Mongolian calendar

The term Mongolian calendar (Mongolian: цаглабар, romanized: tsaglabar or цаг тооны бичиг, tsag toony bichig) refers to a number of different calendars, the oldest of which was a solar calendar.[1] The beginning of the year was autumn. The year was divided into 4 seasons. The seasons begin at the equinoxes and the solstices of the sun. This calculation was changed in 1211, and the new year was celebrated in the spring. Spring began on March 22.

In 1282, Kublai Khan revised the Chinese calendar and began to include his homeland Mongolia in this calendar.

The traditional Mongol calendar is a lunisolar calendar based on Tegus Buyantu zurkhai[2] system developed in 1747 by monk Ishbaljir (Сүмбэ хамбо Ишбалжир, Sümbe khambo Ishbaljir; 1704–1788). The Mongol year is composed of either 12 or 13 lunar months, each beginning and ending with a new moon. A thirteenth month is added every three years, so that an average year is equal to the solar year.[3]

The Mongol traditional new year celebration is Tsagaan Sar which is celebrated at the second new moon following the winter solstice. In 2022, the second new moon was on 1 February in Mongolia. [citation needed]

In modern Mongolia, the Gregorian calendar is used, with the traditional calendar only used for traditional celebrations and events based on the calendar.

The European system of chronology is called Аргын тоолол (Argyn toolol, chronology of method) and the Mongol system of chronology is called Билгийн тоолол (Bilgiin toolol, chronology of wisdom).

Argyn toolol

Months

The twelve months of the year are referred to by their number, such as first month, second month, and so on.

English name Mongolian name
Cyrillic Traditional
January Нэгдүгээр сар ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠳᠦᠭᠡᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Negdügeer sar Nigedüger sar-a
Анхдугаар сар ᠠᠩᠬᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Ankhdugaar sar Aŋqaduɣar sar-a
February Хоёрдугаар сар ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Khoyordugaar sar Qoyaduɣar sar-a
March Гуравдугаар сар ᠭᠤᠷᠪᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Guravdugaar sar Ɣurbaduɣar sar-a
April Дөрөвдүгээр сар ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠳᠦᠭᠡᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Dörövdügeer sar Dörbedüger sar-a
May Тавдугаар сар ᠲᠠᠪᠤᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Tavdugaar sar Tabuduɣar sar-a
June Зургаадугаар сар ᠵᠢᠷᠭᠤᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Zurgaadugaar sar J̌irɣuduɣar sar-a
July Долоодугаар сар ᠳᠣᠯᠣᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Doloodugaar sar Doloduɣar sar-a
August Наймдугаар сар ᠨᠠᠢ᠌ᠮᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Naimdugaar sar Naimaduɣar sar-a
September Есдүгээр сар ᠶᠢᠰᠦᠳᠦᠭᠡᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Yesdügeer sar Yisüdüger sar-a
October Аравдугаар сар ᠠᠷᠪᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Aravdugaar sar Arbaduɣar sar-a
November Арваннэгдүгээр сар ᠠᠷᠪᠠᠨ ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠳᠦᠭᠡᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Arvannegdügeer sar Arban nigedüger sar-a
December Арванхоёрдугаар сар ᠠᠷᠪᠠᠨ ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠳᠤᠭᠠᠷ ᠰᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ
Arvankhoyordugaar sar Arban qoyaduɣar sar-a

Days of the week

In colloquial usage, the first 5 days of the week are referred to as first day, second day, etc. Saturday is referred to as Хагас сайн өдөр (Khagas sain ödör, "half-good day"), and Sunday is referred to as Бүтэн сайн өдөр (Büten sain ödör, "full good day"); a result of 5 full working days and Saturday as a half working day during the communist era.

The names of Tibetan origin are used in more formal settings, and almost exclusively in written documents, while the Sanskrit names are practically absent in modern usage.

English name Colloquial Tibetan origin Sanskrit origin
Cyrillic Traditional Cyrillic Traditional Cyrillic Traditional Meaning
Monday Нэг дэх өдөр ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠳᠡᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Даваа гараг ᠳᠠᠸᠠ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Сумьяа ᠰᠤᠮᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ Chandra
Neg dekh ödör Nigedeki edür Davaa garag Dawa ɣarag Sum'yaa Sumiy-a
Tuesday Хоёр дахь өдөр ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Мягмар гараг ᠮᠢᠭᠮᠠᠷ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Ангараг ᠠᠩᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Mangala
Khoyor dakh' ödör Qoyadaki edür Myagmar garag Miɣmar ɣarag Angarag Aŋɣarag
Wednesday Гурав дахь өдөр ᠭᠤᠷᠪᠠᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Лхагва гараг ᡀᠠᠭᠪᠠ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Буд ᠪᠤᠳ᠋ Budha
Gurav dakh' ödör Ɣurbadaki edür Lkhagva garag Lhaɣba ɣarag Bud Bud
Thursday Дөрөв дэх өдөр ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠳᠡᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Пүрэв гараг ᠫᠦᠷᠪᠦ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Бархасбадь ᠪᠠᠷᠬᠠᠰᠪᠠᠳᠢ Brihaspati
Döröv dekh ödör Dörbedeki edür Pürev garag Pürbü ɣarag Barkhasbad' Barqasbadi
Friday Тав дахь өдөр ᠲᠠᠪᠤᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Баасан гараг ᠪᠠᠰᠠᠩ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Сугар ᠱᠤᠭᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ Shukra
Tav dakh' ödör Tabudaki edür Baasan garag Basaŋ ɣarag Sugar Šuɣar-a
Saturday Хагас сайн өдөр ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠰ ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Бямба гараг ᠪᠢᠮᠪᠠ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Санчир ᠰᠠᠨᠢᠴᠠᠷ Shani
Khagas sain ödör Qaɣas sayin edür
Зургаа дахь өдөр ᠵᠢᠷᠭᠤᠭᠠᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ
Zurgaa dakh' ödör J̌irɣuɣadaki edür Byamba garag Bimba ɣarag Sanchir Saničar
Sunday Бүтэн сайн өдөр ᠪᠦᠲᠦᠨ ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ Ням гараг ᠨᠢᠮ᠎ᠠ ᠭᠠᠷᠠᠭ Адьяа ᠠᠳᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ Surya
Büten sain ödör Bütün sayin edür
Долоо дахь өдөр ᠳᠣᠯᠣᠭᠠᠳᠠᠬᠢ ᠡᠳᠦᠷ
Doloo dakh' ödör Doloɣadaki edür Nyam garag Nim-a ɣarag Ad'yaa Adiy-a

See also

References

  1. ^ Atwood, Christopher P. (2002-01-01), "Lunar and Solar Calendars on the Mongolian Plateau", Young Mongols and Vigilantes in Inner Mongolia's Interregnum Decades, 1911-1931, Brill, pp. 1067–1070, doi:10.1163/9789004531291_024, ISBN 978-90-04-53129-1, retrieved 2023-11-20
  2. ^ Zurkhai (from the verb zur - draw) is a system of knowledge embracing mathematics, astronomy and astrology
  3. ^ Damdinsuren, Ts. (1981). "A Commentary on Kalacakra or Wheel of Time". The Tibet Journal. 6 (1): 43–49. ISSN 0970-5368.