Metonic Cycles, Classical and Non-Classical, and Chinese Calendrical Calculations (104 BC - 618 AD)

Abstract

First, we survey Metonic cycles used in all sorts of calendrical calculations; second we give a general description of fourteen Chinese systems of calendrical calculations based on such cycles (104 BC - 618 AD). Lastly, we apply this description to the example of the determination of the fundamental calendrical elements of the Chinese year 450, a year having a special interest because one of its calendar manuscript is still extant.