Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"
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.
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
LEFT
April 28
........................................................................................................April 20 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.
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left
廿
六
六期星
Fourth Month, Twenty-Sixth Day
Astral Period Six
Saturday, April 26
Saturday, April 26
————————————————
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
(top to bottom, right to left)
官德天
日合月
日合月
Heavenly Lunarity
Virtuous Linkage
Official Days
Virtuous Linkage
Official Days
—————————————————
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
中中凶
酉己丑
凶中中
戌午寅
凶吉吉
戌午寅
凶吉吉
亥未卯
吉吉凶
01:00-03:00 In-Between
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
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 Auspicious
15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
21:00-23:00 Auspicious
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
開穿理
池井髮
開穿理
池井髮
Patterning Hair
Boring Wells
Opening Ponds
Boring Wells
Opening Ponds
—————————————————
Section Five
Cosmological Information
廿
七
丁
卯
火
女
閉
七
丁
卯
火
女
閉
Twenty-Seventh Day (Third Lunar Month)
Cyclical day: dingmao (4/60)
Phase (element): Fire
Constellation: Woman (10/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed (12/12)
—————————————————
Section Six
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
Appropriate Activities
(and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
宜
動納祭
土采祀
修嫁祈
倉娶福
成移出
服徙行
安開訂
葬市婚
將陽
勾致血
陳死支
動納祭
土采祀
修嫁祈
倉娶福
成移出
服徙行
安開訂
葬市婚
將陽
勾致血
陳死支
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Moving Households
Opening Markets
Moving Soil
Repairing Granaries
Completing Clothing
Positioning Graves
Inquiring-into Fortune
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Moving Households
Opening Markets
Moving Soil
Repairing Granaries
Completing Clothing
Positioning Graves
Yang General
Baleful Astral Influences
Blood Branch
Death Delivery
Narrative Hook
Death Delivery
Narrative Hook
————
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
丫 山
Bifurcation, Mountain
————
(right to left)
丫 山
Bifurcation, Mountain
————
Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information
(Top to bottom; right to left)
門
庫 倉
Gate
Storehouse, Granary
Storehouse, Granary
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