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.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2022 11-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/5...............................................................................................................................................11/28


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

As for interpreting the translation, 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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 o


f 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
                                           (top to bottom, right to left)
三期星
Eleventh Month, Thirtieth Day
Wednesday, November 30
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
合歲
日德
Generational Exemplarity
Linked Days
————

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

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
吉吉
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 In-Between
1:00-3:00 Auspicious
3:00-5:00 Auspicious
5:00-7:00 Inauspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

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

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


嫁理
娶髮
Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)
Marriage Alliances
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
Seventh Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: dinghai (24/60)
Phase (element): Earth
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Eastern Wall (14//28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Establish
 (1/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
土水
府痕
血重
忌日
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Bubbling and Bathing

Baleful Asterisms
Water Scar
Doubled Days
Soil Palace
Blood Taboo
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)
白 神
White, Spirit
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,
however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)
牀 庫
Granary
Bed, Storehouse

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2022 11-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/5...............................................................................................................................................11/28


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

As for interpreting the translation, 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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 o


f 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
                                           (top to bottom, right to left)
廿
二期星
Eleventh Month, Twenty-Ninth Day
Tuesday, November 29
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
三歲
合支
Generational Branch
Three Linkages
————

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

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
吉中
亥未卯
吉中
23:00-1:00 Auspicious
1:00-3:00 In-Between
3:00-5:00 Auspicious
5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 Inauspicious
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 In-Between
13:00-15:00 In-Between

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

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


作修
灶厨
Repairing Kitchens
Stove Work
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
Sixth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: bingxu (23/60)
Phase (element): Earth
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Room (13//28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed
 12/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
安祭
牀祀
結裁
網衣
修築
置提
產建
室屋
血復
支喪
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)
Constructing Dikes
Establishing Rooms
Positioning Beds
Binding Nets
Repairing Rooms
Setting-up Production

Upper Amputee

Baleful Asterisms
Return Mourning
Blood Branch
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)
白 地
White, Earth
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,
however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)
栖 灶
Kitchen
Perch, Stove

Monday, November 28, 2022

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2022 11-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/5...............................................................................................................................................11/28


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

As for interpreting the translation, 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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 o


f 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
                                           (top to bottom, right to left)
廿
一期星
Eleventh Month, Twenty-Eighth Day
Monday, November 28
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
月生時天
恩氣陽德
Heavenly Exemplarity
Timely Yang
Engendered Vapor
Lunar Kindness
————

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

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 Auspicious
1:00-3:00 Auspicious
3:00-5:00 Auspicious
5:00-7:00 Inauspicious

7:00-9:00 Auspicious
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 In-Between
13:00-15:00 In-Between

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

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


伐田時栽
木獵插種
Planting and Cultivating
Timely Injections
Field Venery (Goin' Huntin')
Felling Timber
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
Fifth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: yiyou (22/60)
Phase (element): Water
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Danger (12//28)
"Day Personality" Cycle:
(Open 11/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
上開嫁祭
樑市娶祀
安交納祈
牀易采福
開修移入
渠造徙學
置動理出
產圖髮行
煞班
俱天雞月
將火口忌
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Entering Study
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Alliances
Grain Payments
Moving Residences
Patterning Hair
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Repairing and Constructing
Moving Soil
Raising Beams
Positioning Beds
Opening Irrigation Sluices
Setting-up Production

Classified Balefulness

Baleful Asterisms
Lunar Taboo
Chicken Orifice
Heavenly Conflagration
Everything General
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)
丫 林
Bifurcation, Copse
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,
however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)
門 磨 碓
Gate, Mortar, Pestle

Sunday, November 27, 2022

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2022 11-27

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
11/27............................................................................11/24......................................Monthly Calendar Information


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

As for interpreting the translation, 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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 o


f 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
                                           (top to bottom, right to left)
廿
期星
Eleventh Month, Twenty-Seventh Day
Sunday, November 27
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
月歲
德馬
Generational Equinity
Lunar Exemplarity
————

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

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
凶凶
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 Auspicious
1:00-3:00 Auspicious
3:00-5:00 Inauspicious
5:00-7:00 In-Between

7:00-9:00 Auspicious
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

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

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


安開
牀倉
Opening Granaries
Positioning Beds
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
Fourth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: jiashen (21/60)
Phase (element): Water
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Void (11//28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Receive 
(10/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
————
劫歲
煞破
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Sweeping Rooms

Heaven's Vapors Rise; Earth's Vapors Descend
(the fifty-ninth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)

Baleful Asterisms
Genrational Destruction
Plundered Balefulness
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)
丫 天
Bifurcation, Heaven
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,
however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)
爐 門
Divination
Furnace, Gate