Widow Year
The “Widow Year” is a concept from Chinese culture, referring to certain years in the lunar calendar that lack the solar term “Spring Commences” or ‘lichun’. This absence is traditionally thought to signify a lack of masculine (yang) energy, making such years inauspicious for marriage due to the superstition that it could lead to the husband’s early demise. The Chinese lunisolar calendar, which combines lunar months and solar terms, occasionally necessitates the addition of leap months to maintain alignment, resulting in some years having two instances of Spring Commences and others having none. Despite these beliefs, modern attitudes in Chinese society show a diminishing adherence to this superstition, with many choosing personal preference over tradition. Interestingly, years like the Year of the Dragon, often coinciding with a Widow Year, are seen as auspicious for childbirth.
