Korean calendar
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The traditional Korean calendar is directly derived from the Chinese calendar. Until the late nineteenth century Korea was a tributary state of China. In recognition of this relationship, the ruler of Korea would make a point of accepting the new Chinese calendar from the Emperor of China each year with great pageantry. The calendar had:
- The Chinese zodiac of 12 Earthly Branches (animals), which were used for counting hours and years;
- Ten Heavenly Stems, which were combined with the 12 Earthly Branches to form a sixty-year cycle;
- Twenty-four solar terms (jeolgi 節氣 절기) in the year, spaced roughly 15 days apart;
- Lunar Months.
The Korean calendar traditionally counts years from 2333 BCE as year 1, the date of the legendary founding of Korea by Dan-gun. The calendar system is therefore called Dan-gi (단기). Because there is no year zero in Gregorian calendar, 1 BC would be Dan-gi year 2333, and 1 AD would be Dangi year 2334. Gregorian calendar year 2006 is Dangi year 4339.
Korea started using the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1896 due to Western influence. The lunar calendar is infrequently used now in modern Korea except for the observation of traditional holidays (cf. Korean Lunar Festivals) and the marking of birthdays by older Koreans.
[edit] See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Sexagenary cycle
- Chinese calendar
- Japanese calendar
- Festivals of the lunar calendar.
- Korean era name
