China's Lunar Calendar 2013 08-26

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦

LEFT August 27........................................................................................................August 20 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
六
一期星

  Eighth Month, Twenty-sixth Day

Astral Period One
Monday, August 26

———————————————— 
Section Two

Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)

進福時歲
神生德祿

Generational Emolument
Timely Virtue
Engendered Fortune
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

中凶凶

亥未卯

凶吉中

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
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 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

成除出開
服靈財倉

Opening Granaries
Capital Outflow
Expelling Spirits
Finishing Clothing

————————————————— 

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

二
十
甲
子
金
畢
定

Twentieth Day (Seventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiazi (01/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Net (19/28)

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

————————————————— 

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

 宜

 樑開婚祭
安市納祀
牀交采祈

作易嫁福

灶修娶會
醞造裁出
釀動衣出
納土移行
畜上徙訂

陽復死小
 將喪氣亡空

Appropriate Activities  

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Marriage Alliances

Putting-together Clothing

Moving Residences

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Building

Moving Soil

Erecting Beams

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Fermenting Beverages

Livestock Payments

Miscellaneous Information

Small Loss-Void
Death Vapor
Return Mourning
Yang General

————  

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left)

人     
Person          

—————————————————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities

(Top to bottom; right to left)
碓 門 占

Pestle, Gate, Divination