Editing Chinese calendar (section)

===Solar calendars===
[[File:Five Phases and Four Seasons Calendar.png|thumb|alt=See caption|Five-phase and four-quarter calendars]]
The traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar was developed between 771 BCE and 476 BCE, during the [[Spring and Autumn period]] of the [[Eastern Zhou]] dynasty. Solar calendars were used before the [[Zhou dynasty]] period, along with the basic sexagenary system.

One version of the solar calendar is the five-elements (or phases) calendar ({{zh-no-labels|s=五行历|t=五行曆|p=wǔxíng lì}}), which derives from the [[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Wu Xing]]. A 365-day year was divided into five phases of 72 days, with each phase preceded by an [[Intercalation (timekeeping)|intercalary]] day associated with the claimed beginning of the following 72 day period of domination by the next Wu Xing element; thus, the five phases each begin with a governing-element day ({{lang|zh|行御}}), followed by a 72 day period characterized by the ruling element. Years began on a {{zh-no-labels|p=jiǎzǐ|c=甲子|out=p}} day and a 72-day wood phase, followed by a {{zh-no-labels|c=丙子|p=bǐngzǐ|out=p}} day and a 72-day fire phase; a {{zh-no-labels|p=wùzǐ|c=戊子|out=p}} day and a 72-day earth phase; a {{zh-no-labels|p=gēngzǐ|c=庚子|out=p}} day and a 72-day metal phase, and a {{zh-no-labels|p=rénzǐ|c=壬子|out=p}} day followed by a water phase.<ref name="Guanzi 41">{{cite wikisource |title=zh:管子|trans-title=[[Guanzi (text)|Guanzi]] |chapter=第41篇五行|trans-chapter=Chapter 41: Five Elements|wslanguage=zh}}</ref> Each phase consisted of two three-week months, making each year ten months long. Other days were tracked using the [[Yellow River Map]] (''He Tu'').

Another version is a four-quarters calendar ({{zh|labels=no|s=四时八节历|t=四時八節曆|l=four seasons eight solar terms calendar|p=sìshí bājié lì}}, or {{zh|labels=no|t=四分曆|s=四分历|p=sìfēn lì|l=quarters calendar}}). The weeks were ten days long, with one month consisting of three weeks. A year had 12 months, with a ten-day week [[Intercalation (timekeeping)|intercalated]] in summer as needed to keep up with the tropical year. The 10 [[Heavenly Stems]] and 12 [[Earthly Branches]] were used to mark days.<ref name="Guanzi 40">{{cite wikisource |title=管子|trans-title=[[Guanzi (text)|Guanzi]] |chapter=第40篇四時|trans-chapter=Chapter 40: Four Sections|wslanguage=zh}}</ref>

A third version is the balanced calendar ({{zh|labels=no|t=調曆|s=调历 |p=tiáo lì}}). A year was 365.25 days, and a month was 29.5 days. After every 16th month, a half-month was intercalated. According to [[oracle bone]] records, the [[Shang dynasty]] calendar ({{Circa|1600|1046}} BCE) was a balanced calendar with 12 to 14 months in a year; the month after the winter solstice was {{tlit|zh|pinyin|Zhēngyuè}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsmth.net/bbsanc.php?path=/groups/sci.faq/Astronomy/bw/all2/bk37k/M.1275291864.z0&ap=353 |script-title=zh:中国农历发展简史 |trans-title=A brief history of the development of Chinese Lunar calendar |format=PDF |access-date=24 February 2016 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226064642/https://www.newsmth.net/bbsanc.php?path=%2Fgroups%2Fsci.faq%2FAstronomy%2Fbw%2Fall2%2Fbk37k%2FM.1275291864.z0&ap=353 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A solar calendar called the [[Tung Shing]], the ''Yellow Calendar'' or  ''Imperial Calendar'' (both alluding to [[Yellow Emperor]]) continued to see use as an almanac and agricultural guide throughout Chinese history.<ref>{{cite book |first=Martin |last=Palmer |title=T'ung Shu: the Ancient Chinese Almanac |publisher=Shambhala |location=Boston |year=1986 |isbn=9780394742212 |pages=9–10}}</ref>