A Chinese almanac is a traditional divination guide and calendar, also called the Yellow Calendar or Imperial Calendar, that lists which activities are considered suitable or unsuitable on each day. People consult it as cultural tradition and for daily planning, not as science and not as a guarantee of anything. This guide covers the names, what is inside, how to read a day, and where to find an English version.
What Is a Chinese Almanac?
According to Wikipedia's entry on Tung Shing, the book is a Chinese divination guide and almanac. The site tongshu.com says it has been used for more than 2,000 years for daily planning; treat that as the source's claim rather than verified history.
It is often confused with two other things. It is not the Old Farmer's Almanac, a North American publication, and it is not simply a lunar calendar. A comparison table appears below.
Tong Shu, Tung Shing, Huang Li: What the Names Mean
Per Wikipedia, Tung (通) means "all" and Shu (書) means "book", so Tong Shu is roughly "the book of everything". Wikipedia says the book was renamed Tung Shing (通勝), "Victorious in All Things", because "shu" (書) is a homophone of a word for "defeated" (輸). Baidu Baike similarly says Cantonese speakers avoid the "lose" homophone by calling it Tongshu.
| Name | Where you meet it |
|---|---|
| Tong Shu / Tongshu | The phrase most English readers type, according to Roxyapi |
| Tung Shing | Cantonese-flavored name |
| Huang Li (黄历, huáng lì) | Chinese name given by Baidu Baike |
| Yellow Calendar, Imperial Calendar | English names |
They all point to the same kind of book.
What Is Inside an Edition
According to tongshu.com, editions normally contain a daily calendar, festival and seasonal notes, advice on activities to pursue or avoid, and daily luck directions.
Baidu Baike says it draws on the lunar, Gregorian and ganzhi calendars together. Ganzhi means the stem-branch cycle: ten Heavenly Stems pair with twelve Earthly Branches to label days, months and years. If that is new, see Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches explained.
Wikipedia says the Tung Shing is built mainly on the solar terms rather than on the lunar-solar calendar. That is one reason an almanac's dates may not line up with the Gregorian or lunar dates you expect.
How to Read a Day Entry, Step by Step
Per wudang.org, an entry is identified by Gregorian date, lunar date and stem-branch pair, then lists the 28 lodges, the 12 day officers and the nayin phase. Roxyapi describes much the same fields, including the clash animal.
- Lunar date: the day's place in the lunar month.
- Stem-branch day: the day's ganzhi label.
- 28 lodges: a rotating set of 28 lunar mansions.
- 12 day officers: a repeating cycle of day types.
- Nayin: a Five Elements phase label for the stem-branch pair.
- Clash animal (chong): the zodiac animal opposed to that day.
- Yi (宜) and ji (忌): activities to do and activities to avoid.
Wudang.org notes readers mostly use the yi and ji lists. A made-up sample day might read: yi, "cleaning, travel"; ji, "signing contracts"; clash, Rat. In practice, you check whether your planned activity appears under yi, glance at ji, and note the clash animal. Clash is a traditional label, not a warning that something bad will happen to anyone.
Almanac vs. Chinese Lunar Calendar vs. Old Farmer's Almanac
| Chinese almanac | Chinese lunar calendar | Old Farmer's Almanac | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Divination and date-selection guide | Dating system for months and festivals | North American reference publication |
| Daily entries | Yes: yi, ji, clash and more | Dates only | Different kind of content |
| Typical use | Choosing dates, family tradition | Finding festival dates | General reading |
How People Use It for Weddings, Moves, Funerals and Openings
Wikipedia says some families still use it for weddings and funerals. Many people treat it similarly for moves and openings: check yi for the activity, glance at ji and the clash animal, then compare with real-world constraints. For many it is a tradition and a conversation starter with elders, not a rulebook.
If the list conflicts with a date you cannot change, such as a venue booking, most people simply go ahead with the practical date. It is not a basis for medical, financial or legal decisions.
Is It Superstition? An Honest Look
It is a traditional divination and cultural practice. There is no scientific evidence that it predicts outcomes, and this guide does not claim any. People still value it for ritual, family continuity and a reason to pause and plan.
Where to Find an English Almanac: Online, Apps and Print
Online. Tongshu.com has a help page explaining the almanac in English. Look for a tool that names its source, states its method and time zone, and shows both yi and ji.
Apps. One App Store listing covers 1901 to 2099 but says complete information is available only in Chinese, so expect partial English.
Print. The standard English translation is Martin Palmer (ed.), T'ung Shu: The Ancient Chinese Almanac (Rider & Co., London, 1986), reviewed in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. It is a 1986 edition, not a current-year daily almanac.
One point to verify: day data may be calculated for China time unless a tool adjusts it, which could shift a day for North American users.
2026 and 2027 Context: Lunar New Year Dates
The Old Farmer's Almanac lists Lunar New Year 2026 as Tuesday, February 17 (Horse year) and 2027 as Sunday, February 7 (Goat year). See the 12 zodiac animals for more.
Where to Go Next
Almanac days are general and shared by everyone. BaZi looks at a personal chart built from your birth details; here is what BaZi is. If you are curious, you could explore a Life Blueprint reading as reflective entertainment, with no promises of outcomes. A LuckTime reading is there whenever you want it.
LuckTime readings and guides are for entertainment and self-reflection. They are not medical, financial, legal or psychological advice.