A lesson on how to calculate and name the Vietnamese years: Unlike our centuries of 100 years, the Vietnamese calendar is divided into 60-year periods called "Hoi".
This "Hoi" or 60-year period is divided into two shorter cycles; one of a ten-year cycle and the other of a 12-year cycle.
The ten-cycle, called "Can" is composed of ten heavenly stems. Their names and approximate translation follow.
1. Giap: water in nature
2. At: water in the home
3. Binh: lighted fire
4. Dinh: latent fire
5. Mau: wood of all types
6. Ky: wood set to burn
7. Canh: metal of all kinds
8. Tan: wrought metal
9. Nham: virgin land
10. Quy: cultivated land
The 12-year cycle, "Ky", has 12 earthy stems represented by the names os 12 names in the zodiac. Their names and translations in order are:
1. Ty: the rat
2. Suu: the buffalo
3. Dan: the tiger
4. Mao: the cat
5. Thin: the dragon
6. Ty: the snake
7. Ngo: the horse
8. Mui: the goat
9. Than: the monkey
10. Dau: the cock (the chicken)
11. Tuat: the dog
12. Hoi: the pig
A Vietnamese year is named after the combination of one of the names of the ten heavenly stems and one of the names of the 12 earthly stems.
So, for example, my birth year is called "Ky Mui" (wood set to burn; goat) -- which is why some Chinese horoscopes and astrology might say that I'm a fire goat. I think last year I discussed how I'm more a goat and less a sheep. It will be 60 years before the year Ky Mui will return because 2003 was the year Quy Mui. Long live the woodfire goat! Well, hopefully at least for 60 years.
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