examples with public astronomical and calendar references. Historical results within this range are calculated reconstructions, not reproductions of every historical Chinese calendar. Traditional almanac labels are cultural classifications, not predictions of outcomes.

Sources, revisions and corrections

The central Sources page collects selected references, while individual English articles include concise Sources notes at the bottom for studies, historical texts, and regional or date-specific claims. English revisions and translated editions are reviewed separately, so an English update does not mean every language edition has received the same changes. Feedback accepts correction reports; include the page or tool, the date or claim concerned, and any supporting reference to help make the issue clear.