China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-21

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/22.......................................................4/19............................Monthly Information

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
廿
一

二期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-First Day

Astral Period Two
Tuesday, April 21

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

官德天歲
日合月祿

Generational Emolument
Heavenly Lunarity
Virtuous Linkage
Official Days

—————————————————

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

凶中凶

戌午寅
凶吉吉
亥未卯
吉吉凶

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

07:00-09:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 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
進新穿理
水船井髮

Patterning Hair

Boring Wells

New Boats

Entering Water

—————————————————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
三
丁
卯
火

尾
閉

Third Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: dingmao (4/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Tail (6/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed (12/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

上開納祭
樑市采祀
安交嫁祈
牀易娶福
作修裁出
灶造衣行
安動移訂
葬土徙婚
將陰
月天血水
害吏支痕

————
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Cutting-out Clothing
Moving Residences
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Raising Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Positioning Graves

Yin General

Baleful Astral Influences

Water Scar
Blood Branch
Heavenly Official
Lunar Harm

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
丫 山
Bifurcation, Mountain

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

門 庫 倉

Gate, Storehouse, Granary