Humanities › History & Culture How to Use the Chinese Birth Chart Use This Ancient Method to Predict Your Baby's Gender Print China Photos/Getty Images News/Getty Images History & Culture Asian History East Asia Basics Figures & Events Southeast Asia South Asia Middle East Central Asia Asian Wars and Battles American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Lauren Mack Lauren Mack Journalist M.S., Journalism, Columbia University B.A., Humanities, Florida Atlantic University Lauren Mack is a journalist who covers Chinese culture and history. She studied Mandarin Chinese in Beijing and Taipei and has written for Newsweek International, Elle Girl, and the Chicago Tribune. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 31, 2017 While modern day technologies like ultrasounds help determine the sex of a baby, there are also traditional ways of guessing the answer to this exciting question. For hundreds of years, the Chinese birth chart has helped many expecting couples predict whether they are having a boy or a girl. Unlike ultrasounds that require 4 to 5 months of pregnancy before the baby's sex can be ascertained, the Chinese birth chart lets couples immediately predict their baby's gender once it is conceived. If you're an overly curious couple dying to know if the baby room should be painted blue or pink, learn how to use this traditional chart! Where the Chinese Birth Chart Comes From Invented during the Qing Dynasty, the Chinese birth chart has been used for over 300 years. The chart was kept by royal eunichs and only used by nobles and concubines. When the Eight Nation Alliance entered China in the late Qing Dynasty, military forces took the chart. The Chinese birth chart was taken to England where it was translated into English for the King’s sole use until it was later disclosed to the public. Accuracy The Chinese birth chart is based on factors such as the Five Elements, yin and yang, and the lunar calendar. With proponents claiming that the Chinese birth chart is highly accurate, you should take these predictions with a grain of salt. Even ultrasounds can be wrong! How To Use the Chinese Birth Chart The first step is to convert Western calendar months to lunar calendar months. Then, locate the lunar month of conception. After that, figure out the age of the mother at the time of conception. Using these two pieces of information on the chart, you can now use the chart. The intersection of the month of conception and the mother’s age at the time of conception on the chart reveals the predicted sex of the baby. For example, a 30-year-old woman who conceived in lunar January 2011 (February 2011 in the Western calendar) is predicted to have a boy. Use the Chinese birth chart below to guess the sex of your soon-to-be newborn! Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 18 Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy 19 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Girl Girl 20 Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Girl Boy Boy 21 Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl 22 Girl Boy Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl 23 Boy Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Girl 24 Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl 25 Girl Boy Boy Girl Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy 26 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl 27 Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Girl Girl 28 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Girl Girl 29 Girl Boy Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy Boy Girl Girl Girl 30 Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy 31 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy 32 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy 33 Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy 34 Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy 35 Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy Girl Girl Boy Boy 36 Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy 37 Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy 38 Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl 39 Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Girl Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl 40 Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl 41 Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy 42 Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl 43 Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Boy 44 Boy Boy Girl Boy Boy Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Girl 45 Girl Boy Boy Girl Girl Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Boy Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Mack, Lauren. "How to Use the Chinese Birth Chart." ThoughtCo, Sep. 24, 2021, thoughtco.com/chinese-birth-chart-687449. Mack, Lauren. (2021, September 24). How to Use the Chinese Birth Chart. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/chinese-birth-chart-687449 Mack, Lauren. "How to Use the Chinese Birth Chart." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/chinese-birth-chart-687449 (accessed April 20, 2024). copy citation By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies