The Chinese lunar calendar（Nongli） is the traditional Chinese calendar and is often used in agriculture（农业）. In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February.
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the crescent （新月） appears on the first day of each month and full moon comes out in the middle of the month. The cycle lasts for about 30 days.24 days mark 24 divisions of the solar year in the Chinese lunar calendar, according to the different positions of the sun. For example, the division "Lichun" or "the Beginning of Spring" reminds people that spring is coming. "Jingzhe" or "the Awakening of Insects" means that the weather is getting warmer. "Lixia" or "the Beginning of Summer" is the point that crops are blooming. "Dahan" or "the Major Cold" is the end of severe winter. All these create a circle.
Year after year people experience the mysteries of nature with the Chinese lunar calendar.24 solar terms are helpful for Chinese people to predict the changes of weather in daily life, especially for peasants.
The dates of most of the traditional festivals base on the Chinese lunar calendar. Some countries belonging to the Chinese-character cultural circle, such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam also celebrate the traditional festivals, such as the Spring Festival（Chinese New Year）, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival and so on.
Although Chinese firstly adopted（采用） the Western calendar in 1912, the Chinese lunar calendar, as one of the most important carriers of Chinese culture, is still widely used among Chinese people.
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