China's Lunar Calendar 2018 02-01

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
2/7.................................................................................................................1/31

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-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying 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. You will likely find that several of the translations seem quite "fanciful" in English. I am simply trying to convey that they also sound fairly fanciful in Chinese.

Section One

Solar Calendar Date
一二
日月

四期星

Second Month, First Day 
Thursday, February 1

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天進天
恩神赦

Heavenly Amnesty
Entering Spirits 
Heavenly Kindness

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

中凶吉
亥未卯
中凶凶

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

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

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
動出開
土財倉

Opening Granaries
Capital Outflow
Moving Soil

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十
六

甲

子
金
奎
閉
Sixteenth Day (Twelfth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiazi (1/60)

Phase (element): Metal
Constellation: Astride (15/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed: (12/12)

————

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

宜
安立祭
牀約祭
補交出
塞易行
納納裁
畜財衣
安上合
葬樑帳
符土
歸鼠下
忌口兀

————

Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Going Out (and about)
Cutting-out Clothing
Binding  Sails
Setting-up Appointments
Trade and Commerce
Cash Payments
Raising Beams
Positioning Beds
Patching and Plugging
Livestock Payments
Positioning Graves

Soil Charm

Baleful Astral Influences

Lower Amputee
Rat Mouth
Return Taboo

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
丫 水

Bifurcation, Water
———— 

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Activities

占
碓 門

Divination
Pestle, Gate