Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"
Today's calendar 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 OneToday's calendar 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.
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left)
二
十
三期星
Third month, twentieth day
Astral Period Three
(Wednesday, March 20)
————————————————
Section Two
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
(top to bottom, right to left)
(top to bottom, right to left)
除玉天
神宇貴
Heavenly Nobility
Jade Universe
Discarded Spirits
—————————————————
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
吉吉吉
酉己丑
戌午寅
凶凶吉
中中吉
亥未卯
凶中凶
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 Inauspicious
07:00-09:00 Auspicious
09:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 In-Between
13:00-15:00 In-Between
15:00-17:00 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
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.
—————————————————
Section Four
Activities to Avoid
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
Activities to Avoid
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
忌
行除栽
行除栽
喪服種
Planting Crops
Discarding Clothing
Mourning Visits
—————————————————
Section Five
Cosmological Information
初
Cosmological Information
初
九
乙
酉
水
軫
破
軫
破
Ninth Day (second lunar month)
Cyclical day: yiyou (22/60)
Phase (element): Water
Constellation: Running Board (28/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Disaster (7/12)
—————————————————
Section Six
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
————
分春
零十戌
二九初
分時
————
宜
分春
零十戌
二九初
分時
————
宜
破
屋
壊
垣
—————————————
至鳥玄
—————————————
復重月
至鳥玄
—————————————
復重月
日喪破
Spring Division (Spring Equinox)
(the fourth of twenty-four fifteen-day periods in the solar year)
Beginning of the xu hour: 19:02
Appropriate Activities
Smashing Walls
Destroying Embankments
Swallows Return
(the tenth of seventy-two five-day periods in the solar calendar)
Miscellaneous Information
Lunar Destruction
Repeat Mourning
Repeated Days
—————————————————
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
人州
Person, Continent
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
人州
Person, Continent
—————————————————
Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities
Miscellaneous Activities
門
磨 碓
(Top to bottom; right to left)
Gate
Gate
Mortar, Pestle
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