China's Lunar Calendar 2013 08-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT September 4........................................................................................................August 28 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) 
三
十
五期星

  Eighth Month, Thirtieth Day

Astral Period Five
Friday, August 30

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

天合天歲
喜日德德

Generational Virtue
Heavenly Virtue
Linked Days
Heavenly Happiness

—————————————————

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

吉中中

酉己丑

吉吉吉

戌午寅

凶中凶

亥未卯

凶吉吉

23:00-01:00 In-Between
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
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 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
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

取穿置買
魚耳業田

Buying Land
Setting-up Industry
Boring Ears
Garnering Fish

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
四
戊
辰
木
鬼
成

Twenty-four Day (Seventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: wuchen (05/60)

Phase (element): Wood

Constellation: Ghost (23/28)

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

————————————————— 

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

宜

上開出祭
樑市行祀
修交訂祈
倉易婚福
作修納入
灶造采學
安動裁會
葬土衣友

厭月

 四大血地
擊煞忌火

Appropriate Activities  

Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Entering Study
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Alliances
Grain Payments
Cutting-out Clothing
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Repairing Granaries
Stove Work
Positioning Graves

Lunar Repression

Miscellaneous Information

Earth Fire

Blood Taboo

Great Balefulness

Four Fisticuffs

————  

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

白 地
White, Earth

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left)
栖  牀  房

Perch, Bed, House