DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.649#0331
CYCLE OF TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO YEARS. 285
twelve years of this cycle are counted by the names of
the twelve animals only; the next sixty years (13-72)
by coupling them with the five elements (each being in-
troduced twice, as described in the preceding table); the
period from 73 to 132 is denominated by affixing the
masculine particle "pho" to the combinations; that from
133 to 192 by appending the feminine particle "mo."
The years from 193 to 252, as Abbe Hue concludes, are
distinguished by the alternate employment of pho and
mo till the end of the cycle. This is not quite clear.
If it were to be understood that, in this last series, a
male combination alternates with a female combination,
we should obtain only those terms which are already
contained in the periods from 73 to 192. As one com-
bination which would provide the addition of the 60 years
required for completing the sum of 252 without a repeti-
tion, and which could be brought into final accordance
with Hue's words, I might suggest the uniting of
elements and animals of different genders. According
to this mode, the year 193 has the element male and
the animal female, 194 has the same element female,
the animal male, 195 has the next element male
and the animal female, 196 the same element female
and the animal male, and so on; while in the previous
series the entire combination is of the same gender
in both its parts. In this, however, there is a theo-
retical disadvantage which ought not to be overlooked.
When completely worked out, it would not conclude with
252, but would proceed as far as 312; for sixty more
combinations, differing from those already obtained, are
twelve years of this cycle are counted by the names of
the twelve animals only; the next sixty years (13-72)
by coupling them with the five elements (each being in-
troduced twice, as described in the preceding table); the
period from 73 to 132 is denominated by affixing the
masculine particle "pho" to the combinations; that from
133 to 192 by appending the feminine particle "mo."
The years from 193 to 252, as Abbe Hue concludes, are
distinguished by the alternate employment of pho and
mo till the end of the cycle. This is not quite clear.
If it were to be understood that, in this last series, a
male combination alternates with a female combination,
we should obtain only those terms which are already
contained in the periods from 73 to 192. As one com-
bination which would provide the addition of the 60 years
required for completing the sum of 252 without a repeti-
tion, and which could be brought into final accordance
with Hue's words, I might suggest the uniting of
elements and animals of different genders. According
to this mode, the year 193 has the element male and
the animal female, 194 has the same element female,
the animal male, 195 has the next element male
and the animal female, 196 the same element female
and the animal male, and so on; while in the previous
series the entire combination is of the same gender
in both its parts. In this, however, there is a theo-
retical disadvantage which ought not to be overlooked.
When completely worked out, it would not conclude with
252, but would proceed as far as 312; for sixty more
combinations, differing from those already obtained, are