February 9 will usher in the Chinese New Year's Eve. But did you know that 2024 is the last year in the next few years to have a Chinese New Year's Eve? In the five years from 2025 to 2029, the Chinese New Year's Eve has "disappeared". Why is this happening? The first day of the new year is never "absent", why does the Chinese New Year's Eve "play disappear" from time to time? This article will unravel this mystery for you.
First, we need to understand the Chinese lunar calendar. The lunar month is based on the cycle of the moon's waxing and waning. When the moon and the sun are equal in the geocentric ecliptic longitude, the moon cannot be seen on the earth, and this time is called the new year, and the day is the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, every lunar month will have a new day of the new year.
So, why did the Chinese New Year's Eve disappear? This is actually related to the length of the synodic month. The interval between one new month and the next is a lunar month, known as a synodic month. The average length of a synodic month is 2953 days, but in reality, its length is not fixed, sometimes more than 29 days. If the lunar month coincides with the lunar month, then the Chinese New Year's Eve will be "absent", and the first day of the new year will still appear in our sight on time.
In addition, the arrangement of the lunar months depends on the actual moon phases, and the arrangement of the major and minor months is different from that of the Gregorian months. In general, the two are arranged at a higher interval, and sometimes there are two large months in a row or two small months in a row. Therefore, according to long-term statistics, the proportion of Chinese New Year's Eve is slightly higher, and it is normal to have no Chinese New Year's Eve for 5 consecutive years, but it is relatively rare.
Although the Chinese New Year's Eve sometimes disappears, Chinese New Year's Eve is always there. Whether it is on the 29th day of the Lunar New Year or the first day of the Lunar New Year, people will reunite with their families to bid farewell to the old year, welcome the new year, and welcome a new good year together. This is the embodiment of the importance of family and affection in traditional Chinese culture and the beautiful expectations for the new year.
After learning the mystery behind the vanished Chinese New Year's Eve, we can't help but marvel at the wisdom of the ancients and the subtlety of the lunar calendar. At the same time, we should also cherish the time with our families and spend a warm and peaceful Spring Festival together.
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