Americans published their farmers’ almanac first in 1792. They read it for facts like the rise and set times for the sun and moon, and weather predictions - so important to farmers and fishermen. The Chinese started to work out their first almanac with carapace-bone-script, for the sake of farmers and huntsmen, 3000 years ago, according to archaeological records. The earliest, most complete almanac to have been discovered was written in 132BC, during the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), in an excavation site of the Tomb Mawangdui, Changsha.

A folk almanac usually adopted the calendar founded by Huang Di, a primitive lord. People made their own almanacs until Wenzong, an emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) declared that the authority to issue an almanac belongs exclusively to the emperor, and to print the government. He did print the first almanac, since the typography of engraving had been invented not long before then. The almanac was Xuanming Li, the calander of Xuanming. And the emperor’s order was passed down regardless of who came to power. People henceforth called these official almanacs Huang Li, Huang for the emperor. However, since the almanac played such an important role in daily life, the ban on free printing was not carried out.

Huang Li doesn’t forecast weather like the farmers’ almanac does. It keeps records of dates, solar terms, and the lunar calendar, as well as predicts the luck of every day in a year. Ancient Chinese developed a unique system of astronomy and astrology, which was used everywhere from national fete to private divining. On almanac, the study was for indicating what shall be and not be done every single day. For example, the Jan 1, 2008 Huang Li on is titled:

“DO’S: Taming the cattle

DON’TS: Moving into a new house, breaking ground for construction or graves”