Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"
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.
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ 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 OneSolar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left)
十
六
四期星
Fifth month, sixteenth day
Astral Period Four
Thursday, May 16
————————————————
Section Two
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
(top to bottom, right to left)
(top to bottom, right to left)
青聖吉官
龍心期日
龍心期日
Official Days
Auspicious Temporal-Segment
Sagely Heart-Mind
Blue-Green Dragon
Auspicious Temporal-Segment
Sagely Heart-Mind
Blue-Green Dragon
—————————————————
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
凶中凶
酉己丑
戌午寅
中吉吉
中中吉
亥未卯
凶吉吉
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 Auspicious
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 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)
水船水渠
Activities to Avoid
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
忌
進新放開水船水渠
Opening Sluices
Putting-into Water
New Boats
Entering Water
Putting-into Water
New Boats
Entering Water
—————————————————
Section Five
Cosmological Information
Cosmological Information
初
七
壬
午
七
壬
午
木
角
角
除
Seventh Day (fourth lunar month)
Cyclical day: renwu (19/60)
Phase (element): Wood
Constellation: Horn (1/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Discard (2/12)
—————————————————
Section Six
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
宜
上交理祭
樑易髮祀
安納醫祈
牀財病福
作修掃會
灶造舍友
安動開出
葬土市行
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
宜
上交理祭
樑易髮祀
安納醫祈
牀財病福
作修掃會
灶造舍友
安動開出
葬土市行
生瓜王
復咸楊水
喪池忌痕
喪池忌痕
Appropriate Activities
Paying Reverence
Inquiring-into Fortune
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Patterning Hair
Physician Visits
Sweeping Rooms
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Capital Expenditures
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Positioning Graves
Cucurbit Flourishes
(the twenty-first of seventy-two mini-periods in the solar year)
Miscellaneous Information
Water Scar
Poplar Taboo
Diminution Pond
Return Mourning
Paying Reverence
Inquiring-into Fortune
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Patterning Hair
Physician Visits
Sweeping Rooms
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Capital Expenditures
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Positioning Graves
Cucurbit Flourishes
(the twenty-first of seventy-two mini-periods in the solar year)
Miscellaneous Information
Water Scar
Poplar Taboo
Diminution Pond
Return Mourning
—————————————————
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
白
White
白
White
—————————————————
Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities
Miscellaneous Activities
(Top to bottom; right to left)
碓 庫 倉
Pestle, Storehouse, Granary
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