China's Lunar Calendar 2013 03-13

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

I'm on the road; this calendar will be updated on Thursday 3/14!

(A placeholder picture; to be updated soon)

This is one in a never-ending series—following the movements of the calendar—in Round and Square perpetuity. It is today's date in the Chinese lunar calendar, along with basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying lunar calendars (and Chinese culture) for many years, you will likely find yourself asking "what does that mean?" I would caution that "it" doesn't "mean" any one thing. There are clusters of meaning, and they require patience, reflection, careful reading, and, well, a little bit of ethnographic fieldwork. The best place to start is the introduction to "Calendars and Almanacs" on this blog. I teach a semester-long course on this topic and, trust me, it takes a little bit of time to get used to the lunar calendar. Some of the material is readily accessible; some of it is impenetrable, even after many years. 

As time goes on, I will link all of the sections to lengthy background essays. This will take a while. In the meantime, take a look, read the introduction, and think about all of the questions that emerge from even a quick look at the calendar.

(Color copy by Thursday) 

 

Section One
Solar Calendar Date

十

三

三期星

Third month, thirteenth day

Astral Period Three

(Wednesday, March 13) 

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars

五王天歲

富日赦德

Generational Virtue

Heavenly Pardon

Kingly Days

Five Abundances 

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶吉中

酉己丑

凶吉吉

戌午寅

中吉凶

亥未卯

凶吉吉

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

07:00-09:00 Auspicious
09:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00  Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

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

The hours above are for Hong Kong. It is up to you if you want to recalibrate or to assume that the cyclicality of the calendar "covers" the rest of the world. This is a greater interpretive challenge than you might think.

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Section Four
Activities to Avoid 

忌 
祈祭置買
福祀產田
Buying Land

Setting-up Industry

Paying Reverence

Inquiring into Fortune   

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 
初

二

戊

寅

土
參

閉

Second Day (second lunar month)

Cyclical day: wuyin (15/60)

Phase (element): Earth

Constellation: Joining (21/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed (12/12)

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜

醞修修裁

釀廚倉衣

栽作築合

種灶堤帳

納開補 ☐

畜渠垣柱

安放塞上

葬水穴樑

___________________
不債
___________________

虎陰歸血

口將忌支

Appropriate Activities

Cutting-out Clothing

Gathering Banners

Solidifying Posts

Erecting Beams

Repairing Granaries

  Building Dikes

Solidifying Embankments

Plugging Caves 

Kitchen Repairs

Stove Work

Opening Sluices

Going into Water

Alcoholic Fermentation

Planting Crops 

Livestock Payments

Positioning Graves   

Debt Negation
 
Miscellaneous Information

Blood Branch

Taboo Return

Yin General

Tiger Mouth 

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
白 地
White, Earth

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

爐 牀 房

Furnace, Bed, House