In China, we follow 2 calendars – modern solar calendar and traditional lunar calendar. Our traditional holidays follow traditional lunar calendar. There are normally 1-2 month difference between these 2 calendars. For instance, January 1, 2021 means beginning of a new year for solar calendar, while it was the 18th date of the 11th month on lunar calendar. When it came to the first day ( Chinese Spring Day) for lunar calendar 2021, it was actually February 12, 2021.
Non-Chinese might wonder how can you do with 2 calendar systems… Mmm, it seems confusing, but not an issue at all. In our modern life, the printing calendars show both dates at the same time, and our smart devices tell us both calendars at the same time. It makes our life much easier.
In our daily life, we normally use solar calendar to make a plan or an appointment. For traditional holidays we use only lunar calendars of course. For birthdays, things got changes nowadays. We used to use lunar calendars to record our birthdays mainly. Nowadays more and more new babies get to use solar calendars to record and celebrate their birthdays.
No matter how long it takes, as long as there is Chinese, the lunar calendar will also remain.
