सेक्साजेनरी चक्र
The Chinese sexagenary cycle (Chinese: 干支; pinyin: gānzhī) is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten Heavenly Stems (天干; tiāngān) and the twelve Earthly Branches (地支; dìzhī). These have been traditionally used as a means of numbering the years, not only in China but also in other East Asian nations like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Overview
[सम्पादन]It was first developed in China, then imported through Korea into Japan. China has had a knowledge of eto since antiquity, but it was much later in the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC- 8 AD) that it was used in the calendar. According to Nihon shoki (日本書紀), the calendar was transmitted to Japan in 553. But it was not until the Suiko (推古) era around 602 that the calendar was used for politics.
The calendar is calculated by combining the jikkan (十干 the 10 stems) and jūnishi (十二支 the 12 branches). These two sets of terms were used to enumerate years of the civil calendar. Combining the series form a greater cycle of 60 terms, as the least common multiple of 10 and 12 is 60. The first term is formed by adding the first stem to the first branch, then the second stem to the second branch, and so on. If you start with kinoe-ne (甲子), so the 61st year would also be kinoe-ne. This was how the tradition of celebrating the 60th birthday (還暦) began. This counting system employing things of nature and animals create many myths, and people of Japan today still consider the good and bad luck of certain days and years.
The year 604, when the Japanese officially adopted the Chinese calendar, was the first year of the cycle. The year 1984 began the present cycle, and 2044 will begin another.
Ten Heavenly Stems
[सम्पादन]| Heavenly Stem |
Chinese name |
Japanese name |
Korean name |
Vietnamese name |
Yin Yang | Element | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 甲 | jiǎ | kō/kinoe (木の兄) | gap 갑 | giáp | yang | wood |
| 2 | 乙 | yǐ | otsu/kinoto (木の弟) | eul 을 | ất | yin | |
| 3 | 丙 | bǐng | hei/hinoe (火の兄) | byeong 병 | bính | yang | fire |
| 4 | 丁 | dīng | tei/hinoto (火の弟) | jeong 정 | đinh | yin | |
| 5 | 戊 | wù | bo/tsuchinoe (土の兄) | mu 무 | mậu | yang | earth |
| 6 | 己 | jǐ | ki/tsuchinoto (土の弟) | gi 기 | kỷ | yin | |
| 7 | 庚 | gēng | kō/kanoe (金の兄) | gyeong 경 | canh | yang | metal |
| 8 | 辛 | xīn | shin/kanoto (金の弟) | shin 신 | tân | yin | |
| 9 | 壬 | rén | jin/mizunoe (水の兄) | im 임 | nhâm | yang | water |
| 10 | 癸 | guǐ | ki/mizunoto (水の弟) | gye 계 | quý | yin |
Twelve Earthly Branches
[सम्पादन]| Earthly Branch |
Chinese name |
Japanese name |
Korean name |
Vietnamese name |
Chinese zodiac |
Corresponding hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 子 | zǐ | shi/ne | ja 자 | tý | Rat/Mouse (鼠) | 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. |
| 2 | 丑 | chǒu | chū/ushi | chuk 축 | sửu | Ox/Cow/Bull (牛) | 1 to 3 a.m. |
| 3 | 寅 | yín | in/tora | in 인 | dần | Tiger (虎) | 3 to 5 a.m. |
| 4 | 卯 | mǎo | bō/u | myo 묘 | mẹo/mão | Rabbit/Hare* (兔) | 5 to 7 a.m. |
| 5 | 辰 | chén | shin/tatsu | jin 진 | thìn | Dragon (龍) | 7 to 9 a.m. |
| 6 | 巳 | sì | shi/mi | sa 사 | tỵ | Snake (蛇) | 9 to 11 a.m. |
| 7 | 午 | wǔ | go/uma | o 오 | ngọ | Horse (馬) | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| 8 | 未 | wèi | mi or bi/hitsuji | mi 미 | mùi | Sheep/Goat (羊) | 1 to 3 p.m. |
| 9 | 申 | shēn | shin/saru | shin 신 | thân | Monkey (猴) | 3 to 5 p.m. |
| 10 | 酉 | yǒu | yū/tori | yu 유 | dậu | Chicken/Rooster (雞) | 5 to 7 p.m. |
| 11 | 戌 | xū | jutsu/inu | sul 술 | tuất | Dog (狗) | 7 to 9 p.m. |
| 12 | 亥 | hài | gai/i | hae 해 | hợi | Pig/Boar (豬) | 9 to 11 p.m. |
*The names of several animals can be translated into English in several different ways. The Vietnamese Earthly Branches use Cat instead of Rabbit/Hare.
In a traditional story of the twelve animals, the cat and rat were once good friends, but the animals to be selected to represent the years included the cat but not the rat. These animals had to present themselves to be given the honour of representing the years in the cycle, and the cat asked the rat to wake him up before they had to go. The rat didn't do this, but instead went himself. When they came to cross a river, the rat jumped on the ox's back, and just before the ox got to the bank, the rat jumped off and was first in line. This is why the twelve animals are lead by the rat, and because the cat was cheated out of its rightful place, rats are forever sought out by cats for revenge.
Sexagenary Cycle
[सम्पादन]| Stem-Branch | Chinese name |
Korean name |
Japanese name |
Associations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 甲子 | jiǎ-zǐ | gapja 갑자 | kōshi/kinoe-ne | Yang Wood Rat |
| 2 | 乙丑 | yǐ-chǒu | eulchuk 을축 | itchū/kinoto-ushi | Yin Wood Ox |
| 3 | 丙寅 | bǐng-yín | byeongin 병인 | heiin/hinoe-tora | Yang Fire Tiger |
| 4 | 丁卯 | dīng-mǎo | jeongmyo 정묘 | teibō/hinoto-u | Yin Fire Rabbit |
| 5 | 戊辰 | wù-chén | mujin 무진 | boshin/tsuchinoe-tatsu | Yang Earth Dragon |
| 6 | 己巳 | jǐ-sì | gisa 기사 | kishi/tsuchinoto-mi | Yin Earth Snake |
| 7 | 庚午 | gēng-wǔ | gyeongo 경오 | kōgo/kanoe-uma | Yang Metal Horse |
| 8 | 辛未 | xīn-wèi | shinmi 신미 | shinbi/kanoto-hitsuji | Yin Metal Sheep |
| 9 | 壬申 | rén-shēn | imshin 임신 | jinshin/mizunoe-saru | Yang Water Monkey |
| 10 | 癸酉 | guǐ-yǒu | gyeyu 계유 | kiyū/mizunoto-tori | Yin Water Chicken |
| 11 | 甲戌 | jiǎ-xū | gapsul 갑술 | kōjutsu/kinoe-inu | Yang Wood Dog |
| 12 | 乙亥 | yǐ-hài | eulhae 을해 | itsugai/kinoto-i | Yin Wood Pig |
| 13 | 丙子 | bǐng-zǐ | byeongja 병자 | heishi/hinoe-ne | Yang Fire Rat |
| 14 | 丁丑 | dīng-chǒu | jeongchuk 정축 | teichū/hinoto-ushi | Yin Fire Ox |
| 15 | 戊寅 | wù-yín | muin 무인 | boin/tsuchinoe-tora | Yang Earth Tiger |
| 16 | 己卯 | jǐ-mǎo | gimyo 기묘 | kibō/tsuchinoto-u | Yin Earth Rabbit |
| 17 | 庚辰 | gēng-chén | gyeongjin 경진 | kōshin/kanoe-tatsu | Yang Metal Dragon |
| 18 | 辛巳 | xīn-sì | shinsa 신사 | shinshi/kanoto-mi | Yin Metal Snake |
| 19 | 壬午 | rén-wǔ | imo 임오 | jingo/mizunoe-uma | Yang Water Horse |
| 20 | 癸未 | guǐ-wèi | gyemi 계미 | kibi/mizunoto-hitsuji | Yin Water Sheep |
| 21 | 甲申 | jiǎ-shēn | gapshin 갑신 | kōshin/kinoe-saru | Yang Wood Monkey |
| 22 | 乙酉 | yǐ-yǒu | eulyu 을유 | itsuyū/kinoto-tori | Yin Wood Chicken |
| 23 | 丙戌 | bǐng-xū | byeongsul 병술 | heijutsu/hinoe-inu | Yang Fire Dog |
| 24 | 丁亥 | dīng-hài | jeonghae 정해 | teigai/hinoto-i | Yin Fire Pig |
| 25 | 戊子 | wù-zǐ | muja 무자 | boshi/tsuchinoe-ne | Yang Earth Rat |
| 26 | 己丑 | jǐ-chǒu | gichuk 기축 | kichū/tsuchinoto-ushi | Yin Earth Ox |
| 27 | 庚寅 | gēng-yín | gyeongin 경인 | kōin/kanoe-tora | Yang Metal Tiger |
| 28 | 辛卯 | xīn-mǎo | shinmyo 신묘 | shinbō/kanoto-u | Yin Metal Rabbit |
| 29 | 壬辰 | rén-chén | imjin 임진 | jinshin/mizunoe-tatsu | Yang Water Dragon |
| 30 | 癸巳 | guǐ-sì | gyesa 계사 | kishi/mizunoto-mi | Yin Water Snake |
| 31 | 甲午 | jiǎ-wǔ | gapo 갑오 | kōgo/kinoe-uma | Yang Wood Horse |
| 32 | 乙未 | yǐ-wèi | eulmi 을미 | itsubi/kinoto-hitsuji | Yin Wood Sheep |
| 33 | 丙申 | bǐng-shēn | byeongshin 병신 | heishin/hinoe-saru | Yang Fire Monkey |
| 34 | 丁酉 | dīng-yǒu | jeongyu 정유 | teiyū/hinoto-tori | Yin Fire Chicken |
| 35 | 戊戌 | wù-xū | musul 무술 | bojutsu/tsuchinoe-inu | Yang Earth Dog |
| 36 | 己亥 | jǐ-hài | gihae 기해 | kigai/tsuchinoto-i | Yin Earth Pig |
| 37 | 庚子 | gēng-zǐ | gyeongja 경자 | kōshi/kanoe-ne | Yang Metal Rat |
| 38 | 辛丑 | xīn-chǒu | shinchuk 신축 | shinchū/kanoto-ushi | Yin Metal Ox |
| 39 | 壬寅 | rén-yín | imin 임인 | jin'in/mizunoe-tora | Yang Water Tiger |
| 40 | 癸卯 | guǐ-mǎo | gyemyo 계묘 | kibō/mizunoto-u | Yin Water Rabbit |
| 41 | 甲辰 | jiǎ-chén | gapjin 갑진 | kōshin/kinoe-tatsu | Yang Wood Dragon |
| 42 | 乙巳 | yǐ-sì | eulsa 을사 | itsushi/kinoto-mi | Yin Wood Snake |
| 43 | 丙午 | bǐng-wǔ | byeongo 병오 | heigo/hinoe-uma | Yang Fire Horse |
| 44 | 丁未 | dīng-wèi | jeongmi 정미 | teibi/hinoto-hitsuji | Yin Fire Sheep |
| 45 | 戊申 | wù-shēn | mushin 무신 | boshin/tsuchinoe-saru | Yang Earth Monkey |
| 46 | 己酉 | jǐ-yǒu | giyu 기유 | kiyū/tsuchinoto-tori | Yin Earth Chicken |
| 47 | 庚戌 | gēng-xū | gyeongsul 경술 | kōjutsu/kanoe-inu | Yang Metal Dog |
| 48 | 辛亥 | xīn-hài | shinhae 신해 | shingai/kanoto-i | Yin Metal Pig |
| 49 | 壬子 | rén-zǐ | imja 임자 | jinshi/mizunoe-ne | Yang Water Rat |
| 50 | 癸丑 | guǐ-chǒu | gyechuk 계축 | kichū/mizunoto-ushi | Yin Water Ox |
| 51 | 甲寅 | jiǎ-yín | gapin 갑인 | kōin/kinoe-tora | Yang Wood Tiger |
| 52 | 乙卯 | yǐ-mǎo | eulmyo 을묘 | itsubō/kinoto-u | Yin Wood Rabbit |
| 53 | 丙辰 | bǐng-chén | byeongjin 병진 | heishin/hinoe-tatsu | Yang Fire Dragon |
| 54 | 丁巳 | dīng-sì | jeongsa 정사 | teishi/hinoto-mi | Yin Fire Snake |
| 55 | 戊午 | wù-wǔ | muo 무오 | bogo/tsuchinoe-uma | Yang Earth Horse |
| 56 | 己未 | jǐ-wèi | gimi 기미 | kibi/tsuchinoto-hitsuji | Yin Earth Sheep |
| 57 | 庚申 | gēng-shēn | gyeongshin 경신 | kōshin/kanoe-saru | Yang Metal Monkey |
| 58 | 辛酉 | xīn-yǒu | shinyu 신유 | shin'yū/kanoto-tori | Yin Metal Chicken |
| 59 | 壬戌 | rén-xū | imsul 임술 | jinjutsu/mizunoe-inu | Yang Water Dog |
| 60 | 癸亥 | guǐ-hài | gyehae 계해 | kigai/mizunoto-i | Yin Water Pig |
The sexagenary cycle was first used for days in the Shang Dynasty, and later also used for years and less commonly for months.
For example, the year 2000 was 17th year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, a gēng-chén year (庚辰年), a year of the Yang Metal Dragon. Therefore, 2006 is 23rd year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, called a bǐng-xū year (丙戌年), a year of the Yang Fire Dog.
The naming of the months and days is not common now, although they will be shown on Chinese calendars and almanacs.