ken@pluto.dss.com (Ken Adler) (05/29/91)
Can someone please tell me what day in the "Julian" calendar corresponds to the first day of the 4th month of the Chinese calendar NEXT YEAR (1992). This is very important to me because I am setting my wedding date. Everythings works out fine as far as my familily is concerned if we hold the wedding on April 26 1992 (Sunday). However, My bride's mother (Thai Chinese) feels very strongly that it should be in May. This is because "western" May roughly corresponds to the Chinese 4th month. The mother's monks tell her that the 4th month is the time we should get married based on our birthdates and times. Even more important, the 3rd month apparently is a month of visiting the graves of those who have passed on. She said it would be bad luck to marry during the 3rd month. Her mother has been unable to pinpoint exactly when the 4th month starts according to the Julian calendar. My hope is that April 26th 1992 is actually in the 4th month of the Chinese calendar. Otherwise, some serious diplomacy will be involved. Does anyone have an idea? I need to solidfy my date ASAP. Thanks Ken Adler
scheff@msl475a.erim.org (Al Scheffler) (05/29/91)
To Ken Adler:
I have checked with a computer algorithm that I have written and found
that April 26, 1992 in the Gregorian Calendar (the one in conventional
international use) corresponds only to the 3rd month 24th day in the Chinese
Calendar computed by the current method. Sorry! The Chinese New Year in the
modern system begins on February 4, 1992. The first day of the fourth Chinese
month does not therefore occur until May 3, 1992, the Sunday a week after
April 26.
Although I believe that you did not intend this, you actually referred
to the Julian Calendar (in widespread European use until October 4, 1582) which
is now practically obsolete. In that case, the first day of the fourth
Chinese month is equivalent to April 20, 1992 in the Julian Calendar system.
This, however, is only of trivial importance for planning most weddings in
the 20th century.
Beware of the Thai lunar calendar which is derived from a more ancient
method of the Chinese calendar. This calendar uses the first new moon BEFORE
the winter solstice as the beginning of the first month instead of the modern
Chinese system which usually starts with the second (or rarely the third) new
moon AFTER the winter solstice. Many Thai festivals such as Roi Katong (the
Lotus festival on the full moon which occurs around November) are based on the
Thai lunar calendar. Roi Katong is the full moon of the 12th month in that
system.
Best wishes for your wedding plans. I was married to my Thai wife in
Thailand four years ago and left all the plans about the date up to her
family. It turned out unexpectedly that we had to have the ceremony at 10 AM
the morning after I arrived at Don Muang airport at 10:30 the previous night.
It was the only lucky time for the next three months. I survived!
It all worked out for the best.
Chok di!
Al Scheffler