China's Lunar Calendar 2013 02-05

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
Today's date is marked by the following asterisk:                              *

[a] February 1-9, 2013

This is one in a never-ending series—following the movements of the calendar—in Round and Square perpetuity. It is today's date in the Chinese lunar calendar, along with basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying lunar calendars (and Chinese culture) for many years, you will likely find yourself asking "what does that mean?" I would caution that "it" doesn't "mean" any one thing. There are clusters of meaning, and they require patience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethnographic fieldwork. The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars and Almanacs" on this blog. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to the lunar calendar. Some of the material is readily accessible; some of it is impenetrable, even after many years. 

As time goes on, I will link all of the sections to lengthy background essays. This will take a while. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all of the questions that emerge from even a quick look at the calendar.

 

Section One
Solar Calendar Date

五

日

星期二

Fifth Day

WeekdayTwo

(Tuesday, February 5) 

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars

十合天

靈日德
Heavenly Virtue

Gathering Days
Ten Spirits

 

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶中中

酉己丑

中中吉

戌午寅

吉中吉

亥未卯

凶吉吉
23:00-01:00 In-Between
01:00-03:00 Auspicious 
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 In-Between
09:00-11:00 In-Between
11:00-13:00 In-Between
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 In-Between
19:00-21:00 Auspicious
21:00-23:00 Inauspicious 

*The hours above are for Hong Kong. It is up to you if you want to recalibrate or to assume that the cyclicality of the calendar "covers" the rest of the world. This is a greater interpretive challenge than you might think.
 

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Section Four
Activities to Avoid

 忌

動祭開

土祀渠

Opening Sluices
Giving Reverence
  Moving Earth

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 Section Five
 Cosmological Information
廿

五

壬

寅

金

室

建

Twenty-fifth day (twelfth lunar month)

Cyclical day: xinchou (39/60)

Phase (element):Gold

Constellation: House

Jianchu Cycle: Establish

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜

安交會
牀易友
納納訂
畜 財婚
啟上納
攢樑采
安作立
葬倉約

 星短

陰土下
將府兀

Appropriate Activities
Meeting Friends, Engaging to Marry, Grain Payments, Making Appointments
Business Deals, Cash Payments, Erecting Beams, Building Granaries
Positioning Beds, Livestock Payments, Opening Savings, Positioning Graves

(Miscellaneous Matter)
Star, Short
Lower Amputee, Earth Palace, Yin General

 

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 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars

丫天

 Bifurcation, Heaven
 

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

 倉

爐庫

Granary

Kitchen, Storehouse