China's Lunar Calendar 2014 01-26

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT January 30................................................................................................January 23 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
六
日期星

 First Month, Twenty-sixth Day

Astral Period Sun
Sunday, January 26

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

十天三歲
靈喜合支

Generational Branch
Three Linkages
Heavenly Happiness
Ten Spirits

—————————————————

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

中中中

酉己丑
吉中吉

戌午寅

中吉中

亥未卯

凶凶凶

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

07:00-09:00 In-Between
09:00-11:00 In-Between
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

詞足整理
訟甲手髮
Patterning Hair
Trimming Nails
Toenail Clipping
Litigation

—————————————————  

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
六
丁
酉
火
房
成

Twenty-sixth Day (Twelfth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: dingyou (34/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: House (4/28)

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

—————————————————  

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

宜
上掃嫁祭
樑舍娶祀
醞開納酬
釀市采神
成修裁入
服倉衣學
安動移出
葬土徙行
將陽

上班五密
兀煞離日
Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors
Thanking Gods
Entering Study
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Alliances
Grain Payments
Cutting-out Clothing
Moving Households
Sweeping Rooms
Opening Markets
Repairing Granaries
Moving Soil
Putting-up Beams
Fermenting Beverages
Completing Clothing
Positioning Graves

Yang General

Miscellaneous Information

 Mysterious Days
Five Separations
Classified Balefulness
Upper Amputee

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

丫 山
Bifurcation, Mountain
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information

(Top to bottom; right to left)

庫 倉 門

Storehouse, Granary, Gate