Daily calendar conversion

Chinese calendar, 21 December 1996

21 December 1996 is lunar month 11, day 11, 1996, the Fire Rat year. The day pillar is Yang Water Dragon. 14 named Yi activities; 4 named Ji activities. 6 auspicious time windows; waxing gibbous.

Solar term

Dōngzhì · Winter Solstice

Since 21 December 1996

21

Saturday

December 1996

Lunar date

11th Month · 11th Day

一九九六十一

Year of the

Fire Rat

Yang Fire Rat · 丙子

Water restrains Fire in the Five Phases, so the Rat’s fixed element is understood as moderating the year element.

Solar term

Dōngzhì · Winter Solstice

since 21 December 1996

Moon phase

Waxing gibbous

Lunar day 11 · between principal phases

Daily almanac · 1996-12-21

The daily almanac & observances

21 December 1996
Traditional day classification

Inauspicious · Hei Dao

Heavenly Prison 天牢 · 黑道

Huang Dao and Hei Dao name the day-god cycle. For a particular plan, read its Yi and Ji activities below.

Inside this lunar month

Month 11 · 29 days

11 December 19968 January 1997. 18 days remain after this date.

Follow the Moon through this month →
Festival & customs on this date

Winter Solstice · 冬至

In parts of northern China people eat dumplings, while Shanghai and some southern communities favour tangyuan; other foods and rites vary locally.

The Moon this month · UTC+8

December 1996 moon phases

Read the phase guide →
  1. Last quarter

    Lunar 10/23

  2. New moon

    Lunar 11/1

  3. First quarter

    Lunar 11/7

  4. Full moon

    Lunar 11/15

Calculated phase moments use fixed UTC+8. A lunar day number and a Moon phase describe different things. How they fit together →

The surrounding month

Explore the days around 21 December 1996

Select a day to update its quick overview. Today, the selected date and festivals have separate markers.

Gregorian dates and corresponding Chinese lunar month and day for January 1997
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
TodaySelectedFestivalMoon phaseSolar term

Each cell shows the Gregorian day above its lunar month/day. Select any day to update the quick overview, then open its full reading for more detail.

Calendar terms explained

This day in the traditional cycles

Each result below names this date’s position and explains what the term means.

Day pillar 日柱
Yang Water Dragon · 壬辰— this date’s position in the repeating 60-day stem–branch cycle.Hidden stems are stems conventionally contained in the day pillar’s earthly branch. Primary is the main layer; middle and residual are secondary layers.
  • Yang Earth · (primary)
  • Yin Wood · (middle)
  • Yin Water · Guǐ (residual)
Month pillar 月柱
Yang Metal Rat · 庚子— the month’s position in the 60-part stem–branch cycle.
Year pillar 年柱
Yang Fire Rat · 丙子Water controls Fire; the year’s position in the 60-year cycle.
Day Na Yin 纳音
Long-flowing Water · 长流水— a fixed named element assigned to this pillar; its element is Water.
Day animal 生肖
Dragon · — the animal of the earthly branch in this date’s pillar.
Opposes 冲
Yang Fire Dog · 丙戌— a Six Clash (六冲), the branch directly opposite this date’s branch in the 12-branch cycle.
Lunar mansion 宿
Root · — this date’s position in the repeating 28-mansion cycle.East palace () · Raccoon dog creature () · traditionally unfavourable ()
Day officer 建除
Settle · — determined by this date’s earthly branch relative to its solar-term month branch.
Auspicious directions 吉方
  • Joy 喜神: South (正南)
  • Blessing 福神: Southeast (东南)
  • Wealth 财神: South (正南)
Three traditional direction markers determined by this date’s heavenly stem.
Peng Zu lines 彭祖百忌
The verse cautions against drawing water, saying trouble may be hard to guard against.壬不泱水更难提防The verse cautions against weeping, saying another bereavement may follow.辰不哭泣必主重丧Two traditional almanac caution lines selected by this date’s stem and branch.

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Plan another date

21 December 1996 corresponds to lunar year 1996, month 11, day 11, in the 丙子 year — the Year of the Rat. You can enter another date in the date converter.

A solar term is one of twenty-four seasonal divisions of the year. The Moon phase follows the astronomical cycle independently of the numbered lunar day.

Looking for a date-selection overview? The almanac guide introduces the calendar’s auspicious-date tools and terminology.

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