The Hmong calendar (Pahawh: 𖬌𖬣𖬵 𖬊𖬞𖬰 𖬀𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬂𖬯 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰; RPA: Hmoob daim teej cim zwj) is a lunar calendar used by the Hmong people since, according to Hmong legends and folklore, ancient times. Its origins are unknown.[1] However, it is believed to be created during ancient Hmong civilization in today’s country Mongolia. According to Hmong legends and folklore, it is said that ancient Hmong ancestral kings had created them to determine the best time when rituals, ceremonial events or activities can be performed in order to receive blessings or fortunes from the almighty god.
Features
editThe Hmong lunar calendar has a system of a set revolving cycles of days (Pahawh: 𖬆𖬰𖬩; RPA: Hnub), weeks (Pahawh: 𖬑𖬟𖬵; RPA: plua), months (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥; RPA: Hli) and years (Pahawh: 𖬍𖬧𖬰; RPA: xyoo), along with moon cycles and Hmong zodiac[2]
System
editMonths of the Year
edit| Gregorian Months | Hmong Months (formal in Pahawh) | Hmong (formal using RPA) | Informal (using RPA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 𖬀𖬰𖬤 𖬀𖬶𖬯 | Yeej ceeb | [Lub] Ib hli |
| February | 𖬆𖬰 𖬀𖬶𖬮 | Kub xeeb | [Lub] Ob hli |
| March | 𖬖𖬰𖬤 𖬔𖬲 | Yaj kiav | [Lub] Peb hli |
| April | 𖬀 𖬒𖬯 | Keem com | [Lub] Plaub hli |
| May | 𖬆𖬰 𖬆𖬶𖬬 | Kub nuj | [Lub] Tsib hli |
| June | 𖬒𖬶𖬧𖬵 𖬔𖬶𖬞 | Tov liaj | [Lub] Rau hli |
| July | 𖬐𖬰𖬟 𖬀𖬶𖬮 | Huaj xeeb | [Lub] Xya hli |
| August | 𖬀𖬶𖬯 𖬑𖬯 | Ceeb cua | [Lub] Yim hli |
| September | 𖬔𖬝𖬰 𖬆𖬰 𖬀𖬰𖬞 | Tsiab kub leej | [Lub] Cuaj hli |
| October | 𖬀𖬪𖬵 𖬋𖬰𖬪𖬰 | Peem tshais | [Lub] Kaum hli |
| November | 𖬌𖬲𖬞 𖬀𖬲 𖬀𖬦𖬰 | Looj keev txheem | [Lub] Kaum ib hli |
| December | 𖬑𖬶𖬨𖬵 𖬎𖬯 | Npuag cawb | [Lub] Kaum ob hli |
Days of the week
edit| Gregorian Days | Hmong Days | Hmong RPA | Informal (in RPA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬆𖬰𖬩 | Zwj hnub | Hnub ib |
| Monday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬃𖬥 | Zwj hli | Hnub ob |
| Tuesday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬑𖬶𖬦𖬵 | Zwj quag | Hnub peb |
| Wednesday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬀𖬶𖬜𖬵 | Zwj feeb | Hnub plaub |
| Thursday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬀𖬶𖬧𖬵 | Zwj teeb | Hnub tsib |
| Friday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬐𖬶 | Zwj kuab | Hnub rau |
| Saturday | 𖬘𖬲𖬥𖬰 𖬗𖬶𖬯 | Zwj cag | Hnub xya |
Seasons
edit| English | Pahawh Hmong | Hmong RPA |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | 𖬊𖬶𖬯 𖬌𖬲𖬫𖬰 𖬌𖬧𖬰 𖬌𖬲𖬫𖬰 𖬍𖬲𖬩𖬵 𖬗𖬥 | Caij nplooj xyoob nplooj ntoos hlav |
| Summer | 𖬊𖬶𖬯 𖬆𖬶𖬩𖬵 𖬒𖬶𖬤𖬵 | Caij ntuj sov |
| Autumn/Fall | 𖬊𖬶𖬯 𖬌𖬲𖬫𖬰 𖬌𖬧𖬰 𖬌𖬲𖬫𖬰 𖬍𖬲𖬩𖬵 𖬁𖬲𖬥𖬰 | Caij nplooj xyoob nplooj ntoos zeeg |
| Winter | 𖬊𖬶𖬯 𖬆𖬶𖬩𖬵 𖬓𖬰𖬬 | Caij ntuj no |
Moon cycle counting system
editMoon cycles
edit- The first cycle is the waning gibbous (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬔𖬮; RPA: Hli xiab). This occurs within the first 14 days of the month, with a first half moon phase.
- The second cycle is the full moon (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬗𖬰𖬝; RPA: Hli ntsa). This occurs within the 15th day of the month, with a full moon phase.
- The third cycle is the waxing gibbous (Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬃𖬲𖬬𖬰; RPA: Hli nqig). This occurs within the last 14 days of the month, with a second half moon phase. And after this, the cycle repeats, similar to that of east asian, southeast asian, and international moon cycles.
Moon counting system
edit| International moon cycles | Hmong moon cycles | Day(s) counted |
|---|---|---|
| Waxing moon | Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬖𖬲𖬮; RPA: Hli xab | Day 1-14 |
| Full moon | Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬗𖬰𖬝 / 𖬛𖬰𖬝; RPA: Hli ntsa / ntsaa | Day 15 |
| Waning moon | Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬉𖬶𖬬𖬰; RPA: Hli nqeg | Day 16-29 |
| New moon | Pahawh: 𖬃𖬥 𖬑𖬶𖬧𖬵 / 𖬛𖬶𖬧𖬵; RPA: Hli tuag / taag | Day 30 |
| First appearing of waxing moon | repeats? | 1st day |
| First quarter (half moon) | repeats? | 8th day |
| Full moon | repeats? | 15th day |
| Third quarter (half moon) | repeats? | 22nd day |
| New moon | repeats? | 30th day |
Hmong zodiac
edit
According to Hmong folklore, it is said that long time ago almighty god (Pahawh: 𖬏𖬲𖬤 𖬄𖬤𖬵; RPA: Yawg Saum) wanted to choose some animals to represent each Lunar Year, and if he only chooses domestic animals it wouldn't be fair toward wild animals - this incident was involved for both heaven and underworld. Therefore he chose half of domestic animals and the other half wild animals 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)
Important facts
edit- In each month, every moon cycle has 30 days.
- Each year has about 354 days average.
- Every 3 years, one full extra month (30 days) is added making 13 moon cycles; leap year.
- In a 19 years span, about 7 additional months are added as leap month.
- Based on Hmong farming (Pahawh: 𖬌𖬣𖬵 𖬒𖬶𖬯 𖬌𖬦𖬵 𖬍𖬰𖬞; RPA: Hmoob cov qoob loo), the leap year is considered to have 2 of the 8th month (Pahawh: 𖬐𖬰𖬦 𖭒 𖬆𖬰𖬞 𖬂𖬤 𖬃𖬥; RPA: muaj 2 lub yim hli)
Usages
edit- Calculating age, time, generation(s), year(s); etc.
- Determining a legal birth name (with great meanings—luck, fortune, blessing); and old age name; etc.[5]
- Analyzing the cause of illness (whether physical, spiritual, or both); the best time to hunt, attend outdoor activities, doing businesses, making profits, etc.; nightmares; etc.
- Foretelling risky or dangerous event(s)/situation(s); how to alter a risky pathway; etc.
White Hmong / Hmoob Dawb
Green Hmong / Moob Leeg
black/hmong hmoob leeg
References
edit- ^ Yang, Kou. "An Assessment of the Hmong American New Year and Its Implications for Hmong-American Culture" (PDF). Hmong Studies Journal. 8: 1–32.
- ^ Wu, Fei (2022-01-31). "Search | Randwick International of Social Science Journal". www.randwickresearch.com. pp. 189–198. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ Vue, Vixay (8 April 2022). "Zodiac animals and auspicious time". SBS Language. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ Strecker, David. "Culture Contact in Ancient China". Academica: 1–241.
- ^ Thao, Paoze (December 2004). "The Mong American Families" (PDF). Mong Journal. 2: 1–23.