How the Chinese Lunar Calendar Works
The Chinese Lunar Calendar is actually a lunisolar calendar, meaning it incorporates elements of both the lunar (moon) and solar (sun) cycles. Unlike the Gregorian calendar which is purely solar, the Chinese calendar tracks time based on the phases of the moon. Each month begins on the new moon, and a normal year has 12 months. To keep the calendar synchronized with the solar year and agricultural seasons, a leap month (intercalary month) is added approximately every three years.