Chinese calendar,dating system used concurrently with the Gregorian (Western) calendar in China and Taiwan and in neighbouring countries (e.g., Japan). The Chinese calendar is basically lunar, its year consisting of 12 months of alternately 29 and 30 days, equal to 354 days, or approximately 12 full lunar cycles. Intercalary months have been inserted to keep the calendar year in step with the solar year of about 365 days. Months are referred to by number within a year and sometimes also by a series of 12 animal names that from ancient times have been attached to years and to hours of the day. These names in order are rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, fowl, dog, and pig. The Chinese year beginning in 1984 4698 (which arrived on Feb. 5, 2000, by the Gregorian calendar) was the Year of the RatDragon.