中國玄學基礎知識 (三)

常見的曆法名稱

Chinese Metaphysics Basics 3

Common Calendars

（The English version is available below)

 

很多時侯，我們會聽到人們講「西曆」，「農曆 」， 「黃曆」，「新曆」 ，「舊曆」……

 

究竟他們有什麼分別？是怎樣出現的呢？

 

「西曆」西方國家通用的曆法，就叫做「西曆」。

 

西方國家的曆法沿自古羅馬曆法，都是以太陽週期定制的太陽曆，但是月份的大小，就不是平均，而是人為的政治因素做成長短不一。

 

「農曆」中國以農立國，「農曆」就是給農民看的曆法。

 

「黃曆」又名「皇曆」，是由皇帝頒佈的曆法，除了曆法外，加入了大量趨吉避凶的資訊。

 

辛亥革卸以後，中國帝制被推翻，人們把「皇曆」改成「黃曆」。

 

「新曆」即是「西曆」，中國自民國開始，就採用了「西曆」為國曆。

 

人們為了分辨「西曆」和傳統中國的曆法，故有「新曆」 ，「舊曆」之分。

 

 

Often, we hear people say, "Gregorian calendar", "Lunar calendar", "Yellow calendar", "New calendar", "Old calendar"...

 

What are their differences? How did they exist?

 

The "Gregorian Calendar" is the common calendar in Western countries, which is also called the "Western Calendar".

 

The calendar of western countries follows the ancient Roman calendar, and they are all customized according to the solar cycle, but the size of the months is not average, the lengths vary due to artificial political factors.

 

China is an agricultural country.  Therefore, the "Chinese Lunar calendar" is a calendar mainly for farmers.

 

The "Yellow calendar", also known as the "Imperial calendar", is a calendar promulgated by the China’s Emperor. It includes information of pursuing good luck and avoiding disastrous matters.

 

After the Chinese imperial system was overthrown, people changed the "Imperial calendar" to "the Yellow calendar".

 

The "New calendar" is actually the "Gregorian calendar". China has adopted this calendar as the national calendar since the commencement of the Republic of China.

 

In order to distinguish between the "Western Calendar" and the traditional Chinese calendar, the names "New calendar" and "Old calendar" existed.