|
Appendix B
Tibetan Calendar
Gregorian Name
Year
1944 Wood Monkey
1945 Wood Bird
1946 Fire Dog
1947 Fire Boar
1948 Earth Mouse
1949 Earth Bull
1950 Iron Tiger
1951 Iron Hare
1952 Water Dragon
1953 Water Snake
1954 Wood Horse
1955 Wood Sheep
1956 Fire Monkey
1957 Fire Bird
1958 Earth Dog
1959 Earth Boar
1960 Iron Mouse
1961 Iron Bull
1962 Water Tiger
1963 Water Horse
1964 Wood Dragon
1965 Wood Snake
1966 Fire Horse
1967 Fire Sheep
1968 Earth Monkey
1969 Earth Bird
1970 Iron Dog
1971 Iron Boar
1972 Water Mouse
1973 Water Bull
1974 Water Tiger
1975 Wood Hare
1976 Fire Dragon
1977 Fire Serpent
1978 Earth Horse
1979 Earth Sheep
1980 Iron Monkey
1981 Iron Bird
1982 Water Dog
1983 Water Pig
1984 Wood Mouse
1985 Wood Bull
1986 Fire Tiger
1987 Fire Rabbit
1988 Earth Dragon
1989 Earth Sanke
1990 Iron Horse
1991 Iron Sheep
1992 Water Monkey
1993 Water Bird
1994 Wood Dog
1995 Wood Pig
1996 Fire Mouse
1997 Fire Bull
1998 Earth Tiger
1999 Earth Rabbit
2000 Iron Dragon
The Tibetan calender is divided into major cycles of sixty years duration. These sixty-year cycles are themselves divided into five minor 12-year cycles, each year of which is identified by the name of an animal, bird or reptile. The twelve years are also paired consecutively with a distinguishing element. There are five such elements, with alternating male and female attributes. Thus each sixty-year cycle runs:
1. Female Fire Rabbit
2. Male Earth Dragon
3. Female Earth Snake
4. Male Iron Horse
5. Female Iron Sheep
6. Male Water Monkey
7. Female Water Bird
8. Male Wood Dog
9. Female Wood Pig
10. Male Fire Mouse
11. Female Fire Ox
12. Male Earth Rabbit
13. Female Earth Rabbit
14. Male Iron Dragon
15. Female Iron Snake and so on.
A year is based on the Lunar calendar, certain days of which are generally considered to be particularly auspicious, as those falling on the 8th, 10th, 15th and 25th of the month. When a day is deemed especially unfavourable, owing to a specific combination of the phase of the moon and the point at which it occurs within the 60-year cycle, such a day may be omitted from the calendar altogether and a more beneficial day of the month doubled in its place. (Tibetan time-systems can be further understood through the great Kalachakra Tantra.)
|
