Directory_and_Chronicle_1864 — Page 50

NATIVE METHODS OF RECKONING TIME.

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to preserve correspondence with the solar year. When, during a lunar month, the sun does not enter any sign of the Zodiac, that month is intercalary, and the year contains

thirteen moons.

JAPANESE.-The Japanese follow the Chinese sexagenary cycle, but they also date events from the reigns of their respective Emperors, and also date their cycles by proclamation upon important events deemed worthy so much distinction. We have been unable to learn what the event was which seemed to them worthy of being celebrated by the name BUNKIOU.

JEWS.-The Jews have ever marked their time by sevenths, according to the com- mand given by God himself for labouring during only six day of each week, and resting on the seventh, which was consequently set apart, or consecrated, to the service of the Crea- tor. They not only hallowed the 7th day, or SABBATH, which formed a portion of their week of days, but they had, also, their week of years, which consisted of seven years, and their jubilees, or rejoicing periods, which were celebrated by acts of justice, forgiveness, and restitution, at the end of every week of seven times seven years. The Hebrews, the Assyrians, Egyptians, Arabians, and Persians, all had the custom of reckoning by weeks.

MAHOMEDANS.-The first day of the Mohurrum, or the commencement of the year, is ordinarily reckoned from the first observed appearance of the new Moon, or, in cloudy weather, from the time at which, but for such obstacles, it would be visible; and this can scarcely happen earlier than 24 or later than 48 hours after the conjunction. In this manner each separate month is reckoned, and the lapse of twelve such lunar months constitutes the Mahomedan year. In chronology, history, and other documents, however, they use months of 30 and 29 days alternately; and they add an intercalary day to the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th, and 29th, year in a Cycle of 30. They reckon from the Hejira, or flight of Mahomet, which took place on the evening of Thursday, 15th July, A. D. 622, and the era commences from the following day. Thus the year 1280 A. H. began 18th June 1863, and ends on the 5th June, 1864.

PARSEES.-There are at present two branches of the Parsees, who differ from each other in their reckoning of the Calendar by one month; those that are one month forward in their year are styled Kudmees, and the others Shaenshoyees. The present scheme em- braces the Parsee Era of Yezdezerd, commonly styled Kudmee, or Dureayee Nowroz, or sea-reckoning, the same being made use of in all nautical calculations among Asiatic ma- riners, the New Year of which always commences on the 1st of Farvardin. The Kudmees reckon the New Year and the Dureayee Nowroz to fall on the 24th August, one month earlier than the commencement of Shaenshoyee New Year. It also embraces the Parsee Era of Yezdezerd, commonly called Shaenshoyee, the New Year of which generally begins on the 1st day of Farvardin. The Shaenshoyees compute the New Year from the 23rd September, a month later than the commencement of the Kudmee New Year.

A List of the Native Months.

JEWISH.

CHINESE.

JAPANESE.

MAHOMEDAN.

PARSEE.

Ist Moon

Sho-gwats

IInd

Ni-gwats

Tishre Hashwan

Moharrum

Farvardín

Saffer

Ardíbehísht

IIIrd

""

San-gwats

Kísleu

Rabiû'l ewuel

Khordad

Rabiû'l akhir, or

IVth

""

Si-gwats

Tebet

Tír

'1 sání.

Vth

"

Go-gwats

Sh'bat

Jomadhi'l ewuel Amúrdad

Jomadhi'l akhir,

VIth

Roku-gwats

Addar

Sharavar

or 'l sání.

VIIth

19

Schi-gwats

Nísan

Rajab

Mehar

VIIIth

22

Ha-chi-gwats

Aír

Shaban

Aban

IXth

99

Ku-gwats

Sewan

Ramazan

Addar

Xth

99

Jiu-gwats

Tammuz

Shawal

Deh

XIth XIIth

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Jiu-itchi-gwats

Ab

Zilkad

Bohaman

"

Jiu-ni-gwats.

Elul

Zilhaz

Asfandyar Gatha 5 days