China's Lunar Calendar 2013 02-14

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
Today's date:                                                                                                                  *

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

十
四

四期星

Fourteenth Day

Astral Period Four

(Thursday, February 14) 

———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars

十歲

靈馬

Generational Horse

Ten Spirits

—————————————————

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶中中

酉己丑

凶凶吉

戌午寅

吉吉吉

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

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
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.
 

————————————————— 

Section Four
Activities to Avoid 
 忌

嫁合

娶醬

Mixing Alcoholic Beverages

Marriage

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 
初 
五 
辛
亥

金

井

收
Fifth day (first lunar month)

Cyclical day: xinhai (48/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Well (22/28)

Jianchu Cycle: Acceptance (10/12)

————————————————— 

Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜 
祭
祀
掃
舍

重歲

日破

月河

魁忌

Appropriate Activities

Paying Reverence

Sweeping Floors

Miscellaneous Information
Generational Disaster

River Taboo

Repeated Days

Monthly Stalwart

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
丫州
Bifurcation, Continent

————————————————— 

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

 廚
牀灶

Kitchen

Bed, Stove