China's Lunar Calendar 2014 05--01

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT May 3 .......................................  ........April 29.......................Monthly 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
一五
日月

四期星

Fifth Month, First Day

Astral Period Four
Thursday, May 1

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天歲
德馬

Generational Horse
Heavenly Virtue

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

酉己丑

吉吉吉
戌午寅
凶吉凶

亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-01:00 Inauspicious
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 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
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.

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Section Four 
Activities to Avoid  
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

忌
安開
牀渠

Opening Sluices
Positioning Beds

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
三
壬
申
金
奎
定

Third Day (Fourth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: renshen (9/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Astride (16/28)

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

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

宜 
安祭
門祀
入祈
倉福
成入
服學
安掃
葬舍
債
不
火下
星兀

Appropriate
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Entering Study
Sweeping Rooms
Positioning Doors
Entering Granaries
Completing Clothing
Positioning Graves

Debt Not

Baleful Astral Influences

Lower Amputee
Fire Star

————

 Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
白     
White         
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information 
(Top to bottom; right to left)
倉
爐 庫

Granary
Furnace, Storehouse