China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-27

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT May 1......................................................................................April 24 RIGHT

[a] 24 April - 1 May 2013

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.

Section One
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left)  
廿
七

六期星

Fourth month, twenty-seventh day

Astral Period Sixth

Saturday, April 27

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

合歲
日德

Generational Virtue
Linked Days

—————————————————

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

中吉中

酉己丑

中凶中

戌午寅

凶吉吉

亥未卯

凶凶吉

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

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

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 In-Between
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
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 
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

忌

嫁詞
娶訟

Fermenting Beverages
Moving Soil

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
八

癸

亥
水

女

危

Eighteenth Day (third lunar month)

Cyclical day: xinyou (60/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: Southern Woman (10/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Danger (8/12)

————————————————— 

Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

宜
折
卸
掃
舍
無歲
祿破
天重
賊日

Appropriate Activities
Breaking-down and Unloading
Sweeping Floors 

Miscellaneous Information

Generational Destruction

Repeated Days

Without Emolument

Heavenly Bandit

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
白 林
White, Thicket

————————————————— 

Section Eight 
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 

占

牀 房

Divination
Bed, House