China's Lunar Calendar 2013 05-15

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT May 22....................................................................................May 15 RIGHT

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)  
十
五

三期星

Fifth month, fifteenth day

Astral Period Three

Wednesday, May 15

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

天王天
恩日德

Heavenly Virtue
Kingly Days
Heavenly Kindness

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

中中中

酉己丑

凶吉吉

戌午寅

吉吉吉

亥未卯

凶吉中

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

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

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

————————————————— 

Section Four
Activities to Avoid 
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

忌

動遠合
土行醬

Mixing Sauces
Long Journeys
Moving Soil

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
六
辛
巳

金
軫

建

Sixth Day (fourth lunar month)

Cyclical day: xinsi (18/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Running Board (28/28)

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

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left)   
宜
醫納祭
病采祀
上嫁祈
樑娶福
結裁會
綱衣友
納移訂
畜徙婚

口蛇

下土重
兀府日

Appropriate Activities
Paying Reverence
Inquiring-into Fortune
Meeting Friends
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Patterning Clothing
Moving Residences
Doctor Visits
Erecting Beams
Binding Nets
Livestock Payments  

Snake Mouth 

Miscellaneous Information 
Repeated Days
Earth Palace
Lower Amputee

 —————————————————  
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars

(right to left)
白 州 
White, Continent

————————————————— 

Section Eight 
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 

廚
牀 灶

Kitchen,
Bed, Stove