Hmong calendar

The Hmong calendar (Pahawh: 𖬌𖬣𖬵 𖬊𖬞𖬰 𖬀𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬂𖬯 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰; RPA: Hmoob daim teej cim zwj) is a lunar calendar used by the Hmong people. According to Hmong legends and folklore, the calendar has been in use since ancient times, although its exact origins remain unknown.^[1] It is believed to have been created during an ancient Hmong civilization in the area that is now Mongolia. These same legends and folklore relate that ancient Hmong ancestral kings created the calendar to determine the best times for performing rituals, ceremonial events, or activities in order to receive blessings or fortunes from the almighty god.

The Hmong lunar calendar operates using a system of revolving cycles of days (Pahawh: 𖬆𖬰𖬩; RPA: Hnub), weeks (Pahawh: 𖬑𖬟𖬵; RPA: plua), months (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥; RPA: Hli), and years (Pahawh: 𖬍𖬧𖬰; RPA: xyoo). This system incorporates both moon cycles and the Hmong zodiac.^[2]

The Hmong lunar calendar divides the month into three main moon cycles:

1. Waxing Crescent (𖬃𖬥 𖬔𖬮, Hli xiab), occurring during the first 14 days of the month and corresponding to the moon's progression toward the full moon, including the first half moon phase.
2. Full Moon (𖬃𖬥 𖬗𖬰𖬝, Hli ntsa): This cycle occurs specifically on the 15th day of the month, which is the full moon phase.
3. Waning Gibbous (𖬃𖬥 𖬃𖬲𖬬𖬰, Hli nqig): This cycle spans the last 14 days of the month, during which the moon wanes, including the second half moon phase.

Following the waning gibbous, the entire cycle repeats, mirroring the structure of other East Asian, Southeast Asian, and international moon cycles.

According to Hmong folklore, a long time ago, the almighty god (Pahawh: 𖬏𖬲𖬤 𖬄𖬤𖬵; RPA: Yawg Saum) decided to select animals to represent each Lunar Year. To ensure fairness between species, as the incident involved both heaven and the underworld, he chose an equal number of domestic and wild animals. This resulted in a total of 12 zodiac animals (Pahawh: 𖭑𖭒 𖬇𖬲𖬧𖬵 𖬔𖬶𖬝𖬰 𖬗 𖬍𖬰𖬧𖬰; RPA: 12 tug tsiaj kav xyoo) to represent each Lunar New Year.^[3][4]

The 12 animals are as follows:

• Rat (Pahawh: 𖬗𖬲𖬬 / 𖬛𖬲𖬬; RPA: Nas/ Naas)
• Cow (Pahawh: 𖬆𖬶𖬮𖬵; RPA: Nyuj)
• Tiger (Pahawh: 𖬒𖬶𖬝𖬰 / 𖬆𖬲𖬝𖬰; RPA: Tsov / Tsuv)
• Rabbit (Pahawh: 𖬐𖬲𖬞; RPA: Luav)
• Dragon (Pahawh: 𖬖𖬰𖬥𖬰 / 𖬚𖬰𖬥𖬰; RPA: Zaj / Zaaj)
• Snake (Pahawh: 𖬖𖬲𖬬 / 𖬚𖬲𖬬; RPA: Nab / Naab)
• Horse (Pahawh: 𖬁𖬰𖬬; RPA: Nees)
• Goat (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬰𖬪𖬰; RPA: Tshis)
• Monkey (Pahawh: 𖬔𖬞 / 𖬖𖬲𖬞; RPA: Liab / Lab)
• Rooster (Pahawh: 𖬊𖬰𖬦𖬵 / 𖬖𖬲𖬦𖬵; RPA: Qaib / Qab)
• Dog (Pahawh: 𖬉𖬞𖬰 / 𖬉𖬭𖬰; RPA: Dev / Dlev)
• Pig (Pahawh: 𖬑𖬨𖬵; RPA: Npua)

• In the Hmong calendar, each moon cycle (one month) has 30 days.
• Each year has an average of about 354 days.
• A full extra month (30 days) is added every three years, making 13 moon cycles- this is the leap year.
• In a 19-years span, about 7 additional months are added as leap months.
• Based on Hmong farming (Pahawh: 𖬌𖬣𖬵 𖬒𖬶𖬯 𖬌𖬦𖬵 𖬍𖬰𖬞; RPA: Hmoob cov qoob loo), the leap year is specifically considered to have two 8th months (Pahawh: 𖬐𖬰𖬦 𖭒 𖬆𖬰𖬞 𖬂𖬤 𖬃𖬥; RPA: muaj 2 lub yim hli).

• Calculating age, time, generation(s), year(s), etc.
• Determining a legal birth name (with great meanings—luck, fortune, blessing); and old age name.^[5]
• Analyzing the cause of illness (physical, spiritual, or both), the best time to hunt, attend outdoor activities, doing businesses, making profits, etc.
• Foretelling risky or dangerous event(s)/situation(s); the way to alter a risky pathway, etc.

White Hmong / Hmoob Dawb

Green Hmong / Moob Leeg

black/hmong hmoob leeg