China's Lunar Calendar 2014 02-03

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT February 3...............January 31........................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) 
三
日
一期星

 Second Month, Third Day

Astral Period One
Monday, February 3

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

德天
合月

Heavenly Horse
Ten Spirits

—————————————————

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

吉中吉

酉己丑
吉凶吉

戌午寅

吉中中

亥未卯

凶凶中

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

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

15:00-17:00 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
19:00-21:00 Auspicious
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

遠栽
行種

Planting and Cultivating
Distant Journeys

—————————————————  

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
四
乙
巳
火
危
定

Fourth Day (First Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: yisi (42/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Danger (12/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Decide (5/12)

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

宜
祭
祀

餘日

事值

不四

注絕

四

絕

重上

日兀 
Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Today follows the "Four Separations"—
Other activities are not be engaged in.

Four Separations

Miscellaneous Information

 Upper Amputee
Doubled Days

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

丫 林
Bifurcation, Copse
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information 
(Top to bottom; right to left)
碓

牀 磨
Pestle
Bed, Mortar