China's Lunar Calendar 2013 02-16

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
六

六期星

Sixteenth Day

Astral Period Six

(Saturday, February 16) 

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars

合 歲

日 德

Generational Virtue

Linkage of Days

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申 辰 子

凶 吉 吉

酉 己 丑

吉 吉 吉

戌 午 寅

吉 中 中

亥 未 卯

凶 吉 吉
23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 In-Between
05:00-07:00 Auspicious

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

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
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 詞

土 訟

Litigation

Moving Earth

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初 

七

癸

丑

木
柳

閉

Seventh day (first lunar month)

Cyclical day: guichou (50/60)

Phase (element): Wood

Constellation: Willow (24/28)

Jianchu Cycle: Closed (12/12)

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜 
建 祭

屋 祀
安 安
門 牀
作 補 
灶 垣
伐 塞
木 穴

長
星

土 水

符 痕

Appropriate Activities

Paying Reverence

Positioning Beds

Repairing Dikes

Plugging Holes

Setting up Rooms
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Felling Trees 

Miscellaneous Information
Senior Star

Water Pestilence

Earth Charm

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 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
白
White

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities
房
厠 牀

Building
Toilet, Bed