In the lunar calendar, a leap month is an extra month added to the calendar in order to keep the lunar calendar synchronized with the solar year. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, which is approximately 29.5 days, so a lunar year is about 354 days long. This is shorter than the solar year, which is approximately 365.24 days.
To keep the lunar calendar aligned with the solar year, an extra month is added to the lunar calendar approximately every three years. The leap month is inserted after a particular month in the lunar calendar, and it is assigned the same name as that month, but with the designation “leap” added to it. For example, the leap month added after the third month is called “leap third month” or “intercalary third month”. The leap month is also counted as a regular month, and all the holidays and festivals that occur during that month are celebrated as usual.
The need for a leap month in the lunar calendar arises because the cycles of the moon and the cycles of the sun do not match up exactly. Adding a leap month ensures that the lunar calendar remains in sync with the seasons, as well as with the solar calendar.
Post time: Mar-23-2023