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2012 · 壬辰 · Yang Water Dragon

When does the Year of the Dragon start in 2012?

The Year of the Dragon (壬辰, Water Dragon) begins on Monday, January 23, 2012 by the lunar calendar, at Lunar New Year. Saju, the Korean Four Pillars (BaZi in Chinese), starts it 12 days later, at Ipchun: February 4, 2012 at 10:22 UTC, which is 7:22 pm on February 4 in Seoul and 5:22 am in New York and Toronto.

By Lunar New Year

Monday, January 23, 2012

The same day in Korea (Seollal) and China.

In saju, at Ipchun (입춘)

February 4, 2012 · 10:22 UTC

Feb 4, 7:22 pm in Seoul · Feb 4, 5:22 am in New York

The Ipchun minute

Ipchun 2012, around the world

Ipchun is a moment, not a date: the Sun reaching 315 degrees along its path. Every clock passes it at once, so the local date can differ.

The Ipchun instant of 2012 in several time zones
PlaceLocal timeOffset
UTCFeb 4, 10:22UTC
SeoulFeb 4, 7:22 pmUTC+9
BeijingFeb 4, 6:22 pmUTC+8
SydneyFeb 4, 9:22 pmUTC+11
LondonFeb 4, 10:22 amUTC
New York and TorontoFeb 4, 5:22 amUTC-5
Los Angeles and VancouverFeb 4, 2:22 amUTC-8

Local times use each place's clock in 2012, daylight saving and old offsets included. Computed with lunar-javascript, the same calendar engine as the free episode; almanacs can differ by a minute.

Before and after

Rabbit to Dragon

Until the start

辛卯

Metal Rabbit

Yin Metal

From the start

壬辰

Water Dragon

Yang Water

The saju verdict

Born Jan 20 to Feb 20, 2012?

  • 1Born before January 23: both calendars say Metal Rabbit.
  • 2From January 23 until the Ipchun minute (7:22 pm on February 4 in Seoul, 5:22 am on February 4 in New York): Lunar New Year says Dragon, saju still says Rabbit. About 12 days where the two disagree.
  • 3Born on February 5 or later: both say Water Dragon.
Zodiac animal by birth date, January 20 to February 20, 2012: by Lunar New Year and in saju
BornLunar New YearSaju (Ipchun)
Jan 20 FriRabbitRabbit
Jan 21 SatRabbitRabbit
Jan 22 SunRabbitRabbit
Jan 23 MonDragonRabbit
Jan 24 TueDragonRabbit
Jan 25 WedDragonRabbit
Jan 26 ThuDragonRabbit
Jan 27 FriDragonRabbit
Jan 28 SatDragonRabbit
Jan 29 SunDragonRabbit
Jan 30 MonDragonRabbit
Jan 31 TueDragonRabbit
Feb 1 WedDragonRabbit
Feb 2 ThuDragonRabbit
Feb 3 FriDragonRabbit
Feb 4 SatDragonRabbit → DragonDragon from 7:22 pm in Seoul, 6:22 pm in Beijing, 9:22 pm in Sydney, 10:22 am in London, 5:22 am in New York and Toronto, 2:22 am in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Feb 5 SunDragonDragon
Feb 6 MonDragonDragon
Feb 7 TueDragonDragon
Feb 8 WedDragonDragon
Feb 9 ThuDragonDragon
Feb 10 FriDragonDragon
Feb 11 SatDragonDragon
Feb 12 SunDragonDragon
Feb 13 MonDragonDragon
Feb 14 TueDragonDragon
Feb 15 WedDragonDragon
Feb 16 ThuDragonDragon
Feb 17 FriDragonDragon
Feb 18 SatDragonDragon
Feb 19 SunDragonDragon
Feb 20 MonDragonDragon

Highlighted rows are the days the two calendars disagree. Switch days are shown for the places above; in other time zones Ipchun can fall a day earlier or later. Check any birthday.

Questions

2012 year start FAQ

Is someone born on January 23, 2012 a Rabbit or a Dragon?

By Lunar New Year (January 23) already a Dragon. In saju still a Rabbit, because the saju year only turns at Ipchun (February 4, 10:22 UTC). Most zodiac charts and the holidays follow Lunar New Year; saju and BaZi follow Ipchun.

When did the Year of the Dragon start in 2012?

By the lunar calendar on Monday, January 23, 2012, Lunar New Year. In saju at Ipchun (February 4, 10:22 UTC), the moment the Sun reached 315 degrees, known in Korean as Ipchun (입춘, 立春), the start of spring.

When was Lunar New Year 2012 in Korea?

Seollal (설날) fell on Monday, January 23, 2012, the same day as in China.

Why does saju start the year at Ipchun?

Saju counts its years and months by the sun. The year turns at Ipchun, the start of spring, and each month at one of the solar terms. Lunar New Year follows the moon instead, so it moves between Jan 21 and Feb 20 while Ipchun stays around Feb 4.

Free episode · 4 panels

Your year, your Day Master

Type your birthday for your Day Master and a free episode. Add your birth city and time, and saju reads your year from Ipchun, to the minute.

Your birthdayStep 1 of 3

Free. 4 panels. No account, no photo.