China's Lunar Calendar 2013 10-05

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT October 8.............................October 5  Lunar 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) 
五十
日月
六期星

  Tenth Month, Fifth Day

Astral Period Sixth
Saturday, October 5

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

(top to bottom, right to left)

不十六
將靈合

Six Unities
Ten Spirits
Not General

—————————————————

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

中吉吉

酉己丑

吉中吉

戌午寅

凶凶吉

亥未卯

凶吉凶

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

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

15:00-17:00 In-Between
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

穿出開
井財倉

Opening Granaries
Capital Outflow
Boring Wells

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
一
甲
辰
火
氏
危

First Day (Ninth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiachen (41/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Clan (3/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Danger (8/12)

————————————————— 

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

宜

安入納

牀宅財

作開裁

灶市衣

開立合

光約帳

捕交移

捉易徙 
兀下
龍月四
口煞擊

Appropriate Activities  

Cash Outflow
Putting-together Clothing
Linking Sails
Moving Residences
Staying Home
Opening Markets
Setting Appointments
Trade and Commerce
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Opening Lighting
Seizing and Capturing

Lower Amputee

Miscellaneous Information  

Four Fisticuffs
Lunar Balefuleness
Dragon Mouth

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

白 火
White, Fire
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information

(Top to bottom; right to left)

門

栖 碓

Gate
Perch, Pestle