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Updated 2026-06-25

The 1st Lunar Day in the Tibetan Calendar

What the 1st day of the Tibetan-Mongolian lunar month is traditionally held to mean — its character, its observances, and what cutting your hair on it is said to bring. tradition · medium confidence

First day after the new moon; traditionally a fresh, neutral-to-favorable day for beginnings and setting intentions.

The 1st lunar day is a waxing-moon day (day 1 of the bright fortnight). Start of the lunar month. In zurkhai, the lunar day is one of the main inputs used to decide whether a given date is favourable for an undertaking such as travel, a business opening or a medical treatment.

Cutting hair on the 1st lunar day

Tibetan-Mongolian almanacs assign every lunar day a specific result for cutting hair. The 1st day is traditionally said to lead "to shortened life"unfavourable for a haircut. (The first day of life, by contrast, and several waning days are avoided.) The Zurkhai app shows this haircut reading for every day of the year, so you never have to count lunar days by hand.

The 1st day in the month

Across the lunar month, virtue is concentrated on the holy days — the 8th (Medicine Buddha), 10th (Guru Rinpoche), 15th (full moon), 25th (dakini) and 30th (new moon) — when the fruits of action are traditionally said to multiply. The 1st day falls in the first, brightening week of the month, as the moon waxes.

30th day2nd day15th day

When the 1st lunar day falls — upcoming dates

The 1st lunar day recurs about once a lunar month. Here are its next dates in the Tibetan-Mongolian calendar, each carrying its own day-sign — the animal and element of the 60-day cycle:

2026-07-15Metal Tiger
2026-08-13Earth Sheep
2026-09-12Earth Ox
2026-10-11Earth Horse
2026-11-10Earth Rat
2026-12-09Fire Snake
2027-01-08Fire Pig
2027-02-07Fire Snake

Dates follow the Phukpa-school lunar calendar; a lunar day is occasionally doubled or skipped, so spacing varies.

Frequently asked

What does the 1st lunar day mean in the Tibetan calendar?
First day after the new moon; traditionally a fresh, neutral-to-favorable day for beginnings and setting intentions.
Is the 1st lunar day good for a haircut?
Cutting hair on the 1st lunar day is traditionally said to lead "to shortened life" — a unfavourable day for a haircut in the Tibetan-Mongolian tradition.
Is the 1st day a special observance day?
Start of the lunar month.
How is the lunar day used?
In the Tibetan tradition the lunar day — together with the weekday, lunar mansion and one's birth animal-sign — is consulted to choose auspicious timing for things like travel, business, moving house or medical treatment.

← All 30 lunar days & the 2026 calendar · Is today a good day for a haircut? →

Traditional belief, for reference — not advice. Day meanings and haircut results vary by lineage and almanac.