China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-07

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)  
七
日

日期星

Fourth month, seventh day

Astral Period Sun

Sunday, April 7

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

吠合歲
對月德
Generational Virtue

Linked Moons

Mutual Barking 

—————————————————

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

中中吉

酉己丑

凶中中

戌午寅

凶中吉

亥未卯

凶凶吉

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 In-Between
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  Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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

開穿詞

池井訟

Litigation

Boring Wells

Opening Ponds

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
七

癸

卯

金
昂

閉

Twenty-seventh Day (second lunar month)

Cyclical day: guimao (40/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Pleiades (18/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed (12/12)

————————————————— 

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

 宜

除塞祭

服穴祀

成安裁

服牀衣

修作合

墳灶帳

安搭補

葬厠捉

日密

月天血

害吏支

Appropriate Activities

Paying Reverence

Cutting-out Clothing

Putting-together Banners

Seizing and Capturing

Plugging-up Caves

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Putting-up Outhouses 

Discarding Clothing

Putting-together Clothing

Repairing Tombs

Positioning Graves  

Mysterious Days

Miscellaneous Information
Blood Branch

Heavenly Functionary

Lunar Harm

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
白 鬼
White, Ghost

————————————————— 

Section Eight 
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 
房

門 牀
Building
Gate, Bed