China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 11-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/3............................................................................................................................................................11/26

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 that "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 calendar. Some 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 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

                                                  (top to bottom, right to left)

三

十

四期星

Eleventh Month, Thirtieth Day

Thursday, November 30

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

不解

將神

Unleashing Spirits

Not General

————

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

凶中中

酉巳丑

凶凶吉

戌午寅

凶中吉

亥未卯

吉中吉

23:00-1:00 In-Between

1:00-3:00 Auspicious

3:00-5:00 Auspicious

5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between

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 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 Auspicious

————

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

忌

動開

土渠

Opening Irrigation Sluices

Moving Soil

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

八

壬

辰

水

奎

執

Eighteenth Day (Tenth Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: renchen (29/60)

Phase (element): Water

"Constellation Personality: Astride (15/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Grasp (6/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

宜

理入

髮學

求訂

醫婚

治嫁

病娶

捕裁

捉衣

火

星

重土

喪符

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Entering Study

Marriage Engagements

Marriage Alliances

Cutting-out Clothing

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Seeking Physicians

Treating Illness

Seizing and Capturing

Fire Star

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Soil Charm

Doubled Mourning

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

白 水

White, Water

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

倉

栖 庫

Granary

Perch, Storehouse

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 11-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/3............................................................................................................................................................11/26

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 that "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 calendar. Some 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 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

                                           (top to bottom, right to left)

廿

九

三期星

Eleventh Month, Twenty-Ninth Day

Wednesday, November 29

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

不陰時麒

將德陰麟

Unicorn

Timely Yin

Yin Exemplarity

Not General

————

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

中中中

酉巳丑

凶凶中

戌午寅

吉吉吉

亥未卯

中中吉

23:00-1:00 In-Between

1:00-3:00 In-Between

3:00-5:00 Auspicious

5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between

9:00-11:00 Inauspicious

11:00-13:00 Auspicious

13:00-15:00 In-Between

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) 

忌

開穿造合

池井酒醬

Mixing Sauces

Making Liquor

Boring Wells

Opening Ponds

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

七

辛

卯

木

壁

定

Seventeenth Day (Tenth Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: xinmao (28/60)

Phase (element): Wood

"Constellation Personality: Eastern Wall (14/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Decide (5/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

宜

樑立娶會

修約裁友

倉交衣出

納易移行

畜修徙訂

除造理婚

服動髮納

安土開采

葬上市嫁

元死小水

  武氣亡空痕

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Marriage Alliances

Cutting-out Clothing

Moving Residences

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Opening Markets

Making Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Constructing

Moving Soil 

Raising Beams

Repairing Granaries

Livestock Payments

Discarding Clothing

Positioning Graves

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Water Scar

Small Loss-Vacancy

Death Vapor

Primal Martiality

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

丫 人

Bifurcation, Person

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

門 灶 厨

Gate, Stove, Kitchen

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 11-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
12/3............................................................................................................................................................11/26

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 that "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 calendar. Some 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 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

                                                 (top to bottom, right to left)

廿

八

二期星

Eleventh Month, Twenty-Eighth Day

Tuesday, November 28

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

合天

日德

Heavenly Exemplarity

Linked Days

————

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

凶吉凶

酉巳丑

凶凶吉

戌午寅

凶中吉

亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-1:00 Inauspicious

1:00-3:00 Auspicious

3:00-5:00 Auspicious

5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 Auspicious

9:00-11:00 Inauspicious

11:00-13:00 In-Between

13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious

17:00-19:00 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 In-Between

————

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

忌

祭結

祀網

Binding Nets

Venerating Ancestors

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

六

庚

寅

木

室

平

Sixteenth Day (Tenth Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: gengyin (27/60)

Phase (element): Wood

"Constellation Personality: Room (13/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Level (4/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

宜

開出

市行

動嫁

土娶

上納

樑采

安移

葬徙

五

虛

河上

魁兀

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Alliances

Grain Payments

Moving Residences

Opening Markets

Moving Soil

Raising Beams

Positioning Graves

Five Voids

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Upper Amputee

River Stalwart

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

丫 鬼

Bifurcation, Ghost

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

碓

爐 磨

Pestle

Furnace, Mortar