China's Lunar Calendar 2014 06-08

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
6/9............................................................................................................................6/2

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
八
日

日期星

Sixth Month, Eighth Day

Astral Period Sun
Sunday, June 8

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

十時三歲
靈陰合支

Generational Branch
Three Linkages
Timely Yin
Ten Spirits

—————————————————

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

酉己丑

中中吉
戌午寅
凶吉中

亥未卯

中吉中

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

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

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
產修栽結
室置種綱
Binding Nets
Planting and Cultivating
Repairing Rooms 
Setting-up Industry

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
一
庚
戌
金
星
定

Eleventh Day (Fifth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: gengxu (47/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Asterism (25/28)

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

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

宜
上開出祭
樑市行祀
修交嫁祈
倉易娶福
作修納入
灶造采學
安動移會
葬土徙友
氣死
 天 九 密犬  
刑鬼土日口 

Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Alliances

Grain Payments

Moving Households

Going to Market

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Building

Moving Soil

Putting-up Beams

Repairing Granaries

Stove Work

Positioning Graves

Death Vapor

Baleful Astral Influences

Dog Mouth
Mysterious Days
Nine Earth-Ghosts
Heavenly Punishment

————

  Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
白 火
White, Fire
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information

栖 磨 碓
Perch, Mortar, Pestle