China's calendar system dates back approximately four thousand years. An oracle bone calendar unearthed proves that the Yin dynasty already possessed a relatively advanced calendar system. This oracle bone calendar is the oldest physical calendar in the world, also known as a daily calendar.

A Tang dynasty poem states: "In the mountains, there is no calendar, and one does not know the passing of years." 'Calendar' may refer to the earliest desk calendar. During the Tang dynasty, court historians would cut and bind paper daily into monthly volumes. Each page listed the month and date, leaving blank space for the eunuchs to record the emperor's activities. This was known as a 'calendar'. At the end of each month, the calendar was submitted to the emperor for review before being archived by the historians for use in compiling the national history. Its function of recording time and events led to its widespread adoption by civil and military officials.

Early Development

Historical records indicate that calendars were already in use in the imperial palace around 1100 years ago, in the first year of the Yongzhen era under Emperor Shunzong of Tang. These calendars, also known as imperial calendars, not only recorded dates but also served as crucial materials for compiling national history. Similar to a modern day planner, a year was divided into 12 volumes, with the number of pages in each volume determined by the number of days in the corresponding month. The month and date were written on each page. Eunuchs attending to the emperor temporarily kept these calendars, recording the emperor's daily activities in the blank spaces. At the end of each month, the calendar was submitted to the emperor for approval before being archived by the historians. The historians then combined the calendar entries with major events from the court and various regions of the country, refining and embellishing them before recording them into the national history.

Later, due to the convenience calendars offered, they gradually entered the homes of many high-ranking officials. These officials adapted and created their own calendars. As calendars became more commonplace and used in households, people began printing the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, lunar months, solar terms, and auspicious dates onto calendars, leaving ample blank space for notes.

The development of calendars into wall calendars and desk calendars is a relatively recent phenomenon, occurring within the last century. The evolution of desk calendar designs from simple to diverse styles is a result of recent market forces, the proliferation of the internet, and increased cultural exchange. Desk calendars have generally become smaller and more refined.