China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-18

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/18...................................................................................................................4/10

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
十
八

六期星

Fourth Month, Eighteenth Day

Astral Period Six
Saturday, April 18

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

進天德歲
神喜日支

Generational Branch
Virtuous Days
Heavenly Happiness
Entering Spirits

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

中中凶

戌午寅
凶凶吉
亥未卯
中吉中

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
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 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
進新出開
水船行倉
Opening Granaries
Cash Outflow
New Boats
Entering Water

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Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

三
十
甲
子
金

氐
成

Thirtieth Day (Second Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiazi (1/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Foundation (3/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)

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

事用王土
宜
安開會祭
牀市友祀
作交出祈
灶易行福
安上裁入
葬樑衣學
囊地
歸班水上
忌煞痕兀 

————
Earth King Use Affairs
(a segmentation of the calendar into five categories of seventy-two days each)

Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Cutting-out Clothing

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Putting-up Beams

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Positioning Beds

Earth Duffel

 Baleful Astral Influences

Upper Amputee
Water Scar
Classified Balefulness
Return Taboo

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
白 地
White, Earth

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

碓 門 占

Pestle, Gate, Divination