| the former calendar of China, in which the year consisted of 12 lunar months with an intercalary month added seven times every 19 years to reconcile the lunar year of 354 days with the solar year of 365 days, time being reckoned in 60-year cycles with the first cycle dating from 2637 b.c. |
| Chinese calendar n. The traditional lunisolar calendar of the Chinese people, based on 24 seasonal segments each about 15 days long. An intercalary month is occasionally necessary to reconcile the lunar year with the solar year. |