China's Lunar Calendar 2014 04-07

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT April 11 ........................................................................................................April 4 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

一期星

Fourth Month, Seventh Day

Astral Period One
Monday, April 7

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

臨時歲
日陰馬

Generational Horse
Timely Yin
Neighboring Days

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

吉吉凶

酉己丑
中吉吉
戌午寅
凶中凶

亥未卯

中吉中

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

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

15:00-17:00 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 In-Between
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
21:00-23:00 In-Between

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
除安置
服牀產

Setting-up Industry
Positioning Beds
Discarding Clothing

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
八
戊

申
土
畢
定

Eighth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: weishen (45/60)

Phase (element): Earth

Constellation: Net (19/28)

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

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

————
 宜
交沐祭
易浴祀
動理祈
土髮福
安掃裁
門舍衣
納立合
畜約帳
星火
復上死
喪兀氣

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Cutting-out Clothing
Putting-together Banners
Bathing and Bubbling
Patterning Hair
Sweeping Rooms
Making Appointments
Trade and Commerce
Moving Earth
Positioning Gates
Livestock Payments

Fire Star

Miscellaneous Information

Death Vapor
Upper Amputee
Return Mourning

————

 Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
人
Person
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information 
(Top to bottom; right to left)
房
爐 牀

House

Furnace, Bed