China's Lunar Calendar 2013 09-08

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT September 8.................................September 5.....Monthly Calendar Information 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) 
八
日
日期星

  Ninth Month, Eighth Day

Astral Period Sun
Sunday, September 8

———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

金母三歲
堂倉合支

Generational Branch
Three Unities
Maternal Granary
Golden Hall

—————————————————

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

中中吉

酉己丑

吉吉中

戌午寅

中吉中

亥未卯

凶凶凶

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

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

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
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) 

忌

合裁栽理
帳衣種髮

Patterning Hair
 Planting Crops
Cutting-out Clothing
Gathering-together Canopies

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
四
丁
丑
水
房
定

Fourth Day (Eighth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: dingchou (14/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: House (4/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Decide (5/12)*
*Occasionally, a "day personality" is repeated, 
as it is today; the reasons for this vary.

————————————————— 

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

宜

作修嫁會
灶造娶友
入動移出
倉土徙行
成上開訂
服樑市婚
安安交納
葬牀易采
星 長
四勾死密
祥不陳氣日 

Appropriate Activities  

Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Moving Residences
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairs and Building
Moving Soil
Erecting Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Entering Granaries
Completing Clothing
Positioning Graves

Long Star

Miscellaneous Information

Secret Days
Death Vapor
Enticing Narration
Four Fortune-not

————  

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

丫 林
Bifurcation, Copse

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information

(Top to bottom; right to left)
厠 庫 倉

Toilet, Storehouse, Granary