China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-06

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"  

From right to left: 

LEFT April 9............................................April 2 RIGHT

2-9 April 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
(top to bottom; right to left)  
六
日

六期星

Fourth month, sixth day

Astral Period Six

Monday, April 6

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

十生月天
靈氣德德
Heavenly Virtue

Lunar Virtue

Engendered Vapor

Ten Spirits

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子

凶中中

酉己丑

中中吉

戌午寅

凶中吉

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

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

忌

祈祭放開

福祀水渠

Opening Sluices

Going-into Water

Paying Reverence

Inquiring-into Fortune

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
六

壬

寅

金
胃

開

Twenty-sixth Day (second lunar month)

Cyclical day: renyin (39/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Stomach (17/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Open (11/12)

————————————————— 

Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

 宜

修修納入

倉造采學

安動嫁會

牀土娶友

作竪移出

灶柱徙行

成上醫訂

服樑病婚

痕水 

下虎血債

兀口忌不

Appropriate Activities

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Marriage Alliances

Moving Residences

Medical Visits

Repairing and Constructing

Moving Soil

Stabilizing Pillars

Erecting Beams

Repairing Granaries

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Putting-together Clothing    

Water Scar

Miscellaneous Information
Debt Not

Blood Taboo

Tiger Mouth

Lower Amputee

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
丫 火
Bifurcation, Fire

————————————————— 

Section Eight 
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 
爐 庫 倉

Furnace, Storehouse, Granary