西历演变撷要

On the Evolution of Julian Gregorian Calendar

公元前１世纪，儒略历在吸收古代东方民族历法研究成果的基础上产生，于教皇格列高里在位的１６世纪末期得以改进，形成儒略———格列高里历即所谓西历，又因近代被多数国家先后采纳而泛称公历。公历剔除了西历中的基督教色彩，没有拉丁文月份名称的移植，不至令人忆及主要属于西方传统的儒略·凯撒、奥古斯都的统治。然而，公历作为一部相当完善的阳历。

Abstract Nourished by the achievement of calendar research in the ancient oriental nations,Julian Calendar came into being in the first century B.C.,and was improved towards the end of the 16th century A.D.,when Pope Gregory XⅢ was in power.Thus the Julian Gregorian Calendar was formed,which was also called the Western Calendar.Later it was named the Popular Calendar because it had been adopted by many countries in modern times.In the Popular Calendar,the Christian trait of the Western Calendar was removed.No Latin names for the months are found.In this way the Popular Calendar would not remind the user of the rule by Julius Caesar or Augustus,which is mainly considered as part of the Western tradition.On the contrary,the Popular Calendar,or the Solar Calendar,is so very perfect that it often makes people cherish the out standing contribution by the oriental ancients,especially the Egyptians,to calendar research.