The first day of the traditional Chinese calendar (农历, nóng lì) is known as 春节 (chūn jié, Spring Festival) or Chinese New Year, this year it falls on February 10, 2024.

The traditional Chinese calendar system uses 天干地支 (tiān gān dì zhī, abbreviated to 干支) to mark the years:

• 10 天干 (tiān gān, Heavenly Stems), they can be used like an alphabet:
  • A 甲 (jiǎ)
  • B 乙 (yǐ)
  • C 丙 (bǐng)
  • D 丁 (dīng)
  • E 戊 (wù)
  • F 己 (jǐ)
  • G 庚 (gēng)
  • H 辛 (xīn)
  • I 壬 (rén)
  • J 癸 (guǐ)
• 12 地支 (dì zhī, Earthly Branches), which corresponds to the 12 生肖 (shēng xiào, animals of the Chinese zodiac), and is also used in the traditional Chinese clock system, they can be used like a numbering system:
  • 1 子 (zǐ) / 鼠 (shǔ, rat) / 11 pm to 1 am
  • 2 丑 (chǒu) / 牛 (niú, ox) / 1 am to 3 am
  • 3 寅 (yín) / 虎 (hǔ, tiger) / 3 am to 5 am
  • 4 卯 (mǎo) / 兔 (tù, rabbit) / 5 am to 7 am)
  • 5 辰 (chén) / 龙 (lóng, loong or Chinese dragon) / 7 am to 9 am
  • 6 巳 (sì) / 蛇 (shé, snake) / 9 am to 11 am
  • 7 午 (wǔ) / 马 (mǎ, horse) / 11 am to 1 pm
  • 8 未 (wèi) / 羊 (yáng, sheep) / 1 pm to 3 pm
  • 9 申 (shēn) / 猴 (hóu, monkey) / 3 pm to 5 pm
  • 10 酉 (yǒu) / 鸡 (jī, rooster) / 5 pm to 7 pm
  • 11 戌 (xū) / 狗 (gǒu, dog) / 7 pm to 9 pm
  • 12 亥 (hài) / 猪 (zhū, pig) / 9 pm to 11 pm

So in this system, the first year is 甲子 (A1), then 乙丑 (B2), 丙寅 (C3) and so on, rotating through the 10 天干 and 12 地支 until all permutations are reached. Thus there are 60 years (六十甲子) total in a cycle from 甲子 (A1) to 癸亥 (J12).

This upcoming new year is the 甲辰 (jiǎ chén) year, the 41st year in the cycle. 辰 corresponds to 龙 making it the Year of the Loong. The Loong or Chinese dragon is different from the western concept of dragon, it is an auspicious symbol, a symbol of authority, strength, wisdom, luck, etc.

Examples:

(source: https://www.xiaohongshu.com/explore/658fe7c0000000001101fb46)

(source: https://weibo.com/3009609487/NCqfgttAo)

Post image:

龙行龘龘 (lóng xíng dá dá, also the theme of CCTV’s 2024 Spring Festival Gala), the phrase describes loongs soaring proudly and enthusiastically (source: https://www.xiaohongshu.com/explore/65b212d6000000002c03e694)