From Round to Square (and back)

For The Emperor's Teacher, scroll down (↓) to "Topics." It's the management book that will rock the world (and break the vase, as you will see). Click or paste the following link for a recent profile of the project: http://magazine.beloit.edu/?story_id=240813&issue_id=240610

A new post appears every day at 12:05* (CDT). There's more, though. Take a look at the right-hand side of the page for over four years of material (2,000 posts and growing) from Seinfeld and country music to every single day of the Chinese lunar calendar...translated. Look here ↓ and explore a little. It will take you all the way down the page...from round to square (and back again).
*Occasionally I will leave a long post up for thirty-six hours, and post a shorter entry at noon the next day.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Lunar World Preview 2018 07-13

As the Lunar World Turns
Friday, July 13, 2018
[a] Closed RF
Well, folks, while it looks bleak (and filled with black-ink). That must be because it is Friday the Thirteenth, right? Um, no...not in Lunar World. Friday the Thirteenth means almost nothing in Lunar World. And the double-black?  It isn't quite as bad as it might look at first glance. So let's take a closer look.
Day Personality
Constellation Personality (Section Five—Character Six)
Today's "constellation personality" is Ox (牛), or "Herdboy." It is the ninth of twenty-eight "lunar mansions" (宿) or "constellations." Traditional calendars state that this constellation (and tomorrow's) are linked to the powerful East Asian myth of the Herdboy and the Weaving Maiden. Why it has turned bleak, to a distinctly unfortunate aura, is a confusing story over the ages, but this one is bad (maybe because the li'l herdboy and his weaving maiden only get to see each other once a year). For your purposes: bad stuff.
[b] Oxen RF
Jianchu Personality (Section Five—Character Seven)
The jianchu "personality" is Closed (閉). It is the twelfth of twelve characters in the jianchu cycle. And you know what? It's not half bad! "Closed" has more to do with relaxing and looking inward (as geschlossen works in Germany—a day off so that the proprietors can recharge their batteries. You should do the same thing (in Lunar World). Relax, recharge, read, think, and rest. Be closed!
Lucky Stars
(Section Two)
There are two beneficent asterisms today: Official Days (官日) and Heavenly Nobility (天官).

Auspicious Times
(Section Three)
There are three inauspicious (凶) two-hour periods, three in-between () times, and six auspicious () times. Inflation. Embarrassing. Get a backbone, calendar makers. We can take 4-4-4 (like the balance of real life.
Things to Avoid
(Section Four)
It's a bad day for Repairing Kitchens (修廚) and Working Around the Stove (作灶). These are related. Stay out of the kitchen (whether or not you can stand the heat).
Just Plain Counting
(Section Four—Characters 1-4)
It is the first (初一) day of the sixth lunar month. The cycle of sixty character is #43: bingwu (丙午). The days cycle—1, 2, 3, 58, 59, 60, 1, 2, 3...—in perpetuity. 
Elemental (and Phased)
(Section Five—Character 5)
Today's slice of the "Five Phases" (sometimes called the "Five Elements") is Water (水). Ordinarily, the Five Phases weave their way, two-by-two, through the calendar. Yesterday was Fire. Today is Water, and tomorrow is Water.
Appropriate Things
(Section Six) 
It's a solid day for absolutely nothing today. Instead, we have full details for a partial solar eclipse (which cannot be seen in the Hong Kong area). This is a very interesting use of the "Appropriate" column, and it happens a few times a year. 
[d] Cricket RF
Friday's Lunar Calendar
Solar Periods
(Section Six—Upper and Middle)
We are in the eleventh of the twenty-four fifteen day solar periods (the 二十四節氣), which began on Saturday, July 7 and runs through Saturday, July 21. It is called Slight Heat (小暑). We are in the thirty-second of the seventy-two five-day solar micro periods (the 七十二候). It is called Crickets Come Into Walls (蟋蟀居壁). It began on Thursday, July 12 and runs through Monday, July 16.
Fear Your Unlucky Stars 
(Bottom of Section Six)
The baleful asterisms (the bottom of section six) are Lower Amputee (下兀), Blood Branch (血支), Toward Loss (往亡), and Yin General (陰將).
Miscellaneous Omens and Activities
(Sections Seven and Eight)

Today's miscellaneous omens are White (白) and Earth (地). The miscellaneous activities are Kitchen (廚), Pestle (碓), and Stove (灶). Nobody knows what they mean.
See You Tomorrow
O.k., it's not as bad as you think. Really. Have a good (closed) day, and I'll see you back here on Friday night for a preview of Saturday in Lunar World.

No comments:

Post a Comment