One of the main achievements of ancient Chinese science is creation of the lunar calendar. Officially, of course, China lives on a Gregorian calendar, as well as other countries, but also the national lunar calendar known around the world is at the same time used.
Observations as calendar basis
The history of the Chinese lunar calendar begins in the second millennium B.C. Still then by the Chinese scientists it was established that the Moon has a certain influence on Earth and its inhabitants. This its influence, scientists proved, causes inflows and otliva in the rivers and oceans, changes health of people. They noticed and some recurrence of processes and on the basis of observations tried to record it.
In China the calendar was considered as the sacred document, and at that time it used protection of all ruling emperors.
Of course, it is possible to call the first calendars calendars in habitual understanding only conditionally. The first prototypes were executed in the form of the crossed circles and sheets of rice paper imposed at each other where the lower layer kind of supplemented a layer top, marking a new phase of the Moon.
The calendar took a form of the dates replacing each other during transition of the second millennium to the first BC. Finally it was created during an era of government of the Han dynasty - about 2 millennia BC till the 2nd millennium AD. At this time the Chinese scientists authentically calculated that year contains 365 and a quarter days. Moreover, they defined the beginning and the end of day and also connected them in the periods of time similar to modern weeks and months.
Device of the Chinese calendar
The history of the Chinese lunar calendar says that it consisted of lunar day, that is time passing from rising before calling of the Moon excepting one lunar day in a new moon. The beginning of month in the Chinese calendar is the share of a new moon, and the middle of month corresponds to a full moon. According to the lunar calendar of months in a year was twelve, but, unlike modern, they had no name but only numbering one after another. According to the lunar calendar the year is not divided into the equal number of months, and the number of days in it made 354. The number of days of solar year was 365 therefore subsequently within several years by calendar year added on day that the 13th month as a result appeared and the lunar calendar would correspond to solar.
Often Lunar calendar was used for the choice and planning of certain sacral or sign dates.
In the course of formation the Chinese calendar became one of the main embodiments of the fundamental idea of unity of basic elements: Sky, Earth, Person. Since 1911 - after overthrow in China of the monarchy - the European chronology which was conducted on a Gregorian calendar began. But the ancient Chinese calendar till today is present at life of Chinese. Even such holiday as New year, is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. It falls on the period from January 21 to February 19 in transfer to Gregorian.