China's Lunar Calendar 2013 06-25

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT June 29.....................................................................................................June 22 RIGHT

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
五

二期星

Sixth Month, Twenty-fifth Day

Astral Period Two
Tuesday, June 25

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

時德歲
陰日支

Generational Branch
Virtuous Days
Yin Temporality

—————————————————

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

凶凶凶

酉己丑

中吉中

戌午寅

中中吉

亥未卯

凶吉吉

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

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

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 In-Between
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.

————————————————— 

Section Four
Activities to Avoid 
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

忌

動放開
土水渠

Opening Suices
Putting-into Water
Moving Soil

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
八
壬
戌

水
室
定

Eighteenth Day (fifth lunar month)

Cyclical day: renxu (59/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: Room (13/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Decide (5/12)

————————————————— 

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

 宜
上嫁祭
樑娶祀
安納祈
門采福
作移會
灶居友
納開出
畜市行
囊地
陰天死
將刑氣

Appropriate Activities   
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Alliances

Grain Payments

Moving Households

Opening Markets

Erecting Beams

Positioning Doors

Stove Work

Livestock Payments

Earth Duffel

Miscellaneous Information    

Death Vapor
Heavenly Punishment
Yin General

 —————————————————  
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars

(right to left)
白 火
White, Fire

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left) 

倉
栖 庫

Granary
Perch, Storehouse