From Round to Square (and back)

For The Emperor's Teacher, scroll down (↓) to "Topics." It's the management book that will rock the world (and break the vase, as you will see). Click or paste the following link for a recent profile of the project: http://magazine.beloit.edu/?story_id=240813&issue_id=240610

A new post appears every day at 12:05* (CDT). There's more, though. Take a look at the right-hand side of the page for over four years of material (2,000 posts and growing) from Seinfeld and country music to every single day of the Chinese lunar calendar...translated. Look here ↓ and explore a little. It will take you all the way down the page...from round to square (and back again).
*Occasionally I will leave a long post up for thirty-six hours, and post a shorter entry at noon the next day.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

China's Lunar Calendar 2013 03-16

(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 soon) 
 
Section One
Solar Calendar Date

十
六
六期星
Third month, sixteenth day
Astral Period Six
(Saturday, March 16) 
———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
聖福驛
心德馬
Post Horse
Fortunate Virtue
Sagacious Heart-Mind 
—————————————————
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子
中中中
酉己丑
凶吉吉
戌午寅
吉吉吉
亥未卯
凶吉中
23:00-01:00 In-Between
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 In-Between

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

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
19:00-21:00 Auspicious
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.
————————————————— 
Section Four
Activities to Avoid 
忌
動遠合
土行醬
Mixing Sauces
Long Journeys
Moving Soil 
————————————————— 
 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 
初
五
辛
巳
金
楊
滿
Fifth Day (second lunar month)
Cyclical day: xinsi (18/60)
Phase (element): Metal
Constellation: Willow (24/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Fullness (3/12)
————————————————— 
Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)
宜
開祭
市祀
立祈
約福
交會
易友
納裁
采衣
——————————————
 喪復
———————————— 
土朱月
符雀忌
Appropriate Activities
Paying Reverence
Inquiring-into Fortune
Meeting Friends
Cutting-out Clothing
Opening Markets
Setting-up Appointments
Mutual Commerce
Grain Payments    
 
Repeat Mourning
 
Miscellaneous Information
Lunar Taboo
Vermillion Bird
Earth Charm
 ————————————————— 
 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
丫 山
Bifurcation, Mountain
————————————————— 
Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities
廚
牀 灶
Kitchen
Bread, Stove
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