In the origin and evolution of the lunar calendar, we will inevitably fall into a kind of historical entanglement. Some views are erroneously attributed to outside forces, especially the invention of the lunar calendar, to the German missionary John Tong. However, an in-depth study of China's long history reveals an indisputable fact: the lunar calendar is undoubtedly the embodiment of the wisdom of China's ancestors and the crystallization of their insight into the laws of nature.
Ancient Chinese astronomers gradually unlocked its mysteries by carefully observing the moon in the night sky. They found that the waxing and waning of the moon followed a certain cycle, about 295 days (synodic month). Not only is this discovery incredibly accurate, but its accuracy is surprisingly close to that of modern astronomical data. Based on this discovery, the ancients created the synod, the average period of the synodic months, and this calculation basis was later incorporated into the "quadrangular calendar". This ability to accurately calculate the phases of the moon allowed the ancients to divide time into months of different sizes in order to adapt to the laws of nature.
In the process of constructing the lunar calendar, the ancient Chinese not only considered the changes in the phases of the moon, but also observed the movement of the sun. By observing the rise and fall of the sun, they defined the concept of "day" while calculating the average length of the return year. However, the time difference that existed between the return year and the synodic month prompted the ancients to introduce the concept of leap months to keep the lunar year in sync with the four seasons.
Strikingly, by dividing the length of a return year by the average number of days in a synodic month, the ancients discovered the law of 7 leaps in 19 years, and the discovery of this law marked a significant improvement in the accuracy of the lunar calendar. This pursuit of time accuracy not only demonstrates the wisdom of the ancients, but also provides valuable experience for future generations.
Over time, the ancient Chinese calendar has undergone several major reforms, each of which has improved the accuracy and usefulness of the calendar. From the Taichu Calendar during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to the Shixian Calendar in the early Qing Dynasty, these reforms not only reflected the progress of science and technology, but also reflected the improvement of the national cultural level.
It is worth mentioning that although the promulgation of the "Shixian Calendar" caused controversy at the time, its scientific and accurate nature was finally recognized. Although John Tang played a role in the compilation of the Shixian Calendar, its essence is the result of ancient Chinese scholars using Western scientific theories to refine the calendar. This is evident from the cooperation between Xu Guangqi and John Tang. Xu Guangqi not only deeply studied Western astronomy and mathematics, but also had extensive exchanges with Western missionaries such as John Tang, and worked together to integrate advanced Western scientific theories into the Chinese calendar.
Therefore, the view that the simplicity of the lunar calendar is attributed to John Tong is obviously one-sided. In fact, the invention and perfection of the lunar calendar is the crystallization of the wisdom of ancient Chinese scholars, and is the embodiment of their deep understanding of the laws of nature and their ability to calculate accurately. The contribution of Western missionaries such as John Tong was that they served as a bridge to introduce Western scientific knowledge to China and helped to improve the calculation method of the lunar calendar. But the core idea and structure of the lunar calendar and its close connection to the daily lives of Chinese people undoubtedly stem from China's own cultural and scientific traditions.
In short, the lunar calendar is not only a tool for measuring time, but also the embodiment of the wisdom of ancient Chinese civilization, and a concentrated display of the ability to observe, understand and apply the laws of nature. While appreciating the contributions of John Tang and others, we should remember that the invention and development of the lunar calendar is the result of the wisdom of the Chinese themselves and is a precious heritage of Chinese culture.