Ipchun: Why the Saju Year Starts in February, Not January
If you were born in January and have ever been confused about which saju year you belong to, Ipchun is the answer. Ipchun is the moment the saju calendar flips to a new year, and it almost never lines up with January 1 or the Lunar New Year you might expect.
What Is Ipchun?
Ipchun means the Start of Spring. It is one of 24 solar terms used in East Asian calendars to track the sun's position through the year. Ipchun happens at the exact moment the sun reaches 315 degrees of celestial longitude, which usually falls between February 3 and February 5.
In saju, the Korean system of reading a birth chart based on four pillars of year, month, day, and hour, Ipchun marks the true boundary between one saju year and the next.
Why the Saju Year Doesn't Start on January 1
Most calendars treat January 1 as the start of a new year. Saju does not follow this rule at all. The saju year pillar, which is the part of your chart tied to the year you were born, only changes at the exact moment of Ipchun.
This also means saju does not follow Seollal, the Lunar New Year, even though many people assume the two are the same. Ipchun is based on the sun's position, while Seollal is based on the moon, so the two dates can land on different days.
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Why Some January Babies Belong to the Previous Year
Because Ipchun usually falls in early February, anyone born before that moment is still counted under the previous saju year. This means a baby born in mid-January is assigned the animal and year pillar of the year before, not the calendar year printed on their birth certificate.
This single detail is one of the most common sources of confusion when people try to work out their saju year on their own.
Saju Months Follow Solar Terms Too
Ipchun is not the only solar term that matters. Saju months also begin at solar terms, specifically the 12 marker points called jeol. Because of this, a saju month usually runs from around the 4th to 8th of one calendar month to the same range in the next month, rather than starting on the 1st like a regular month.
This is why two people born a few days apart near the start of a calendar month can end up with different saju month pillars.
Ipchun 2027: A Closer Look
In 2027, Ipchun falls on February 4 at 10:46 AM Korea time. This moment begins the Red Fire Goat year, written in the traditional stem and branch system as Jeongmi. Anyone born before that exact moment on February 4, 2027 still belongs to the previous saju year, not the new Goat year.
Around this time, many Koreans post a saying called ipchundaegil on their front doors, a phrase that welcomes spring and wishes good fortune for the season ahead.
How to Find Your Own Saju Year Pillar
If you want to know which saju year you actually belong to, the safest way is to check the exact date and time of Ipchun for your birth year rather than guessing from the calendar.
You can find your full saju chart, including your day pillar and Day Master, free on this site by entering your birth date, time, and place. The site converts your birth time to local solar time at your birthplace, so your year, month, day, and hour pillars are calculated accurately.
Questions people ask
What does Ipchun mean?
Ipchun means the Start of Spring. It is a solar term marking the moment the sun reaches 315 degrees of celestial longitude, usually between February 3 and 5, and it marks the start of a new saju year.
Is Ipchun a lucky day?
Ipchun is not labeled as lucky or unlucky in itself. It simply marks a calendar boundary, though many people post good-luck sayings on their doors around this time to welcome the new season.
Does being born before or after Ipchun affect compatibility?
It can change which saju year, and therefore which year pillar, a person is assigned, which is one piece of information used when comparing two charts. It does not by itself say anything about how two people's charts will work together.
How do I find out which saju year I was born in?
Check whether your birth date falls before or after the Ipchun moment for your birth year, or simply enter your birth date, time, and place on this site to see your full saju chart calculated automatically.
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