China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-28

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
八

日期星

Fourth month, twenty-eighth day

Astral Period Sun

Sunday, April 28

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

進天天歲
神醫喜祿

Generational Emolument
Heavenly Happiness
Heavenly Physician
Entering Spirits

—————————————————

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

吉吉吉

酉己丑

中中吉

戌午寅

凶凶吉

亥未卯

凶吉中

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

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

15:00-17:00 Auspicious
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

問動出開
卜土財倉

Opening Granaries
Capital Outlay
Moving Soil
Inquiring-into Fortune 

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
九

甲

子
金

虛

成

Nineteenth Day (third lunar month)

Cyclical day: jiazi (1//60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Southern Void (12/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)

————————————————— 

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

宜
醞上出祭
釀樑行祀
牧安裁祈
養牀衣福
納安醫入
畜門病學
安作竪會
葬灶柱友
囊地
歸下鼠債
忌兀口不

Appropriate Activities
Ancestral Respects
Inquiring-into Fortune
Entering Study
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Putting-together Clothing
Doctoring Ailments
Setting-up Pillars
Erecting Beams 
Positioning Beds
Positioning Doors
Fermenting Beverages
Raising Livestock
Livestock Payments
Positioning Graves   

Earth Duffel

Miscellaneous Information

Debt Not

Squirrel Mouth

Lower Amputee

Returning Taboo

 ————————————————— 

 Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(right to left)
白 地
White, Earth

————————————————— 

Section Eight 
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 

碓 門 占

Pestle, Gate, Divination