China's Lunar Calendar 2013 02-06

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

六

日

星期三

Sixth Day

Weekday Three

(Wednesday, February 6) 

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars

麒合歲

麟日德
Generational Virtue

Gathering Days
Unicorn

 

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶凶吉

酉己丑

中凶中

戌午寅

吉吉吉

亥未卯

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

07:00-09:00 Inauspicious
09:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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

開穿詞

池井訟

Litigation
Boring Wells
  Opening Ponds

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 Section Five
 Cosmological Information
廿

六

癸

卯

金

壁

除

Twenty-sixth day (twelfth lunar month)

Cyclical day: guimao (40/60)

Phase (element):Gold

Constellation: Wall (14/28)

Jianchu Cycle: Discard (2/12)

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜

醫訂祈
病婚福
入嫁入
倉娶學
除理會
服髮友
安掃出
葬舍行

不債

陰朱水
將雀痕

Appropriate Activities
Pray for Blessings, Begin Studies, Meeting Friends, Going Out
Engaging to Marry, Marriage Rites, Hair Cutting, Sweeping
Doctor Visits, Granary Trips, Discarding Clothing, Positioning Graves

(Miscellaneous Matter)
No, Debt
Yin General, Vermilion Bird, Water Pestilence

 

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 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars

丫林

 Bifurcation,Thicket
 

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

 房

門牀

House

Gate, Bed