China's Lunar Calendar 2013 08-05

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT August 6.............................................................................................................July 30 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) 

五
日

一期星

  Eighth Month, Fifth Day

Astral Period One
Monday, August 5

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

天天合歲
醫喜日德

Generational Virtue
United Days
Heavenly Happiness
Heavenly Physician

—————————————————

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

中中吉

酉己丑

凶中凶

戌午寅

吉中吉

亥未卯

凶凶吉

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 Inauspicious
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 Inauspicious

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

取開穿詞
魚池井訟

Litigation
Boring Wells
Opening Ponds
Garnering Fish

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
九
癸
卯
金
張
成

Twenty-ninth Day (sixth lunar month)

Cyclical day: guimao (40/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Drawn Bow (26/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)

————————————————— 

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

宜

上開納入

樑市采學

修交嫁會

倉易娶友

栽修移出

種造徙行

安動醫訂

葬土病婚

煞班

陽大刀小
將煞砧亡空

Appropriate Activities  
Entering Study
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Moving Residences
Physician Visits
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Positioning Beds
Planting and Cultivating
Positioning Graves

Classified Balefulness

Miscellaneous Information 
Small Loss-void
Sword Anvil
Large Balefulness
Yang General

————  

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars

(right to left)
白
White

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left)
門  牀  房
Gate, Bed, House