Updated 2026-06-25
Zurkhai Glossary — Tibetan & Mongolian Astrology Terms
The key terms of zurkhai — Tibetan-Mongolian Buddhist astrology and the lunar calendar — explained in plain English.
Zurkhai
Traditional Tibetan-Mongolian astrology and calendrical calculation; the system this whole site (and the Zurkhai app) is built around.
Jil (12 animals)
The twelve-year cycle of animal signs — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig — used both for years and, in the daily calendar, for each day.
Mahabhuta (5 elements)
The five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal (Iron) and Water — that pair with the animals to form the 60-year and 60-day cycles.
Menge
A nine-fold numerological power (1–9) derived from one's birth year, describing a person's energy and life trajectory in zurkhai.
Parkha (Suudal)
An eight-fold Bagua-like orientation system that gives a person their auspicious direction — used for seating, travel and placement.
Phugpa (Phukpa) school
The 15th-century Tibetan calendrical system that is the standard for most Buddhist schools in Tibet, Mongolia and Russia, and the basis of the Zurkhai app's calculations.
Gelug
The "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism founded by Tsongkhapa; one of the lineages whose calendar conventions zurkhai follows.
Losar / Sagaalgan
Tibetan and Buryat-Mongol Lunar New Year — the start of the lunar year and the most important festival; called Sagaalgan among Buryats and Tsagaan Sar among Mongols.
Tsagaan Sar
The Mongolian "White Moon" Lunar New Year — the Mongol form of Losar, opening the new animal-element year.
Datsan
A Buddhist monastery or temple in the Buryat-Mongol tradition (e.g. Ivolginsky Datsan, seat of the Pandito Khambo Lama).
Hural / Duchen
A communal Buddhist service or holy day. The four great Duchen are "multiplying" days on which the karmic effect of actions is traditionally held to be greatly increased.
Lunar day (tithi)
One of the 30 divisions of a lunar month, each the time the moon needs to cover 1/30 of the new-moon-to-new-moon arc — which is why some calendar dates are doubled or skipped.
Soyombo
The Mongolian national symbol, combining fire, sun, moon and other elements; a common motif in Buryat-Mongol Buddhist culture.
Mo (divination)
A traditional Tibetan dice or mala divination invoking Manjushri to answer a question across life domains such as work, health and relationships.
Bayalig / Kharsh
Asymmetric compatibility rules in which the male and female roles differ: a "Bayalig" (enriching) pairing is favourable, a "Kharsh" (harming) one is not.
San He / Liu He
Harmonious animal groupings: Liu He (six harmonies) pairs and San He (three harmonies) triangles that mark which signs are traditionally most compatible.
Definitions are for cultural and reference interest; usage varies by lineage and region.