Miscellaneous
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is a Chinese Birth Calendar?

Niki Foster
Niki Foster
Niki Foster
Niki Foster

The Chinese birth calendar is a chart predicting the gender of a baby based on the mother's age and the month of conception. The original chart was allegedly found in an ancient royal tomb near Beijing and is currently located at the Institute of Science in Beijing. The Chinese birth calendar can be found on numerous websites, and accuracy is variously predicted at anywhere from 50% to 99%.

The Chinese birth calendar has ages from 18 to 45 on one axis and months on the other axis, and to use it, one locates the box corresponding to the appropriate maternal age and month of conception. Each box indicates either male or female gender. There are some differences between Chinese and Western methods of reckoning time that may skew results.

A map of the provinces of China.
A map of the provinces of China.

First, the mother's lunar age should be used. This is calculated by determining the number of lunar years in which one has lived, so it is always a year or two more than one's age by Western reckoning. Lunar age increases at each lunar New Year, which takes place between January 21 and February 20, rather than on the date of birth.

In addition, Chinese months do not correspond exactly with Western months. Rather, each begins on a new moon. Also, the current Chinese calendar is corrected to correspond with the solar year; for example, there is a thirteenth leap month every two or three years. If the Chinese birth calendar is ancient as it is claimed to be, it would be based on an older lunar system, making all the dates slightly off. All Chinese birth calendars available on the Internet use Western months, so it is difficult to tell if one is using it correctly.

Modern technology, like ultrasounds, reveal a baby's gender.
Modern technology, like ultrasounds, reveal a baby's gender.

Most people view the Chinese birth calendar as a mere novelty. The supposed scientific basis behind it is that a woman's vaginal secretions at different times in her life are more or less hospitable to the slightly smaller Y-chromosome sperms, which are responsible for the conception of a male fetus. However, much more scientific and accurate methods, such as ultrasound, are available today if a woman wishes to know the gender of her baby.

Niki Foster
Niki Foster

In addition to her role as a WiseGEEK editor, Niki enjoys educating herself about interesting and unusual topics in order to get ideas for her own articles. She is a graduate of UCLA, where she majored in Linguistics and Anthropology.

Learn more...
Niki Foster
Niki Foster

In addition to her role as a WiseGEEK editor, Niki enjoys educating herself about interesting and unusual topics in order to get ideas for her own articles. She is a graduate of UCLA, where she majored in Linguistics and Anthropology.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

SteamLouis

I got a hold of this calendar that was adapted to Western dates. I checked if it could really predict gender for my two kids. I matched up the months they were conceived and my age at that time. It predicted right!

I'm so surprised! It really works!

turquoise

I guess the good thing about the Chinese birth chart is that you don't have to wait until you are four months pregnant to see what your baby's gender might be, right? Because doctors can't tell the gender in ultrasound until four months.

Since the calculations may be off if it is not done properly, what's the best way of going about this?

Are there Chinese astrologers that can tell us the gender if we give them our birth date and month of conception?

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A map of the provinces of China.
      By: gringos
      A map of the provinces of China.
    • Modern technology, like ultrasounds, reveal a baby's gender.
      By: Konstantin Li
      Modern technology, like ultrasounds, reveal a baby's gender.