The long river of history flows with the brilliant calendar wisdom of the Chinese nation, and now, at this special moment on February 10, we officially opened the chapter of the Year of the Dragon in the lunar calendar. This year's Year of the Dragon, with its unique 354 days, has quietly subtracted 30 days and nights from the past Year of the Rabbit. So, what kind of astronomical mysteries and cultural meanings are behind this?
1. The secret of the leap month of the lunar calendar
The lunar calendar is a traditional time measurement system in mainland China, and its ingenuity lies in setting the months according to the waxing and waning of the moon, and adjusting the solar terms with reference to the return year of the sun, so as to maintain the consistency of the seasons and time. In some years, in order to compensate for the difference in length between the lunar month and the solar year, a leap month is added, bringing the lunar year to about 384 days. The Year of the Rabbit coincides with a leap month, so it is a longer year, while the Year of the Dragon has no leap month, so it has only 354 days.
2. Natural Laws and Humanistic Care
The absence of a leap month means that the lunar year is closer to the lunar cycle, but it can also lead to a slight misalignment between the lunar festival and the actual season. However, this dislocation reflects the respect and adaptation of the ancients to the laws of nature, as well as their high wisdom in formulating the calendar to balance life practice and astronomical observations.
3. Cultural symbols in the cycle of time
From a rabbit leaping to a dragon soaring, each lunar zodiac year is rich in cultural symbolism. Although the 354 days of the Year of the Dragon are short, they condense people's beautiful vision of blessings and exorcism in the New Year, as well as the spiritual sustenance of hard work and striving for progress in the new year. The short number of days is like a wake-up call to cherish time, reminding people to pursue infinite value in a limited time.
The 354 days of the Year of the Dragon in the Jiachen lunar calendar are the common imprint of nature and human wisdom, and a unique and philosophical journey through the passage of time. In this non-leap year, let us feel this compact and precious gift of time, grasp every moment, inherit the thousand-year-old culture, and write a new chapter belonging to the Year of the Dragon!