Chinese Calendar 1
Free Module 1: Principles of Feng Shui
Chapter 6: The Chinese Calendar
The Chinese  Calendar System consists of the combination of:-
The Ten Heavenly Stems + The Twelve Earthly Branches
The Ten Heavenly Stems
 
Heavenly Stem  | Element  | Planet  | Direction  |  Jia (hard wood)  | Wood  | Jupiter  | East  |  Yi (soft wood)  | Wood  | Jupiter  | East  |  Bing (sun fire)  | Fire  | Mars  | South  |  Ding (kitchen fire)  | Fire  | Mars  | South  |  Wu (mountain earth)  | Earth  | Saturn  | Centre  |  Ji (sand earth)  | Earth  | Saturn  | Centre  |  Geng (rough metal)  | Metal  | Venus  | West  |  Xin (refined metal)  | Metal  | Venus  | West  |  Ren (sea water)  | Water  | Mercury  | North  |  Gui (rain water)  | Water  | Mercury  | North  |  
  | 
+
 The Twelve Earthly Branches
 
Earthly Branch  | Element  | Hour of Birth  | Direction  |  Rat  | Water  | 11.00pm - 12.59am  | North  |  Ox  | Earth  | 1.00am - 2.59am  | North-East  |  Tiger  | Wood  | 3.00am - 4.59am  | North-East  |  Rabbit  | Wood  | 5.00am - 6.59am  | East  |  Dragon  | Earth  | 7.00am - 8.59am  | South-East  |  Snake  | Fire  | 9.00am - 10.59am  | South-East  |  Horse  | Fire  | 11.00am - 12.59pm  | South  |  Ram  | Earth  | 1.00pm - 2.59pm  | South-West  |  Monkey  | Metal  | 3.00pm - 4.59pm  | South-West  |  Rooster  | Metal  | 5.00pm - 6.59pm  | West  |  Dog  | Earth  | 7.00pm - 8.59pm  | North-West  |  Pig  | Water  | 9.00pm - 10.59pm  | North-West  |  
  | 
The Ten Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Earthly Branches combine together to form 1  Cycle of the Lunar Calendar:-
 
Looking at the diagram, 1 Cycle of the lunar calendar consists of 180 years.
Each cycle is divided into 3 groups: Upper, Middle and Lower. Each group comprise 3 periods. Each  period is 20 years.
We are now in the Period 7 of  the lower period. In eight years time in the year 2004, we will be entering PERIOD 8 in year 2004.