Birthday, for everyone, is a special day, it marks the unique mark that a person has left in the long river of time from the day of birth. In China, a country with a long history, the traditions and customs of celebrating birthdays vary depending on the region, culture, and family background. Among them, a controversial topic is: When Chinese celebrate birthdays, are they calculated according to the lunar calendar or the solar calendar?
1. Lunar birthdays.
The lunar calendar, also known as the lunar or lunar calendar, is one of the traditional Chinese calendars that is based on the waxing and waning cycles of the moon, supplemented by leap months to adjust the length of the year and the sun's return year. The lunar calendar is closely related to agricultural production, solar terms, traditional festivals, etc., so it occupies an important position in traditional Chinese culture.
The lunar calendar originated in the Xia Dynasty and has a history of thousands of years. The months in the lunar calendar are based on the cycle of the moon around the earth (about 2953 days), while the date is divided according to the change in the phases of the moon. The lunar calendar retains the traditional Chinese farming culture and is of great significance for guiding agricultural production.
In ancient China, people attached great importance to lunar birthdays and regarded them as an important family celebration. In addition, lunar birthdays are also closely linked to family traditions and habits, and many families record the lunar date when their children are born and use it as a basis for celebration. On the day of the lunar birthday, the family will prepare a sumptuous birthday banquet for the birthday star, sending blessings and gifts. In some places, there is also the custom of "doing shou", that is, holding a grand celebration when the old man has reached the end of his birthday.
2. Birthday on the Gregorian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Gregorian calendar, is a globally used calendar that uses the Earth's cycle around the Sun to determine the year and month. The Gregorian calendar originated in ancient Egypt and has been revised many times to become the common calendar in the world today.
After the Xinhai Revolution, in order to connect with the world, China began to adopt the Gregorian calendar as the official calendar. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the solar calendar was further popularized and used, and became an important basis for people's daily life and work.
With the popularity of the Gregorian calendar in China, more and more people have begun to celebrate their birthdays. Gregorian birthdays are usually based on the date on the ID card or household registration booklet for easy memory and celebration. Friends and family will celebrate the special day together with blessings and gifts on their birthday.
3. The integration of the lunar calendar and the solar calendar.
In modern society, the birthday habits of Chinese have gradually changed, and many people have begun to celebrate both lunar and solar birthdays at the same time. This is because lunar birthdays have a deep historical and cultural heritage, while solar birthdays are more convenient to remember and arrange. As a result, many people choose to celebrate traditional customs with their families on their lunar birthdays, and with friends and colleagues on their solar birthdays.
The traditional custom of celebrating birthdays in Chinese has evolved with the development of the times. Both lunar birthdays and solar birthdays have their own characteristics and advantages, and when people celebrate their birthdays, they can choose either lunar or solar calendars, or celebrate both at the same time, in order to express their respect and blessings.