China's Lunar Calendar 2014 01-07

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT January 13................................................................................................January 6 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) 
七
日
二期星

 First Month, Seventh Day

Astral Period Two
Tuesday, January 7

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

(top to bottom, right to left)

玉時歲
宇德德

Generational Virtue
Timely Virtue
Jade Expanse

—————————————————

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

凶吉中

酉己丑

中吉吉
戌午寅

中吉凶

亥未卯

凶凶吉

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 Auspicious
09:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 In-Between
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

祈祭置
福祀產
Setting-up Production
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
七
戊
寅
土
室
除

Seventh Day (Twelfth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: wuyin (15/60)

Phase (element): Earath

Constellation: Room (13/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Discard (2/12)

————————————————— 

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

宜

上移入
樑徙學
安掃訂
牀舍婚
作開嫁
灶市娶
納交裁
畜易衣
喪 復
陰五水
將虛痕

Appropriate Activities
Entering Study
Marriage Engagements
Marriage Alliances
Cutting-out Clothing
Moving Households
Sweeping Rooms
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Erecting Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Livestock Payments

Repeat Mourning

Miscellaneous Information  

Water Scar

Five Voids

Yin General

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

白
White
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information

(Top to bottom; right to left)

房

爐 牀

House
Furnace, Bed