Posted 2016/8/29
Almanac is a kind of book in which years, months and days are arranged as per certain calendric method. It also provides relevant data. As it was decreed by an emperor in the feudal society, the almanac was also known as "Imperial Almanac". In the Qianlong Period during the Qing Dynasty, as the name of Emperor Qianlong is Hongli, the almanac (huangli) was renamed "Shixian Book" to avoid the use of the character "li" which was used in Emperor Qianlong's name.
Yuan Shikai, who held the crown for 83 days, once engraved and printed Almanac for the First Year of Hongxian Period (1915). Such almanac as containing special year and prevailing in small number is a "hot cake" in the collection circle. In 2000, two volumes of Almanac for the First Year of Hongxian Period was purchased by China History Museum (the present National Museum of China) at an auction in Beijing with several thousands Yuan. It has been displayed in the museum ever since.
