Chinese calendar
Chinese Calendar 1973
癸丑年 Year of the Water Ox
Chinese New Year, every festival date, the lunar months and the 24 solar terms for 1973.
The answer
In the Chinese calendar, 1973 is the Year of the Ox (Water Ox, 癸丑). Chinese New Year falls on 3 February 1973 and the lunar year ends on 22 January 1974, with no leap month, so 354 days. Mid-Autumn is on 11 September 1973.
Chinese festivals in 1973
Western dates for 1973. Most festivals follow the lunar calendar; Qingming and the Winter Solstice follow the sun.
- Jan11Thu
Laba Festival腊八节
12th month, day 8 · 腊月初八
Laba congee; the start of the run-up to New Year.
- Feb2Fri
Chinese New Year’s Eve除夕
12th month, day 30 · 腊月三十
Last day of the lunar year: reunion dinner and the CMG Spring Festival Gala.
- Feb3Sat
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)春节
1st month, day 1 · 正月初一
First day of the lunar year and the biggest family holiday of the year.
- Feb17Sat
Lantern Festival元宵节
1st month, day 15 · 正月十五
Lanterns, riddles and tangyuan; it closes the New Year season.
- Apr5Thu
Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)清明节
solar term · 3rd month, day 3 · 清明
Families visit and tidy ancestors’ graves. Set by the sun, not the moon.
- Jun5Tue
Dragon Boat Festival端午节
5th month, day 5 · 五月初五
Dragon-boat races and zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in leaves.
- Aug5Sun
Qixi Festival七夕
7th month, day 7 · 七月初七
The cowherd and weaver-girl legend, often called Chinese Valentine’s Day.
- Aug13Mon
Ghost Festival中元节
7th month, day 15 · 七月十五
Offerings for ancestors and wandering spirits.
- Sept11Tue
Mid-Autumn Festival中秋节
8th month, day 15 · 八月十五
Mooncakes and family reunions under the full moon.
- Oct4Thu
Double Ninth Festival重阳节
9th month, day 9 · 九月初九
Climbing heights and honouring older people.
- Dec22Sat
Winter Solstice冬至
solar term · 11th month, day 28 · 冬至
Dumplings or tangyuan, depending on the region. Set by the sun.
- Dec31Mon
Laba Festival腊八节
12th month, day 8 · 腊月初八
Laba congee; the start of the run-up to New Year.
Lunar months of the year 1973
Lunar year 1973 runs from 3 February 1973 to 22 January 1974: 12 months, 354 days.
| Month | Chinese | First day | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st month | 正月 | Sat 3 February 1973 | 30 |
| 2nd month | 二月 | Mon 5 March 1973 | 29 |
| 3rd month | 三月 | Tue 3 April 1973 | 30 |
| 4th month | 四月 | Thu 3 May 1973 | 29 |
| 5th month | 五月 | Fri 1 June 1973 | 29 |
| 6th month | 六月 | Sat 30 June 1973 | 30 |
| 7th month | 七月 | Mon 30 July 1973 | 29 |
| 8th month | 八月 | Tue 28 August 1973 | 29 |
| 9th month | 九月 | Wed 26 September 1973 | 30 |
| 10th month | 十月 | Fri 26 October 1973 | 30 |
| 11th month | 冬月 | Sun 25 November 1973 | 29 |
| 12th month | 腊月 | Mon 24 December 1973 | 30 |
The 24 solar terms in 1973
Solar terms (节气 jiéqì) mark the sun’s position, so their dates barely move from year to year. Dates are in Beijing time.
- 小寒Minor Cold5 Jan 1973
- 大寒Major Cold20 Jan 1973
- 立春Start of Spring4 Feb 1973
- 雨水Rain Water19 Feb 1973
- 惊蛰Awakening of Insects6 Mar 1973
- 春分Spring Equinox21 Mar 1973
- 清明Pure Brightness (Qingming)5 Apr 1973
- 谷雨Grain Rain20 Apr 1973
- 立夏Start of Summer5 May 1973
- 小满Grain Buds21 May 1973
- 芒种Grain in Ear6 Jun 1973
- 夏至Summer Solstice21 Jun 1973
- 小暑Minor Heat7 Jul 1973
- 大暑Major Heat23 Jul 1973
- 立秋Start of Autumn8 Aug 1973
- 处暑End of Heat23 Aug 1973
- 白露White Dew8 Sept 1973
- 秋分Autumn Equinox23 Sept 1973
- 寒露Cold Dew8 Oct 1973
- 霜降Frost's Descent23 Oct 1973
- 立冬Start of Winter7 Nov 1973
- 小雪Minor Snow22 Nov 1973
- 大雪Major Snow7 Dec 1973
- 冬至Winter Solstice22 Dec 1973
Questions readers ask
When is Chinese New Year 1973?
3 February 1973 (a Saturday). It starts the Year of the Ox; New Year’s Eve, the reunion dinner night, is 2 February 1973.
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1973?
The Ox (牛, niú), a Water Ox year (癸丑). People born from 3 February 1973 to 22 January 1974 are an Ox; those born earlier in 1973 belong to the Year of the Rat.
When is the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1973?
11 September 1973, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.
When is the Dragon Boat Festival in 1973?
5 June 1973, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
Tools
Sources
- Hong Kong Observatory, Gregorian-Lunar calendar conversion table · accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Wikipedia, Chinese calendar · accessed 28 Oct 2026
Update log. 28 October 2026 — published. Dates computed in Beijing time and spot-checked against the Hong Kong Observatory tables. Suggest a correction
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