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A 60-Year Cycle

Also named the sexagenary cycle or the stem-branch cycle, the Chinese 60-year calendar cycle is based on the combinations of a cycle of ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches. Each year is named by a pair of one stem and one branch. The Year of Jia Zi (Jia from the heavenly stems and Zi from the earthly branches) is the beginning of the sexagenary cycle. The next Jia Zi Year will come 60 years later. Jia Zi has had a figurative meaning a full lifespan in ancient times, similarly the 'threescore years and ten' in the Bible. People would be obviously blessed if they can meet the second Jia Zi in life. Therefore, a 60-year cycle is also called a Jia Zi.

Table of a 60-Year Cycle

No.	Stem/Branch	Gregorian Year	Zodiac Sign	Wu Xing
1	Jia Zi	1924	Rat	Wood
2	Yi Chou	1925	Ox	Wood
3	Bing Yin	1926	Tiger	Fire
4	Ding Mao	1927	Rabbit	Fire
5	Wu Chen	1928	Dragon	Earth
6	Ji Si	1929	Snake	Earth
7	Geng Wu	1930	Horse	Metal
8	Xin Wei	1931	Sheep	Metal
9	Ren Shen	1932	Monkey	Water
10	Gui You	1933	Rooster	Water
11	Jia Xu	1934	Dog	Wood
12	Yi Hai	1935	Pig	Wood
13	Bing Zi	1936	Rat	Fire
14	Ding Chou	1937	Ox	Fire
15	Wu Yin	1938	Tiger	Earth
16	Ji Mao	1939	Rabbit	Earth
17	Geng Chen	1940	Dragon	Metal
18	Xin Si	1941	Snake	Metal
19	Ren Wu	1942	Horse	Water
20	Gui Wei	1943	Sheep	Water
21	Jia Shen	1944	Monkey	Wood
22	Yi You	1945	Rooster	Wood
23	Bing Xu	1946	Dog	Fire
24	Ding Hai	1947	Pig	Fire
25	Wu Zi	1948	Rat	Earth
26	Ji Chou	1949	Ox	Earth
27	Geng Yin	1950	Tiger	Metal
28	Xin Mao	1951	Rabbit	Metal
29	Ren Chen	1952	Dragon	Water
30	Gui Si	1953	Snake	Water
31	Jia Wu	1954	Horse	Wood
32	Yi Wei	1955	Sheep	Wood
33	Bing Shen	1956	Monkey	Fire
34	Ding You	1957	Rooster	Fire
35	Wu Xu	1958	Dog	Earth
36	Ji Hai	1959	Pig	Earth
37	Geng Zi	1960	Rat	Metal
38	Xin Chou	1961	Ox	Metal
39	Ren Yin	1962	Tiger	Water
40	Gui Mao	1963	Rabbit	Water
41	Jia Chen	1964	Dragon	Wood
42	Yi Si	1965	Snake	Wood
43	Bing Wu	1966	Horse	Fire
44	Ding Wei	1967	Sheep	Fire
45	Wu Shen	1968	Monkey	Earth
46	Ji You	1969	Rooster	Earth
47	Geng Xu	1970	Dog	Metal
48	Xin Hai	1971	Pig	Metal
49	Ren Zi	1972	Rat	Water
50	Gui Chou	1973	Ox	Water
51	Jia Yin	1974	Tiger	Wood
52	Yi Mao	1975	Rabbit	Wood
53	Bing Chen	1976	Dragon	Fire
54	Ding Si	1977	Snake	Fire
55	Wu Wu	1978	Horse	Earth
56	Ji Wei	1979	Sheep	Earth
57	Geng Shen	1980	Monkey	Metal
58	Xin You	1981	Rooster	Metal
59	Ren Xu	1982	Dog	Water
60	Gui Hai	1983	Pig	Water

A new Jia Zi begins from 1984, and so on.

The Gregorian year is approximate here. The accurate division is the Beginning of Spring (first of the 24 Solar Terms), although some online calendars adopt Chinese New Years Day as the division.