China's Lunar Calendar 2016 08-10

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
8/15...............................................................................................................8/8

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
十
日

三期星

Eighth Month, Tenth Day

Astral Period Three
Wednesday, August 10

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

進福三時
神生合德

Timely Virtue
Three Linkages
Fortunate Engenderment
Entering Spirits

————

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

中凶凶
亥未卯
中吉中

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 In-Between
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
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 In-Between
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
成除出開
服服財倉
Opening Granaries

Capital Outflow

Discarding Clothing

Completing Clothing

————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
八
甲
子
金
箕
定
Eighth Day (Seventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiazi (1/60)

Phase (element): Metal
Constellation: Winnowing Basket (7/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Decide (5/12)

————

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

修交嫁祭
倉易娶祀
安修納祈
牀造采福
作動移會
灶土徙友
納上開出
畜樑市行
喪復
陽死大長
將氣亡空星
————

Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Alliances

Grain Payments

Moving Residiences

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Constructing

Repairing Granaries

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Livestock Payments

Repeat Mourning   

Baleful Astral Influences

Long Star
Great Loss-Void
Death Vapor
Yang General
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
人

Person
———— 

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Activities

碓 門 占

Pestle, Gate, Divination