tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52631836853641313122024-03-18T15:50:36.586-05:00Round and SquareIn early Chinese thought, heaven was considered "round" and earth "square." Westerners from St. Anselm to Kant taught that round and square are opposites. I will explore the connections between east and west (round and square) in a blog that takes seriously the little details of our lives. Round and square; east and west—never the twain shall meet (it has been said). Except when they do, and that is the whole point of this blog.Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.comBlogger5071125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-32881950262398731532024-03-18T00:00:00.069-05:002024-03-18T00:00:00.136-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-18<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/23..........................................................................................................................................3/15</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/s4323/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4323" data-original-width="2294" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/w408-h768/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepnjZG5ROrYmXEjzJdbn16UCeNgb_-yJIMyPvZTXjS7sk-LLtEYv6vPcFEXxT7-J2iZ-8CBDKWHNx8DxuFKo7es63kLk56JjU6lmnDBOhu2awb9wIUH2bh2ib_td43GufTIPHAzKilTIr6lUCIonufAAlYOfd-NU2Mypw1oclBYYcT_HgfyRGC9bJ8mO9/s4316/Calendar%202024%2003-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4316" data-original-width="245" height="1226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepnjZG5ROrYmXEjzJdbn16UCeNgb_-yJIMyPvZTXjS7sk-LLtEYv6vPcFEXxT7-J2iZ-8CBDKWHNx8DxuFKo7es63kLk56JjU6lmnDBOhu2awb9wIUH2bh2ib_td43GufTIPHAzKilTIr6lUCIonufAAlYOfd-NU2Mypw1oclBYYcT_HgfyRGC9bJ8mO9/w69-h1226/Calendar%202024%2003-18.jpg" width="69" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>一期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Eighteenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Monday, March 18</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">福驛</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德馬</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Postal Horse</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fortunate Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">23:00-1:00 <span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> 01:00-03:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> 05:00-07:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">07:00-09:00 <span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> 09:00-11:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">11:00-13:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">13:00-15:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">21:00-23:00 Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">遠合</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行醬</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mixing Sauces</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Distant Journeys</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>九</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>辛</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>巳</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>金</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>危</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>滿</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Ninth Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> xinsi </i>(18/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Danger<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(12/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Fullness<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(3/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">市祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">立祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">約福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">交會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">易友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納裁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">財衣</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>符</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">朱重</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">雀日</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Markets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Making Appointments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Soil Charm</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Vermilion Bird</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">人 山</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Person, Mountain</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀 灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Kitchen</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bed, Stove</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-44908578102516069482024-03-17T00:00:00.060-05:002024-03-17T00:00:00.247-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-17<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/23..........................................................................................................................................3/15</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/s4323/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4323" data-original-width="2294" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/w408-h768/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif45Nk8zulwDJUQe5M3-gWxkTGhTdPvTxOImbEcmR531jAonMYh1nzqoiRLhcNL2OCu9RieLfliUgSO4gGWAoHMrSmmnYaD99BpgBM-_bZ7ZM3EXBRAS2Yd_A55hW0rfEklHeRhLM9WtkRgx217yhw-oyMf1XHObe8zUPQyQEYKm5ox67qSBK_wjSe1521/s4303/Calendar%202024%2003-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4303" data-original-width="239" height="1224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif45Nk8zulwDJUQe5M3-gWxkTGhTdPvTxOImbEcmR531jAonMYh1nzqoiRLhcNL2OCu9RieLfliUgSO4gGWAoHMrSmmnYaD99BpgBM-_bZ7ZM3EXBRAS2Yd_A55hW0rfEklHeRhLM9WtkRgx217yhw-oyMf1XHObe8zUPQyQEYKm5ox67qSBK_wjSe1521/w69-h1224/Calendar%202024%2003-17.jpg" width="69" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">日</span>期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Seventeenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sunday, March 17</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">吉守</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">期日</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Protected Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Auspicious Time-Slice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span> 05:00-07:00 </span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>07:00-09:00 </span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">11:00-13:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">13:00-15:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行結</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪網</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Binding Nets</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mourning Visits</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>己</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>庚</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>辰</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>虛</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>除</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Eighth Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> gengchen </i>(17/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Void<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(11/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Discard </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(2/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">出</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">行</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>理</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>髮</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>沐</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>浴</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>掃</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>舍</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月龍</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">害口</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">三無</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪祿</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bubbling and Bathing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sweeping Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Dragon Mouth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Without Emolument</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Harm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Three Mournings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 火</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">栖 磨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Perch, Mortar</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-33012516111486442162024-03-16T00:00:00.081-05:002024-03-16T00:00:00.128-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-16<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/23..........................................................................................................................................3/15</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/s4323/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4323" data-original-width="2294" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/w408-h768/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfWbT9B3iFEH8gBB3TeLcv4Qu6gRr7GfYeeSPtWpHqrBAUe-PTc_8fblrQfH3HrPFII5rxJPv_uBhKmykgUeeQTECxk-KARSo8HCkiHi6snoPga7Br2iIZu7uUWANY_tEgQ3fUv4ZjDCepCxDn0SxFBQEZ63gXmW_os6cATJs1e0MF5jYz3CkW0iUKgl9/s4313/Calendar%202024%2003-16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4313" data-original-width="223" height="1227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfWbT9B3iFEH8gBB3TeLcv4Qu6gRr7GfYeeSPtWpHqrBAUe-PTc_8fblrQfH3HrPFII5rxJPv_uBhKmykgUeeQTECxk-KARSo8HCkiHi6snoPga7Br2iIZu7uUWANY_tEgQ3fUv4ZjDCepCxDn0SxFBQEZ63gXmW_os6cATJs1e0MF5jYz3CkW0iUKgl9/w64-h1227/Calendar%202024%2003-16.jpg" width="64" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>六期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Sixteenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Saturday, March 16</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">合月</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Lunarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Exemplary Linkage</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span> 05:00-07:00 </span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>07:00-09:00 </span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">11:00-13:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">13:00-15:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動穿</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土井</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Boring Wells</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>己</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>卯</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>女</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>建</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seventh Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> jimao </i>(16/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Maiden<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(10/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Establish<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(1/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">出</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">行</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">會</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">友</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土水</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">府痕</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厭月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">對建</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Water Scar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Establishment</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Soil Palace</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mutual Repression</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 神</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Spirit</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">占</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門 大</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Gate, Great</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-37087371334740684042024-03-15T00:00:00.111-05:002024-03-15T00:00:00.139-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-15<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/23..........................................................................................................................................3/15</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/s4323/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4323" data-original-width="2294" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajX_q2h0a7Gk8uha-_RbMfJ7pXJ7Z2bFdV2h3LdhfoclHJKwVz9L7SzuftgymJJWonKifEkn4phcB7FjGsm6aEr3_loK9mI5H7Yn0Bh1FSvOl6FsdW-q1BXgyytYXOBsG4iXoSjIZ1HtHH9kIV_p4klOv_3WHG5sGlzJhFS01FYbTUL4nkup09cK54nWu/w408-h768/Calendar%202024%2002ab.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR2jDZydpaeL1QN6yK1tWISqL9iqOSqF8aIeJrOs2x4rFzRUd3lZYUDMbqla2wn2gLqEqOQJWCJa1Y24kgyyDI-mgYTyl1lcHYpe_tKD6vykNyJyCBp6C1YjwRe5zARMS_Zt0sRTyJVgbrzDFKYWep0e5mVt2ZEc48ZZqB21UMlpC617YMBDEVzxsSZ4U/s4305/Calendar%202024%2003-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4305" data-original-width="318" height="1263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR2jDZydpaeL1QN6yK1tWISqL9iqOSqF8aIeJrOs2x4rFzRUd3lZYUDMbqla2wn2gLqEqOQJWCJa1Y24kgyyDI-mgYTyl1lcHYpe_tKD6vykNyJyCBp6C1YjwRe5zARMS_Zt0sRTyJVgbrzDFKYWep0e5mVt2ZEc48ZZqB21UMlpC617YMBDEVzxsSZ4U/w94-h1263/Calendar%202024%2003-15.jpg" width="94" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>五期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Fifteenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Friday, March 15</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">天歲歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">赦馬祿</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Emolument</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Equinity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Amnesty</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span> 01:00-03:00 </span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> 05:00-07:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">07:00-09:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">11:00-13:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">13:00-15:00 <span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">祈祭置</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">福祀產</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Setting-up Industry</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>戊</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>寅</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>牛</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>閉</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sixth Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> wuyin </i>(15/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Oxen<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(9/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Closed<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(12/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">社春</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">栽交裁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">種易衣</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納上築</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">畜樑堤</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安醞修</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬囊倉</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>鳩為化應</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">陰歸血</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將忌忌</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Spring Celebration</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(a spring festival going back to ancient times)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Constructing Dikes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing Granaries</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fermenting Beverages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Planting and Cultivating</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Livestock Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Hawks Transform into Doves</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the ninth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Blood Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Return Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yin General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 地</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">房</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">爐 牀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Edifice</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Furnace, Bed</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-50142733159983573402024-03-14T00:00:00.089-05:002024-03-14T00:00:00.137-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-14<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/14..............................................................3/10...............................................................3/10</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/s4345/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="2296" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/w392-h742/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb_SR2zpnYHJreO6Qjlhu3OPCQn1wm16qkuV-NF6AQZsb1qjLFKACyI4SmVL65CJteiHE3dfnwdb_MMFJ3HKQTe9ieFXcqIxWzH1ggaG5__1DgK-HV63RaCsNE6S6VdEkwXpfNLd0QsQIKTcaxw8STp_ryGSMzgQr55f7ktVqLV_G68DRNCgpVyasWaTQ/s4327/Calendar%202024%2003-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4327" data-original-width="426" height="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb_SR2zpnYHJreO6Qjlhu3OPCQn1wm16qkuV-NF6AQZsb1qjLFKACyI4SmVL65CJteiHE3dfnwdb_MMFJ3HKQTe9ieFXcqIxWzH1ggaG5__1DgK-HV63RaCsNE6S6VdEkwXpfNLd0QsQIKTcaxw8STp_ryGSMzgQr55f7ktVqLV_G68DRNCgpVyasWaTQ/w129-h1280/Calendar%202024%2003-14.jpg" width="129" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>四期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Fourteenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Thursday, March 14</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">不月生時</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將恩氣陽</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Timely Yang</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Engendered Vapor</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Kindness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Not General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span>凶凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">塞補整理</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">穴垣甲髮</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trimming Nails</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patching Embankments</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Plugging Caves</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丁</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丑</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>水</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>斗</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>開</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fifth Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> dingchou </i>(14/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Southern Dipper </span>(8/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Open </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(11/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上移出祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑徙行祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">置醫訂祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">產病婚福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安修納入</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門造采學</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納動嫁會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">畜土娶友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>虛五</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月下伏暗</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">忌兀斷金</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Entering Study</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Engagements</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Residences</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Physician Visits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing and Constructing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Setting-up Production</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Gates</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Livestock Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Five Voids</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Dark Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Prostrate Severance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lower Amputee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 林</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Copse</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">厨 庫 倉</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Kitchen, Storehouse, Granary</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-88636178942402265442024-03-13T00:00:00.058-05:002024-03-13T00:00:00.139-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-13<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/14..............................................................3/10...............................................................3/10</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/s4345/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="2296" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/w392-h742/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgij12s1A9VkFy7PmqBDeBAujsPQVYcyqN2Vo7UMMA_ekNDmQrbfcerKVJybAYdzaM-OZXxyJx296f4kR6YgEzTSvfD4Q1MB61F2x0cbGfMKJAKoeK25_VwxP0OGqWbBVjF21UQKTrqINjLp7ZA_U81uUCK6_ao2XIpDflpeBvb3Ky1NB0PUBrxm0qrga/s4337/Calendar%202024%2003-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4337" data-original-width="230" height="1227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgij12s1A9VkFy7PmqBDeBAujsPQVYcyqN2Vo7UMMA_ekNDmQrbfcerKVJybAYdzaM-OZXxyJx296f4kR6YgEzTSvfD4Q1MB61F2x0cbGfMKJAKoeK25_VwxP0OGqWbBVjF21UQKTrqINjLp7ZA_U81uUCK6_ao2XIpDflpeBvb3Ky1NB0PUBrxm0qrga/w65-h1227/Calendar%202024%2003-13.jpg" width="65" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>三</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>三期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Thirteenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, March 13</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">不陽</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yang Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Not General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span>凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span>凶<span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">裁作</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">衣灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丙</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>子</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>水</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>箕</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>收</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fourth Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> bingzi </i>(13/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Winnowing Basket </span>(7/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Receive<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(10/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>嫁</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>娶</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>交</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>易</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>捕</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>捉</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>結</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>網</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">咸長</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">池星</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月班</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">刑煞</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seizing and Capturing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Binding Nets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Long Star</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Classified Balefulness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Widespread Pond</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Punishment</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 天</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Heaven</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓 灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Kitchen</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle, Stove</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-41755556241500466782024-03-12T00:00:00.062-05:002024-03-12T00:00:00.138-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-12<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/14..............................................................3/10...............................................................3/10</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/s4345/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="2296" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/w392-h742/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljInKJg-0ZIFdSZLzQcyBIBHgfZ1u8RcLbxvhayM3vL9NZ2YtEile4nFDruU9NKbxGtzT2UohWq1sAyoUAo4XqqpDCr0grbOIl9LmrqihdmO4d87KJm5zTYPAht5nhWJYAxwr3Q5mMV89qgF8Easht-BC6XiU3FCL4XgkKcU0fI7LPQD7_CAdZ_BgXCKJ/s4342/Calendar%202024%2003-12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4342" data-original-width="235" height="1231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljInKJg-0ZIFdSZLzQcyBIBHgfZ1u8RcLbxvhayM3vL9NZ2YtEile4nFDruU9NKbxGtzT2UohWq1sAyoUAo4XqqpDCr0grbOIl9LmrqihdmO4d87KJm5zTYPAht5nhWJYAxwr3Q5mMV89qgF8Easht-BC6XiU3FCL4XgkKcU0fI7LPQD7_CAdZ_BgXCKJ/w65-h1231/Calendar%202024%2003-12.jpg" width="65" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>二</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>二期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Twelfth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, March 12</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">十天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">靈喜</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Happiness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Ten Spirits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉中</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">凶</span>吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">嫁栽</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">娶種</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Planting and Cultivating</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>三</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>乙</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>亥</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>尾</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>成</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> yihai </i>(12/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Tail </span>(6/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Completion </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(9/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安理</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀髮</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納移</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">畜徙</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>債</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>不</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">重重</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪日</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Residences</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Livestock Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Debt Not</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Mourning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀 磨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bed, Mortar</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-64730747411842593352024-03-11T00:00:00.062-05:002024-03-11T00:00:00.130-05:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-11<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/14..............................................................3/10...............................................................3/10</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/s4345/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="2296" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/w392-h742/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOq1sMroo5_Y170KI2-_Ev8hR1ho8CCy9w7kBkEQU-d2HMaSTQOKdIBz6PpHOyfSrkTeBrF6UonNNsJLmmyiOjBX4en5FxSjTdRZ3qgzSNF8hcw7B8UsO8dJfQ98K38aHDeVK5IOhJio6Syen8SaUK6YFemXKFAhT_2HDPvCc5tcluhTC8xzMyYfvf_Q1N/s4330/Calendar%202024%2003-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4330" data-original-width="235" height="1214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOq1sMroo5_Y170KI2-_Ev8hR1ho8CCy9w7kBkEQU-d2HMaSTQOKdIBz6PpHOyfSrkTeBrF6UonNNsJLmmyiOjBX4en5FxSjTdRZ3qgzSNF8hcw7B8UsO8dJfQ98K38aHDeVK5IOhJio6Syen8SaUK6YFemXKFAhT_2HDPvCc5tcluhTC8xzMyYfvf_Q1N/w64-h1214/Calendar%202024%2003-11.jpg" width="64" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>一</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>一期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Eleventh Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Monday, March 11</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span>凶<span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span>凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">出開</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">財倉</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Granaries</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Capital Outflow</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>二</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>甲</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>戌</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>心</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>危</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> jiaxu </i>(11/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Heart-Mind<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(5/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Danger </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(8/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>祭</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>祀</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>拆</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>卸</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">犬歲</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">口破</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月反</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">殺支</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Unhitching and Unloading</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Destruction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opposèd Branch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Canine Orifice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Balefulness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">栖 碓</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Gate</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Perch, Pestle</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-26907858631938992402024-03-10T00:00:00.092-06:002024-03-10T00:00:00.130-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-10<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/14..............................................................3/10...............................................................3/10</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/s4345/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="2296" height="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFJqi4rzcYF74xWwnR1ZHulGxEe2taK43W3GBzLp6q8fj7s9VBCW25TV8yC652EyE14V2mSLCld2D7yxIWZUo6C9yXChjR9UIsHUcI0krzkxmaq2ep-y_H8PvEnyBON-64NKPj8pZ5rpfHRsmoaQg4nBEZ-D2HsksF29M5sZgix8UTw0pr8OHnMawXwfh/w392-h742/Calendar%202024%2002aa.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIZ2Kj_ZwSQvWyPfSItWzsCH9UNRTeIfQTR3kaMtej_PcbfV7ZpiIIWMKF0ZqPN9_wxyZQ7-wMaIUytbiwko3EX_kLoD6SUHFsCxnjwyJ3iE8G6c-kpco1q-cgeXEH47_7X1TSOn9VzdplWIfrQ1xA27rESTlQeIXyuCWVLj8TxOGNDBaBiz9Z-hsq9_F/s4329/Calendar%202024%2003-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4329" data-original-width="247" height="1220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIZ2Kj_ZwSQvWyPfSItWzsCH9UNRTeIfQTR3kaMtej_PcbfV7ZpiIIWMKF0ZqPN9_wxyZQ7-wMaIUytbiwko3EX_kLoD6SUHFsCxnjwyJ3iE8G6c-kpco1q-cgeXEH47_7X1TSOn9VzdplWIfrQ1xA27rESTlQeIXyuCWVLj8TxOGNDBaBiz9Z-hsq9_F/w69-h1220/Calendar%202024%2003-10.jpg" width="69" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">日</span>期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Tenth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sunday, March 10</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日支</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Branch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Exemplary Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span>凶凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">作詞</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">灶訟</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lawsuits and Litigation</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>初</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>一</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>癸</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>酉</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>金</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>房</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>破</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">First Day (Second Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y: <i>guiyou </i>(10/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Edifice </span>(4/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Destroy<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(7/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>破</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>屋</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>壞</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>垣</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">————</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">倉</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">庚</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">鳴</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">水月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">痕破</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Destroying Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Smashing Embankments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Golden Orioles Sing</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the eighth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Destruction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Water Scar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 州</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Landmass</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">房</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門 牀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Edifice</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Gate, Bed</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-77224056543555560452024-03-09T00:00:00.085-06:002024-03-09T00:00:00.129-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-09<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTnIs1QWJ8mezvt59SImL4PGbeoBodVjHtjBaFEyHIXiIEPs29vYmPEV0pr_VIZheNSliSx9htgZLCv8uTZoqsAUCY_AphmYt2N1is5Ta4smOITO9LunbDyrqULFOfPuDRFmdFmXGQqkF1ibGV2vmvQz61sRnnx2hTSvJcuRAg3OfOs-VmCXkLww77KL_/s4365/Calendar%202024%2003-09.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4365" data-original-width="220" height="1190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTnIs1QWJ8mezvt59SImL4PGbeoBodVjHtjBaFEyHIXiIEPs29vYmPEV0pr_VIZheNSliSx9htgZLCv8uTZoqsAUCY_AphmYt2N1is5Ta4smOITO9LunbDyrqULFOfPuDRFmdFmXGQqkF1ibGV2vmvQz61sRnnx2hTSvJcuRAg3OfOs-VmCXkLww77KL_/w60-h1190/Calendar%202024%2003-09.jpg" width="60" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>九</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>六期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Ninth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Saturday, March 9</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">解天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">神馬</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Equinity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Releasing Spirits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳乙</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安開</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀渠</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Irrigation Sluices</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>九</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>壬</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>申</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>金</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>氐</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>執</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Ninth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y: <i>renshen </i>(9/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Foundation<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(3/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Grasp </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(6/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">掃</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">舍</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">捕</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">捉</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">除</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">服</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">安</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">葬</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白小</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">虎耗</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">俱劫</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將煞</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sweeping Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seizing and Capturing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Discarding Clothing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Small Squander</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Plundered Balefulness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White Tiger</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Everything General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">倉</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">爐 庫</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Granary</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Furnace, Storehouse</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-2233374543864452122024-03-08T00:00:00.094-06:002024-03-08T20:33:37.511-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-08<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4DUiDyyfOBEcrvu_zwVqt7bNNVAERK3cS4iGMf2bRMrOUfKGIQhRNNf1HVXjrY1RGKu-Hh3Q5vbSlbU2_00yg_crKmqKdl2jss-YCfAP57gdt0K-wCMvMpy7YJ-6ojIJU6GRvqsxh1KOgFIPXCkXh0hZhpDPPoLYqiwRLZBtlgoaaZ9xQoni_x-cRh8J/s4357/Calendar%202024%2003-08.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4357" data-original-width="432" height="1256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4DUiDyyfOBEcrvu_zwVqt7bNNVAERK3cS4iGMf2bRMrOUfKGIQhRNNf1HVXjrY1RGKu-Hh3Q5vbSlbU2_00yg_crKmqKdl2jss-YCfAP57gdt0K-wCMvMpy7YJ-6ojIJU6GRvqsxh1KOgFIPXCkXh0hZhpDPPoLYqiwRLZBtlgoaaZ9xQoni_x-cRh8J/w125-h1256/Calendar%202024%2003-08.jpg" width="125" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>五期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Eighth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Friday, March 8</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">陰時三續</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德陰合世</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Successive Generations</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Three Linkages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Timely Yin</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yin Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行除造合</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪服酒醬</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mixing Sauces</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Making Liquor</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Discarding Clothing</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mourning Visits</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>辛</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>未</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>亢</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>定</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Eighth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y: <i>xinwei </i>(8/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Neck<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(2/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Decide </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(5/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上開出祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑市行祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安交嫁祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門易娶福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">作修納入</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">灶造采學</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安動移會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬土徙友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>喪復</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">俱血死上</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將忌氣兀</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Entering Study</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Residences</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Markets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing and Constructing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Gates</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Return Mourning</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Upper Amputee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Death Vapor</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Blood Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Everything General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 人</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Person</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">厠 灶 厨</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Toilet, Stove, Kitchen</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-6143156231428284772024-03-07T00:00:00.074-06:002024-03-08T20:31:07.421-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-07<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoGnnYrMSDGUI_85q55VmtyI9UAMI8c5bDZm7UguffBq_Wdsr8H-P8izFqXg_CMKG5zj1Cw7ZbdytVKLzXTexqMRCfOuf8qq9hdhkRU8V0u2T594-nEgIW1FQHblpxfFT-KafKrfeBP0TlqUMSmEVEwUzZuuXaNLrUMc5e9HorTax5ZXKSNhJYIup9xR/s4364/Calendar%202024%2003-07.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4364" data-original-width="256" height="1189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBoGnnYrMSDGUI_85q55VmtyI9UAMI8c5bDZm7UguffBq_Wdsr8H-P8izFqXg_CMKG5zj1Cw7ZbdytVKLzXTexqMRCfOuf8qq9hdhkRU8V0u2T594-nEgIW1FQHblpxfFT-KafKrfeBP0TlqUMSmEVEwUzZuuXaNLrUMc5e9HorTax5ZXKSNhJYIup9xR/w71-h1189/Calendar%202024%2003-07.jpg" width="71" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>四期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Seventh Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Thursday, March 7</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">金時</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">匱德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Timely Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Golden Cupboard</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span>凶</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">塔結</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠網</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Binding Nets</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Building Toilets</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>庚</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>午</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>角</b></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">平</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Seventh Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> gengwu </i>(7/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Horn </span>(1/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Level<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(4/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">作</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">灶</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">平</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">道</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">塗</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">飾</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">垣</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">墙</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">河馬</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">魁口</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">死天</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">神吏</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Smoothing and Leveling Roadways</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Adorning Embankments and Walls</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Equine Orifice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Official</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">River Stalwart</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Death Spirit</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 鬼</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Ghost</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">占</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">磨 碓</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mortar, Pestle</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-88542507976046971462024-03-06T00:00:00.009-06:002024-03-06T00:00:00.125-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-06<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx0h0cvWnW7UMoNeegjHqE46YkYhb0POxjDiM9qA-6HFYunLbEYswwEod3aN_pOZJrOBUyxqXR43CuGaxEtMWjmLCfWpIYIseelIL-X26CuSfvOqJG6EIneskWmgn_sBzB1mH8RM0Dh9uCyr97UfoFwduGp5ZnKfkAMjxibGFdwRiWco9GcIAMJkStzJD/s4353/Calendar%202024%2003-06.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4353" data-original-width="313" height="1222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx0h0cvWnW7UMoNeegjHqE46YkYhb0POxjDiM9qA-6HFYunLbEYswwEod3aN_pOZJrOBUyxqXR43CuGaxEtMWjmLCfWpIYIseelIL-X26CuSfvOqJG6EIneskWmgn_sBzB1mH8RM0Dh9uCyr97UfoFwduGp5ZnKfkAMjxibGFdwRiWco9GcIAMJkStzJD/w88-h1222/Calendar%202024%2003-06.jpg" width="88" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>三期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Sixth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, March 6</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">驛德歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">馬合月</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Lunarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Exemplary Linkage</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Postal Horse</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">除動遠</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">服土行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Distant Travels</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Discarding Clothing</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>己</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>巳</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>木</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>軫</b></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">滿</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Sixth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> jisi </i>(6/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Wood</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Running Board </span>(28/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Fullness<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(3/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上會祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑友祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">作訂祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">灶婚福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開納求</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">倉采嗣</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納裁入</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">畜衣學</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>符土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">重水債</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日痕不</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seeking Inheritance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Entering Study</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Engagements</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cutting-out Clothing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Granaries</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Livestock Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Soil Charm</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Debt Not</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Water Scar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 山</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Mountain</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">占</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">牀 門</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bed, Gate</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-38812228375399030882024-03-05T00:00:00.101-06:002024-03-05T00:00:00.137-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-05<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dTe_5ZdAOsKBdiNTf1yOr9Q_DHxeHOw0HIX3o0UFx3qBsgGTMTvD3_na0-fCsi7ygFYGNxmCCIF1nFWCfQqA8pobn1wsO_93kHd8Ab2u6ElJtfMvXVqjpMCPJ5GgS86PSaPA2Cu4V05dW3V0Z4elXorjKryT5tj_nfJWbbdn91wWF2hDD8x7do_mhVMD/s4353/Calendar%202024%2003-05.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4353" data-original-width="296" height="1207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dTe_5ZdAOsKBdiNTf1yOr9Q_DHxeHOw0HIX3o0UFx3qBsgGTMTvD3_na0-fCsi7ygFYGNxmCCIF1nFWCfQqA8pobn1wsO_93kHd8Ab2u6ElJtfMvXVqjpMCPJ5GgS86PSaPA2Cu4V05dW3V0Z4elXorjKryT5tj_nfJWbbdn91wWF2hDD8x7do_mhVMD/w83-h1207/Calendar%202024%2003-05.jpg" width="83" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>二期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Fifth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, March 5</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">天吉守</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">恩期日</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Protected Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Auspicious Time-Slice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Kindness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span>凶</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">中吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span>Inauspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行置買</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪業田</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Purchasing Land</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Setting-up Industry</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mourning Visits</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>戊</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>辰</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>木</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>翌</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>除</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Fifth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> wuchen </i>(5/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Wood</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Wings<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(27/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Discard </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(2/12)*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Occasionally, a "day personality" repeats, as "discard" does today.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">蟄驚</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">二十巳</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">十時正</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">三 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">分 </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">補掃出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">垣舍行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">塞沐理</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">穴浴髮</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>華始桃</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">俱三月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將喪害</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Insects Awaken</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Precisely at the <i>si</i> hour; 10:13 o'clock</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the third of twenty-four fifteen-day periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sweeping Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bubbling and Bathing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patching Embankments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Plugging Caves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Peach Blossoms Begin to Bloom</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the seventh of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Harm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Three Mournings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Everything General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 火</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">房</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">栖 牀</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Edifice</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Perch, Bed</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-70687479693050540832024-03-04T00:00:00.107-06:002024-03-04T00:00:00.260-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-04<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhV4Gw0Ry5V2yuyhluKxFSLEnNRIxrlcRHQtBp8SHLafZjw_YETMQNrhurSEJAZ7rh74PYMF-fmfxWkAIQ75i1thExhMAKsT4TNpfhuu1QwT8zZTTNjm-TviuAhdgAtZY-_uOPJhp79_yjgVUt6lq-6WZZZp1NZsVQiHoEw7PXDZqrjMfC2EJXLcz1c1X/s4351/Calendar%202024%2003-04.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4351" data-original-width="410" height="1253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhV4Gw0Ry5V2yuyhluKxFSLEnNRIxrlcRHQtBp8SHLafZjw_YETMQNrhurSEJAZ7rh74PYMF-fmfxWkAIQ75i1thExhMAKsT4TNpfhuu1QwT8zZTTNjm-TviuAhdgAtZY-_uOPJhp79_yjgVUt6lq-6WZZZp1NZsVQiHoEw7PXDZqrjMfC2EJXLcz1c1X/w117-h1253/Calendar%202024%2003-04.jpg" width="117" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>一期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Fourth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Monday, March 4</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">不天官天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將恩日德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Official Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Kindness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Not General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開穿整理</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">池井甲髮</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trimming Nails</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Boring Wells</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening ponds</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丁</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>卯</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>張</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>除</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Fourth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> dingmao </i>(4/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Drawn Bow </span>(26/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Discard </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(2/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上開嫁祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑市娶祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安交納祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀易采福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">納修移會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">畜造徙友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安動醫出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬土病行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>兀下</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">朱大大咸</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">雀敗時池</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Moving Residences</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Physician Visits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Markets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing and Constructing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Livestock Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Lower Amputee</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Widespread Pond</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Great Timeliness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Great Defeat</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Vermilion Bird</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 林</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Copse</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">庫 倉 門</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Storehouse, Granary, Gate</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-42585650985369533752024-03-03T00:00:00.074-06:002024-03-03T00:00:00.351-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-03<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6jxdj9XIAH4wFDuLWwYEzYn1Vid_PiquJVfyVDNM988RaNKzvw2fSdJoL_Pw_VgDly5IHCGOQAiLu5K_FOtSXStkWbev-3tsGFp7HFc4nP7bE4yXWiVus4tReWv3mgNjzk8VfU0WEAID0qhlx267IdcTzmXQgm5LSL1WwQX-fMrlBh-lwT4j632aDu51/s4340/Calendar%202024%2003-03.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4340" data-original-width="238" height="1190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6jxdj9XIAH4wFDuLWwYEzYn1Vid_PiquJVfyVDNM988RaNKzvw2fSdJoL_Pw_VgDly5IHCGOQAiLu5K_FOtSXStkWbev-3tsGFp7HFc4nP7bE4yXWiVus4tReWv3mgNjzk8VfU0WEAID0qhlx267IdcTzmXQgm5LSL1WwQX-fMrlBh-lwT4j632aDu51/w67-h1190/Calendar%202024%2003-03.jpg" width="67" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>三</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">日</span>期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Third Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sunday, March 3</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">歲歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">馬祿</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Emolument</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Equinity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">祭作</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">祀灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>三</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丙</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>寅</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>星</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>建</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Third Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> bingyin </i>(3/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Asterism<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(25/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Establish<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(1/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">交會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">易友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上訂</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑婚</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開納</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">倉采</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安裁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬衣</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>府</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">密月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日忌</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cutting-out Clothing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Granaries</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Soil Palace</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mysterious Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 天</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Heaven</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">爐 灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Toilet</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Furnace, Stove</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-60511102454176573392024-03-02T00:00:00.069-06:002024-03-02T00:00:00.239-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-02<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/9..................................................................................................................................3/2</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/s4366/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="2286" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftXgcNpdm7Oi8S0dfjiCfQP8lxR591CXitGn7Zfli83W5b0AbTd61jKSVTR-kHYk6ootQZigD8zyTZ6rAn3cN0fG8St2dnGzkTpkonrjhGtVkMDNR_TZ1aSXWb_QrPv2V7_zJPcgKpTWbFPZFbDE8wTcfGgcLchzxOX9KiiSVZvAFoYUyjEgKrKjEgNpI/w353-h672/Calendar%202024%2001bb.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk7OWhgeUnK7XsGTLC72QePNmY8sW05dmoH8sySl-HR4IGI_HEahF2qg7jqeGXz8m2GvYZc2h3AfHPgx1RZcGYTDBirZqMYZiX-qpyyjxFt40RdqjGOMJahLgLGlgup5SbE6XvhMs1WZv0YxE3mudiuisV28uZKDA2kFkV_ymLZi2iGxkt-DCoq7wRN3w/s4331/Calendar%202024%2003-02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4331" data-original-width="241" height="1228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk7OWhgeUnK7XsGTLC72QePNmY8sW05dmoH8sySl-HR4IGI_HEahF2qg7jqeGXz8m2GvYZc2h3AfHPgx1RZcGYTDBirZqMYZiX-qpyyjxFt40RdqjGOMJahLgLGlgup5SbE6XvhMs1WZv0YxE3mudiuisV28uZKDA2kFkV_ymLZi2iGxkt-DCoq7wRN3w/w69-h1228/Calendar%202024%2003-02.jpg" width="69" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>二</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>六期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, Second Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Saturday, March 2</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">明天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">堂貴</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Nobility</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Luminous Hall</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動栽</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土種</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Planting and Cultivating</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>二</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>乙</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丑</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>金</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>柳</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>閉</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-Second Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> yichou </i>(2/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Willow<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(24/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Closed<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(12/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">塔出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開求</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">渠醫</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">結治</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">網病</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>符</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">血火</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">忌星</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seeking Physicians</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Treating Illness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Building Toilets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Irrigation Sluices</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Binding Nets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Soil Charm</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fire Star</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Blood Taboo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">人</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Person</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠 磨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Toilet, Mortar</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-46505572604750465112024-03-01T00:00:00.085-06:002024-03-01T00:00:00.347-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 03-01<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGQHCTX1ne24BNhE9eYHczCFfCNYCOLpVRhyevzQ8a1rLfvHzm26e0QgiSv0iGQQ5ZMumC4pke7Q-h-AxCEQ8KxJhOXuhKn1X4F5mJZP86jQal0NN9ZdRKt_LxzikZl2qvl635GdLsCxMIvizY0QH5mSxBOp511Jfw9K_9ZfgqIxmHa8gv96Jxni6wLRG/s4374/Calendar%202024%2003-01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4374" data-original-width="219" height="1202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGQHCTX1ne24BNhE9eYHczCFfCNYCOLpVRhyevzQ8a1rLfvHzm26e0QgiSv0iGQQ5ZMumC4pke7Q-h-AxCEQ8KxJhOXuhKn1X4F5mJZP86jQal0NN9ZdRKt_LxzikZl2qvl635GdLsCxMIvizY0QH5mSxBOp511Jfw9K_9ZfgqIxmHa8gv96Jxni6wLRG/w60-h1202/Calendar%202024%2003-01.jpg" width="60" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>一三</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>日月</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>五期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Third Month, First Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Friday, March 1</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">生歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">氣德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Engendered Vapor</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">除開</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">服倉</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Granaries</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Discarding Clothing</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>一</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>甲</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>子</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>金</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>鬼</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>開</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twenty-First Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> jiazi </i>(1/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Metal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Ghost<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(23/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Open </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(11/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">市祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">修入</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">造學</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">栽出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">種行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>短</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>星</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">重班</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪煞</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Entering Study</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Markets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing and Constructing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Planting and Cultivating</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Short Star</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Classified Balefulness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Mourning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">人</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Person</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">占</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓 门</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle, Gate*</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">*</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">The calendar has the simplified version of "gate," which is rarely seen.</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-44339506617200564752024-02-29T00:00:00.063-06:002024-02-29T13:27:51.741-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-29<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpijjc6jU-nrhP7Q5nARwUDxRAevTQnyNVzB2uMKggdc-sLhfSed_Kue5uGctYTG59L7C4c7SLPMdnoAkjSvinqHbmgIA79XYka0QEFaWNTdZDBrDqhSHUdNW3SOaAKo1JTFeE02AdrgHHjotIqXmEM8LMmColcaL23H7DRbxo4nFVJhyCNQJD-1CnSVr_/s4377/Calendar%202024%2002-29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4377" data-original-width="228" height="1215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpijjc6jU-nrhP7Q5nARwUDxRAevTQnyNVzB2uMKggdc-sLhfSed_Kue5uGctYTG59L7C4c7SLPMdnoAkjSvinqHbmgIA79XYka0QEFaWNTdZDBrDqhSHUdNW3SOaAKo1JTFeE02AdrgHHjotIqXmEM8LMmColcaL23H7DRbxo4nFVJhyCNQJD-1CnSVr_/w65-h1215/Calendar%202024%2002-29.jpg" width="65" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>九</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>四期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Ninth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Thursday, February 29</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">五六</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">富合</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Six Linkages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Five Abundances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span>凶<span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span>凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">嫁詞</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">娶訟</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lawsuits and Litigation</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>二</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>癸</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>亥</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>水</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>井</b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">收</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Twentieth Day (Twelfth Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> guihai </i>(60/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: <span style="color: #990000;"> Well </span>(22/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Receive<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(10/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">祭</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">祀</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>沐</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>浴</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">草</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">木</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">萌</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">動</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動上</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日朔</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bubbling and Bathing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grasses and Trees Sprout Forth</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the fifth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Upper Decade</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">人 州</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Person, Landmass</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">占</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀 房</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bed, Edifice</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-58450835766600140542024-02-28T00:00:00.052-06:002024-02-29T13:29:31.092-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-28<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnnfcjvWl2pcT-yWPlEHCGZ8WM1z04hx9qTItQlL_SAT_LQqUcTCeShq04a5XKDVkkRhXsDUkX-zAjHRzpZ-DZy2Zc1SjKng_TrlifieGepqU9e3CuEnIbQdWhNwz3c6tWixmcj8-Hj5O2HWrdPARl8HjrRYMxSbWs4dEy3E3nnoE73LFIdKlht3Q_yQ7/s4358/Calendar%202024%2002-28.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4358" data-original-width="205" height="1217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnnfcjvWl2pcT-yWPlEHCGZ8WM1z04hx9qTItQlL_SAT_LQqUcTCeShq04a5XKDVkkRhXsDUkX-zAjHRzpZ-DZy2Zc1SjKng_TrlifieGepqU9e3CuEnIbQdWhNwz3c6tWixmcj8-Hj5O2HWrdPARl8HjrRYMxSbWs4dEy3E3nnoE73LFIdKlht3Q_yQ7/w57-h1217/Calendar%202024%2002-28.jpg" width="57" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>三期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Eighth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, February 28</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">合天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Linked Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>凶<span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">放開</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">水渠</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Irrigation Sluices</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Putting-into Water</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>九</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>壬</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>戌</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>水</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>參</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>成</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Nineteenth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> renxu </i>(59/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: <span style="color: #990000;"> Gathering </span>(21/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Completion </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(9/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">祭</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">祀</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">掃</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">舍</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月歲</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厭破</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">地四</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">火擊</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sweeping Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Destruction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Four Fisticuffs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Repression</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Earthly Conflagration</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 水</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">房</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">栖 庫</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Edifice</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Perch, Storehouse</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-53062099661353416222024-02-27T00:00:00.008-06:002024-02-27T00:00:00.137-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-27<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FL9GgeYWhSe_2iMyOFOqKOl4A7Asf6nwK3D9sCYZXSeRXRjI_FaAWcb78IEP3Gw9-xvGPZNPks5Q_NXeZdJeFhyphenhyphen9bMIID8ybw6p-zAegRvNtSOa28qLyrut1oMWolbwudwYmOOBp9DkbsLS5tqMpOnWbmCp574z1mCshinU0_ZIL7nvj6hubLWoKKZTS/s4360/Calendar%202024%2002-27.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4360" data-original-width="227" height="1232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FL9GgeYWhSe_2iMyOFOqKOl4A7Asf6nwK3D9sCYZXSeRXRjI_FaAWcb78IEP3Gw9-xvGPZNPks5Q_NXeZdJeFhyphenhyphen9bMIID8ybw6p-zAegRvNtSOa28qLyrut1oMWolbwudwYmOOBp9DkbsLS5tqMpOnWbmCp574z1mCshinU0_ZIL7nvj6hubLWoKKZTS/w65-h1232/Calendar%202024%2002-27.jpg" width="65" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>二期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Seventh Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, February 27</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">德歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日支</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Branch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Exemplary Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">造合</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酒醬</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Mixing Sauces</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Making Liquor</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>八</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>辛</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>酉</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>木</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>觜</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>危</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Eighteenth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> xinyou </i>(58/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Wood</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Beak of the Turtle<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(20/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Danger </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(8/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">開祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">光祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">修祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">齋福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">建安</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">醮牀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安移</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬柩</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Coffins (containing corpses)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Consecrations and Blessings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fasting and Abstention</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Establishing Ceremonies (Buddhist and Daoist)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Debt Not</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lower Amputee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Five Voids</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 人</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Person</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">門 灶</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Kitchen</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Gate, Stove</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-59703115318740874452024-02-26T00:00:00.059-06:002024-02-26T00:00:00.130-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-26<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoI2mESOpT0MP5xoGa9u9eTewRa_z5g9JEBX2e0zQv0GAF5uQC6RYqwh4XadW7bEk358wU7TTXFgHLR51b0bFykd9CQ9wwFfQQK-5JvA5PyMS_8EOf1um6iMo87Ub9K_AmqWQJNqIqlt-xRx0kdUHf5yQsjzJrFkdT6fZNuoJKRcTirCuW0VFG19Pm01_Y/s4364/Calendar%202024%2002-26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4364" data-original-width="211" height="1231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoI2mESOpT0MP5xoGa9u9eTewRa_z5g9JEBX2e0zQv0GAF5uQC6RYqwh4XadW7bEk358wU7TTXFgHLR51b0bFykd9CQ9wwFfQQK-5JvA5PyMS_8EOf1um6iMo87Ub9K_AmqWQJNqIqlt-xRx0kdUHf5yQsjzJrFkdT6fZNuoJKRcTirCuW0VFG19Pm01_Y/w58-h1231/Calendar%202024%2002-26.jpg" width="58" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>一期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Sixth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Monday, February 26</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">三歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">合支</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Branch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Three Linkages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安結</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀網</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Binding Nets</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>七</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>庚</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>申</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>木</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>畢</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>破</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seventeenth Day (Twelfth Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> gengshen </i>(57/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Wood</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: <span style="color: #990000;"> Net </span>(19/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Destroy<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(7/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>求</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>醫</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>治</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>病</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>破</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>屋</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>壞</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>墙</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">復月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">喪破</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">陽四</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將廢</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seeking Physicians</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Treating Illness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Destroying Rooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Smashing Embankments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Destruction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Four Abandonments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Return Mourning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yang General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">白 鬼</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White, Ghost</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">爐 磨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Furnace, Mortar</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-28872280684724062212024-02-25T00:00:00.059-06:002024-02-25T00:00:00.149-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-25<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj10qGUeBaOWEmJvFpRK8f3TKqR5f_Le4YwpS8VVIM3duePWH2IW_10eucmcenDYzsyo6rJkynhfAMsBXBYqs4BT1mrFMIyEJhMIFjZtu1ZTHpASih65Xx1OXi9cwEB801Bep0YhWJ2n5HA3tCVJH4JVZihyphenhyphenFqeUDTPi2hVv7dhls18gu-h8-rJ6Ox9eif/s4366/Calendar%202024%2002-25.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4366" data-original-width="243" height="1229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj10qGUeBaOWEmJvFpRK8f3TKqR5f_Le4YwpS8VVIM3duePWH2IW_10eucmcenDYzsyo6rJkynhfAMsBXBYqs4BT1mrFMIyEJhMIFjZtu1ZTHpASih65Xx1OXi9cwEB801Bep0YhWJ2n5HA3tCVJH4JVZihyphenhyphenFqeUDTPi2hVv7dhls18gu-h8-rJ6Ox9eif/w69-h1229/Calendar%202024%2002-25.jpg" width="69" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">日</span>期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Fifth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sunday, February 25</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">合歲</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Generational Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Linked Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">凶<span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">作修</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">灶厨</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing Kitchens</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Stove Work</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>六</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>己</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>未</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>昂</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>執</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sixteenth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> jiwei </i>(56/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality: Pleiades<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>(18/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Grasp </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(6/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安入</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">牀學</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">捕會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">捉友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安出</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬行</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>星</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">陽上</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將兀</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Entering Study</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Beds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seizing and Capturing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Fire Star</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Upper Amputee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Yang General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 山</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Mountain</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">占</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠 門</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Divination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Toilet, Gate</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-30990088976084181032024-02-24T00:00:00.085-06:002024-02-24T00:00:00.232-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-24<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY5rehvkhQYRZimKXed-mD_PKO8sGeENQnguQos3vZsqseSd15nhdPy0fHu_ygd-CjhEVwsxVVGRnIZaeIZKq7TSRVlKDEhOX05VXAKOZ3BErjItreTbJNzRESvvVP6cylnkyKyVdRRps1BqI4l90YzTX2y1cspyhQ70ypa5692QA7MRwlldKcjHO6LLT/s4362/Calendar%202024%2002-24.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4362" data-original-width="392" height="1265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY5rehvkhQYRZimKXed-mD_PKO8sGeENQnguQos3vZsqseSd15nhdPy0fHu_ygd-CjhEVwsxVVGRnIZaeIZKq7TSRVlKDEhOX05VXAKOZ3BErjItreTbJNzRESvvVP6cylnkyKyVdRRps1BqI4l90YzTX2y1cspyhQ70ypa5692QA7MRwlldKcjHO6LLT/w115-h1265/Calendar%202024%2002-24.jpg" width="115" /></a></div> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>六期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Fourth Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Saturday, February 24</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">十時民時</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">靈陰日德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Timely Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Peopled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Timely Yin</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Ten Spirits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span>凶</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">中</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">塔苫置買</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">厠蓋業田</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Purchasing Land</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Setting-up Industry</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Thatched Coverings</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Building Toilets</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>五</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>戊</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>午</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>火</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>胃</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>定</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fifteenth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> wuwu </i>(55/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Stomach </span>(17/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle:<span style="color: #990000;"> Decide </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(5/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">元上</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">————</span></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">動移出祭</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">土徙行祀</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">上開嫁祈</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">樑市娶福</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">安交納會</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">葬易采友</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>北雁候</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">俱死白馬</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">將氣虎口</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lantern Festival</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(Celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, to complete the New Year's festivities)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Venerating Ancestors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Inquiring-into Fortune</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meeting Friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Going Out (and about)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Marriage Alliances</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Grain Payments</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Residences</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Opening Markets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Trade and Commerce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Moving Soil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Raising Beams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Positioning Graves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Wild Geese Fly North</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(the fifth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Equine Orifice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">White Tiger</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Death Vapor</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Everything General</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 火</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Fire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">碓 牀 房</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Pestle, Bed, Edifice</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-83850808540550169062024-02-23T00:00:00.069-06:002024-02-23T00:00:00.136-06:00China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 02-23<p> <a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" </a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>3/1..................................................................................................................................2/22</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/s4386/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="2274" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw5Z2oPFb8DZLyESKMTyDbYB8mJDM_bEPbbO-a77AWvkZCFrde3vdiBvGA1acREwwKFtbcvqryEZQxhLjdpko-Iy-Lg-hHj0ORx7Q_0W_RIkk8nDiljM7ZsstBlMHuOIXm4aD-HHVPoNfCtMy2dvV7BG5Pg4jsCg_1G5vTqFZRv-l2YyJTQzehwIobb4j/w377-h727/Calendar%202024%2001ba.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is one in a never-ending </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">series<span style="font-size: small;">—foll<span style="font-size: small;">owing the mov<span style="font-size: small;">ements of the calendar—<span style="font-size: small;">in Round and Square perpetuity. <span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>It is today's date in t</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>he Chinese lunar-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar</b></i>; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a <i>ba</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>sic translatio</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>n and minimal interpretation</i><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying<span style="font-size: small;"> calendars (and C<span style="font-size: small;">hinese culture) for many years, yo<span style="font-size: small;">u will likely find yourself asking "what does <i>that</i> mean?" I would caution tha<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">"it" doesn't "mean" any one thing (almost any "it" you will see). The<span style="font-size: small;">re are clusters of mea<span style="font-size: small;">ning, and they re<span style="font-size: small;">quire pat<span style="font-size: small;">ience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethno<span style="font-size: small;">graphic field<span style="font-size: small;">work. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars a</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">nd Alman</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://robert-lafleur.blogspot.com/2013/02/calendars-and-almanacsintroduction-a.html">acs" on this blog</a>. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to <span style="font-size: small;">the lunar calendar</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">Some of the material is readily accessi<span style="font-size: small;">ble; some of it is impenetra<span style="font-size: small;">ble, even after many years<span style="font-size: small;">. 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, <i>and yet it is printed anew every single year</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As time goes on, I will link </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">all of the sections to<span style="font-size: small;"> lengthy background essays. This will take a while<span style="font-size: small;">. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all o</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXt-FGJciYoovRR-WKPDAC4mScocvFJCJc8vHq-6RfziA40hdAw1hyphenhypheni_jHK0fyh3uoSqIo_NeL29B1LaNDwsX8im_VuZTe0lQw7hyphenhyphenjMuTEJfhzKB8kIRX1_l7XlwXOQVUcivop3vShKne0re0MeCI4rG8gwvt7K8aYY1IMSvRuANvOyLUAPZxaf-TZ0o7/s4370/Calendar%202024%2002-23.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4370" data-original-width="221" height="1233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXt-FGJciYoovRR-WKPDAC4mScocvFJCJc8vHq-6RfziA40hdAw1hyphenhypheni_jHK0fyh3uoSqIo_NeL29B1LaNDwsX8im_VuZTe0lQw7hyphenhyphenjMuTEJfhzKB8kIRX1_l7XlwXOQVUcivop3vShKne0re0MeCI4rG8gwvt7K8aYY1IMSvRuANvOyLUAPZxaf-TZ0o7/w62-h1233/Calendar%202024%2002-23.jpg" width="62" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Section One</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> Solar Calendar Date</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>廿</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>三</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>五期</span><span>星</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Second Month, Twenty-Third Day</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Friday, February 23</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Section Two</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beneficent Stars </span><br /></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(top to bottom, right to left)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">相天</span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">日德</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heavenly Exemplarity</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Facing Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Three</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Auspicious Hours</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">top to bottom, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">right to left</span></span>) </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">申辰甲</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">酉巳丑</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉吉</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">戌午寅</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>凶</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span><span style="color: #990000;">中</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">亥未卯</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>凶</span><span style="color: #990000;">吉</span><span>凶</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>23:00-1:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 01:00-03:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 03:00-05:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 05:00-07:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>07:00-09:00<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">In-Between</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 09:00-11:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>11:00-13:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>13:00-15:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>15:00-17:00 </span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>17:00-19:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;">Auspicious</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span>19:00-21:00 </span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>21:00-23:00 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Inauspicious</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Four </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Activities to Avoid<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(top-to-bottom; right to left)</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>忌</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">遠理</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行髮</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Distant Travels</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Section Five </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">Cosmological Information</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>十</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>四</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>丁</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>巳</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>土</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>婁</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>平</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fourteenth Day (First Lunar Month)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cyclical Da<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">y:<i> dingsi </i>(54/</span></span></span><span>60)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Phase (element): Earth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Cons<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">tellation Personality:<span style="color: #990000;"> Mound </span>(16/</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span>28</span></span><span>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Day<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Personality" Cycle: Level<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span>(4/12)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Six</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Appropriate Activities</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Miscellaneous Information</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">(top to bottom; left to right)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">宜</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">平</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">治</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">道</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">塗</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">修</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">飾</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">垣</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">墙</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">五月</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">虛忌</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">月重</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">行日</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Appropriate Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(top down, starting on the right; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Leveling and Painting Roadways</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Repairing and Embellishing Embankments and Walls</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Baleful Asterisms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span>(top down, starting on the right; </span><span>two characters each)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Repression</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Doubled Days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Five Voids</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lunar Punishment</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Section Seven</span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Inauspicious Sta</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>rs</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">丫 神</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bifurcation, Spirit</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">————</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Section Eight</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miscellaneous Items</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">倉</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">牀 庫</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Granary</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Bed, Storehouse</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Round and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.com0