China's Lunar Calendar 2013 08-24

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT August 27........................................................................................................August 20 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) 
廿
四
六期星

  Eighth Month, Twenty-fourth Day

Astral Period Six
Saturday, August 24

———————————————— 
Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

月德歲
德日支

Generational Branch
Virtuous Days
Lunar Virtue

—————————————————

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

凶凶中

酉己丑

中吉中

戌午寅

吉中凶

亥未卯

凶吉吉

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

07:00-09:00 Inauspicious
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 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

行放開
喪水渠

Opening Sluices
Putting-into Water
Mourning Visits

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
八
壬
戌
水
胃
滿

Eighteenth Day (Seventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: renxu (59/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: Stomach (17/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Fullness (3/12)

————————————————— 

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

 宜

上移會
樑徙友
開醫出
倉病行
納修嫁
畜造婚
安動納
葬土采
不債
 天三厭
狗喪對

Appropriate Activities  

Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Moving Residences
Treating Illness
Repairs and Construction
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Opening Granaries
Livestock Payments
Positioning Beds

Debt Not

Miscellaneous Information

Mutual Loathing
Three Mournings
Heavenly Dog

————  

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

白 水
White, Water

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left)
倉

栖 庫

Granary
Perch, Storehouse