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 K? S?u 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), S?u (Ox/Buffalo), D?n (Tiger), M?o/Mão (Cat/Rabbit), Thìn (Dragon), T? (Snake), Ng? (Horse), Mùi (Sheep/Goat), Thân (Monkey), D?u (Chicken), Tu?t (Dog) and the H?i (Pig/Boar).
Meanwhile, the “Ten Heavenly Stems” ("shi tian gan" ...), comprised of
Giáp, ?t, Bính, Ðinh, M?u, K?, 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 ?t belongs to “Wood”, Bính and Ðinh to “Fire”, M?u and K? 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, M?u, Canh and Nhâm are known to hold the qualities of “yang”, while ?t, Ðinh, K?, 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 (D?n), 2010 Canh D?n 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.?t S?u
3.Bính D?n
4.Ðinh Mão
5.M?u Thìn
6.K? T?
7.Canh Ng?
8.Tân Mùi
9.Nhâm Thân
10.Quý D?u
11.Giáp Tu?t
12.?t H?i
13.Bính Tý
14.Ðinh S?u
15.M?u D?n
16.K? Mão
17.Canh Thìn
18.Tân T?
19.Nhâm Ng?
20.Quý Mùi
21.Giáp Thân
22.?t D?u
23.Bính Tu?t
24.Ðinh H?i
25.M?u Tý
26.K? S?u
27.Canh D?n
28.Tân Mão
29.Nhâm Thìn
30.Quý T?
31.Giáp Ng?
32.?t Mùi
33.Bính Thân
34.Ðinh D?u
35.M?u Tu?t
36.K? H?i
37.Canh Tý
38.Tân S?u
39.Nhâm D?n
40.Quý Mão
41.Giáp Thìn
42.?t T?
43.Bính Ng?
44.Ðinh Mùi
45.M?u Thân
46.K? D?u
47.Canh Tu?t
48.Tân H?i
49.Nhâm Tý
50.Quý S?u
51.Giáp D?n
52.?t Mão
53.Bính Thìn
54.Ðinh T?
55.M?u Ng?
56.K? Mùi
57.Canh Thân
58.Tân D?u
59.Nhâm Tu?t
60.Quý H?i
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 D?n 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 D?n, then, won’t be around until year 2070.
Signs of the zodiac and sexagenary cycle
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