The year of the Tiger has just arrived. February 14, 2010 marked the beginning of a year that is dynamic, unpredictable and powerful as the Tiger itself. This is the year, which has been given the name Canh Dần, as provided by the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar.

As naming the years is not as popular in other parts of the world, things for them might appear a little complicated to put together regarding how the years are named. Whereas the previous year (2009) was called Kỷ Sửu and how the following year’s name of Tân Mão (year 2011) is already figured out, the system of naming the years along with the cycles in the Lunar calendar would, in reality, only require a few basic understanding of this remarkably interesting calendar.

Naming a Vietnamese year is basically done by combining two cycles, the “Ten Heavenly Stems” and the “Twelve Earthly Branches”.

The “Twelve Earthly Branches” (“shi er di zhi” …) denotes the twelve signs of the zodiac consisting of:

Tý (Rat), Sửu (Ox/Buffalo), Dần (Tiger), Mẹo/Mão (Cat/Rabbit), Thìn (Dragon), Tỵ (Snake), Ngọ (Horse), Mùi (Sheep/Goat), Thân (Monkey), Dậu (Chicken), Tuất (Dog) and the Hợi (Pig/Boar).

Meanwhile, the “Ten Heavenly Stems” (“shi tian gan” …), comprised of

Giáp, Ất, Bính, Đinh, Mậu, Kỷ, Canh, Tân, Nhâm and Quý

are further associated with the concept of Yin and Yang as well as of with the five “Basic Elements” where Giáp and Ất belongs to “Wood”, Bính and Đinh to “Fire”, Mậu and Kỷ to “Earth”, Canh and Tân to “Metal”, and Nhâm and Quý to the element “Water”.

In relation to the two basic properties “yang” (Am) and “yin” (Duong), Giáp, Bính, Mậu, Canh and Nhâm are known to hold the qualities of “yang”, while Ất, Đinh, Kỷ, Tân and Quý possess the “yin” qualities.

So putting two and two together, combining this year’s heavenly stem (Canh) in parallel with its property (Yang) and Basic Element (Metal) to its earthly body Tiger (Dần), 2010 Canh Dần is labeled as “Yang Metal Tiger”.

Combining in a round-robin manner the two shorter cycles of the “Can”, or the ten-year cycle denoting the “Ten Heavenly Stems” and the ”Ky” or the twelve-year cycle in congruent with the “Twelve Earthly Branches”, a greater cycle of 60 years is formed. Derived from the least common multiple of 10 and 12, the 60-year cycle (called Can Chi) is more like how the centuries are divided into every 100 years. As it cycles continuously, a particular year will return every after 60-year period.

Each year in the Can Chi corresponds to a particular year name as follows:

1.Giáp Tý

2.Ất Sửu

3.Bính Dần

4.Đinh Mão

5.Mậu Thìn

6.Kỷ Tỵ

7.Canh Ngọ

8.Tân Mùi

9.Nhâm Thân

10.Quý Dậu

11.Giáp Tuất

12.Ất Hợi

13.Bính Tý

14.Đinh Sửu

15.Mậu Dần

16.Kỷ Mão

17.Canh Thìn

18.Tân Tỵ

19.Nhâm Ngọ

20.Quý Mùi

21.Giáp Thân

22.Ất Dậu

23.Bính Tuất

24.Đinh Hợi

25.Mậu Tý

26.Ká»· Sá»­u

27.Canh Dần

28.Tân Mão

29.Nhâm Thìn

30.Quý Tỵ

31.Giáp Ngọ

32.Ất Mùi

33.Bính Thân

34.Đinh Dậu

35.Mậu Tuất

36.Kỷ Hợi

37.Canh Tý

38.Tân Sửu

39.Nhâm Dần

40.Quý Mão

41.Giáp Thìn

42.Ất Tỵ

43.Bính Ngọ

44.Đinh Mùi

45.Mậu Thân

46.Kỷ Dậu

47.Canh Tuất

48.Tân Hợi

49.Nhâm Tý

50.Quý Sửu

51.Giáp Dần

52.Ất Mão

53.Bính Thìn

54.Đinh Tỵ

55.Mậu Ngọ

56.Kỷ Mùi

57.Canh Thân

58.Tân Dậu

59.Nhâm Tuất

60.Quý Hợi

Used in China since the second millennium B.C. as its manner of naming their days (pretty much how the Western world names the days of their week). The method utilizing the Sexagenary (Stem-Branches) cycle is evident throughout the Zhou dynasty as their records were found to be written in such manner. Its popularity is seen much widely around 202 BC-8 A.D. during the period of Western Han Dynasty. How and when it was adopted by several other East Asian countries (Japan, Korea, Vietnam…) varied throughout history.

Since a particular year returns after every Can Chi or passing sexagenary cycle, a year that began in 1984 will therefore enter a new cycle by year 2044. In the same manner, the previous Canh Dần took place during 1950 (February 17, 1950 to February 6, 1951 to be particular) which is exactly 60 years from today. When this cycle ends, the next Canh Dần, then, won’t be around until year 2070.

Tags: Vietnamese Lunar Calendar