China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-08

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/9...................................................................................................................4/2

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
八
日

三期星

Fourth Month, Eighth Day

Astral Period Three
Wednesday, April 8

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

生時陽驛
氣陽德馬
Postal Horse
Yang Virtue
Timely Yang
Engendered Vapor

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子
凶吉中
酉己丑

吉中凶

戌午寅
凶凶吉
亥未卯
中吉中

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

07:00-09:00 Auspicious
9:00-11:00 In-Between
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
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.
                             —————————————————

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

忌
祈祭放開
福祀水渠
Opening Sluices*

Putting-into Water

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune
*Note that the calendar also has this as an appropriate item today(!)

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Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

二
十
甲
寅
水

参
開

Twentieth Day (Second Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiayin (51/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: Gathering (21/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Open (11/12)

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

宜

開交移入
渠易徙學
穿修醫會
井造病友
置動開出
產土市行
成上立裁
服樑約衣
兀下
血厭八虎
忌對專口

————
Appropriate Activities
Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Cutting-out Clothing

Moving Residences

Physician Visits

Opening Markets

Making Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Building

Moving Soil

Raising Beams

Opening Sluices*

Boring Wells

Setting-up Industry

Completing Clothing

*Note that the calendar also has this as an item to avoid today(!)

Lower Amputee

Baleful Astral Influences
Tiger Mouth
Eight Specializations
Mutual Loathing
Blood Taboo

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
白 火
White, Fire

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous
爐 門 占

Furnace, Gate, Divination