Some of us may know the Julian calendar because we have worked in the manufacturing industry. We may have also heard of the more commonly known lunar or lunisolar systems of the Chinese, Hebrew, Hindu and Islamic calendars…but I don’t think many of us have heard of the Ethiopian calendar, right?
Yes, indeed – we are talking about the “same day of the same year” on this earth. Yet, there are so many different ways as we speak of that “same” day, It really depends on the calendar system we refer to. The system we decide to adopt is very much based on our perspectives on things/events most important and most relevant in our lives. Some may operate with more than one calendar. I know many in South East Asia countries operate with three: the standard Gregorian, a religious (eg: advent) and Chinese.
Just like the different calendar systems, we human also speak different languages, have different preferences for values in our lives depending on our different cultural roots. So, instead of allowing these differences to divide us from each other, maybe we should focus on the richness we can create from our diverse perspectives.
When we begin to understand there is no right or wrong way, but it is just about the different ways of doing things in life, we will learn to be more tolerant with each other. Only then, conflicts can become a positive exchange of minds, bringing better things and progress to this world.
Take this opportunity to find out more about the complex Chinese calendar system through this link:
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/about-chinese.html