China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-11

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
一

六期星

Fourth Month, Eleventh Day

Astral Period Six
Saturday, April 11

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

陰德天歲
德合月馬
Generational Horse

Heavenly Lunarity

Virtuous Linkage

Yin Virtue

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

吉吉凶

戌午寅
凶吉中
亥未卯
凶吉凶

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

07:00-09:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
21:00-23:00 Inauspicious

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
進新遠理
水船行髮
Patterning Hair

Distant Journeys

New Boats

Entering Water

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Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

廿
三
丁
卯
土

柳
除

Twenty-Third Day (Second Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: dingsi (54/60)

Phase (element): Earth

Constellation: Willow (24/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Discard (2/12)

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

宜

上開納祭
樑市采祀
修交嫁祈
倉易娶福
醞修裁會
釀 造衣友
納動移丁
畜土徙婚
痕水
五火重月
虛星日忌

————
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Meeting Friends
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Marriage Alliances
Cutting-out Clothing
Moving Residences
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Raising Beams
Repairing Granaries
Fermenting Beverages
Livestock Payments

Water Scar

Baleful Astral Influences
Lunar Taboo
Doubled Days
Fire Star
Five Voids

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
人 人
Person, Person

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous
牀 庫 倉

Bed, Storehouse, Granary