China's Lunar Calendar 2014 05-02

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
二
日

五期星

Fifth Month, Second Day

Astral Period Five
Friday, May 2

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

除寶六普
神光合護

Universal Protection
Six Unities
Precious Luminosity
Expelling Spirits

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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
凶中吉

亥未卯

中凶凶

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

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

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
作修動詞
灶倉土訟

Lawsuits and Litigation
Moving Soil
Repairing Granaries
Stove Work

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
四
癸
酉
金
婁
執

Fourth Day (Fourth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: guiyou (10/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Mound (17/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Grasp (6/12)

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

宜 
醞醫裁祭
釀病衣祀
捕建理祈
捉屋髮福
納安沐訂
畜門浴婚
安安掃嫁
葬牀舍娶
符土 
俱咸小五
將池耗虛

Appropriate
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Marriage Engagements

Marriage Alliances

Cutting-out Clothing

Patterning Hair

Bubbling and Bathing

Sweeping Rooms

Physician Visits

Establishing Quarters

Positioning Doors

Positioning Beds

Fermenting Liquors

Seizing and Capturing

Livestock Payments

Positioning Graves 

Earth Charm

Baleful Astral Influences

Five Voids

Small Squander

Widespread Pond

Everything General

————

 Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
丫     
Bifurcation       
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information
門 牀 房

Gate, Bed, Edifice