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.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 06-30

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
7/3............................................................................................................6/25
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 tha"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 calendarSome 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

二期星
Sixth Month, Thirtieth Day 
Tuesday, June 30
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
十生
靈氣
Engendered Vapor
Ten Spirits

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left
申辰
中吉
酉巳丑
吉中吉
戌午寅
凶凶
亥未卯
吉吉中
23:00-01:00 Inauspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
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 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
21:00-23:00 Auspicious
 ————

Section Four 
Activities to Avoid  
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

動開
土倉
Opening Granaries
Moving Soil

Section Five 
Cosmological Information





Tenth Day (Fifth Lunar Month)
Cyclical day: jiachen (41/60)
Phase (element): Fire
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Wings (27/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Open (11/12)
————

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



————
移祭
徙祀
上出
樑行
牧訂
養婚


陽九
將空
————
Separating Dragon Festival

Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Engagements
Moving Residence
Raising Beams
Raising Livestock

Earth Duffel (Dirt Bag)

Baleful Astral Influences
Nine Vacancies
Yang General

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
Person
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation for is under the bottom characters)

栖 碓
Gate
Perch, Pestle

Monday, June 29, 2020

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 06-29

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
7/3............................................................................................................6/25
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 tha"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 calendarSome 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
廿
一期星
Sixth Month, Twenty-Ninth Day 
Monday, June 29
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
玉母
堂倉
Maternal Granary
Jade Hall

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left
申辰
中中
酉巳丑
中中
戌午寅

亥未卯

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

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

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

Section Four 
Activities to Avoid  
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

穿詞
井訟
Lawsuits and Litigation
Boring Wells

Section Five 
Cosmological Information





Ninth Day (Fifth Lunar Month)
Cyclical day: guimao (40/60)
Phase (element): Metal
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Drawn Bow (26/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Receive (10/12)
————

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




血班
忌煞
復咸
喪池
————
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Binding Nets

Baleful Astral Influences
Classified Balefulness
Widespread Pond
Blood Taboo
Repeat Mourning

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
人 州
Person, Landmass
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation for is under the bottom characters)

門 牀
Edifice
Gate, Bed

Sunday, June 28, 2020

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 06-28

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
7/3............................................................................................................6/25
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 tha"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 calendarSome 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
廿
期星
Sixth Month, Twenty-Eighth Day 
Sunday, June 28
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
十天天歲
靈醫喜馬
Generational Equinity
Heavenly Happiness
Heavenly Physician
Ten Spirits

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left
申辰

酉巳丑
中中吉
戌午寅

亥未卯
中吉
23:00-01:00 Inauspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 Auspicious

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

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

Section Four 
Activities to Avoid  
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

祈祭放開
福祀水渠
Opening Sluices
Putting-into Water
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune

Section Five 
Cosmological Information





Eighth Day (Fifth Lunar Month)
Cyclical day: renyin (39/60)
Phase (element): Metal
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Asterism (25/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information  
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
安交納入
牀易采學
作修裁會
灶造衣友
納動醫出
畜土病行
安上開嫁
葬樑市娶
忌歸
下俱大白
兀將煞虎
————
Appropriate Activities
Entering Study
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Alliances
Grain Payments
Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)
Physician Visits
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairing and Constructing
Moving Soil
Raising Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Livestock Payments
Positioning Graves

Return Taboo

Baleful Astral Influences
White Tiger
Great Balefulness
Everything General
Lower Amputee

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
白 水
White, Water
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation for is under the bottom characters)
爐 庫 倉
Furnace, Storehouse, Granary