China's Lunar Calendar 2013 03-04

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

四

日

一期星

Third month, fourth day

Astral Period One

(Monday, March 4) 

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars

寶相
光日
Facing Days

Precious Rays

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶中吉

酉己丑

中中凶

戌午寅

中吉吉

亥未卯

凶吉中

23:00-01:00  Auspicious
01:00-03:00 Inauspicious
03:00-05:00  Auspicious
05:00-07:00 In-Between

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

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 In-Between
19:00-21:00 In-Between
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
成遠

服行
Distant Travel

Putting-together Clothing

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 
廿

三
己

巳

木
危

平

Twenty-third day (first lunar month)

Cyclical day: jisi (6/60)

Phase (element):Wood

Constellation: Danger (12/28)

Jianchu Cycle: Even (4/12)

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜
平
治
道
塗
修
飾
垣
墻

重水

日浪

月月

行忌

Appropriate Activities

Smoothing and Painting Roadways

Decorating and Embellishing Walll

Miscellaneous Information

Water Scar

Lunar Taboo

Continuation of Days

Lunar Punishment

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 Section Seven
Inauspicious Star
人神
Person, Spirit

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities 

占

牀門

Divination

Bed, Gate