China's Lunar Calendar 2014 07-15

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
7/18..........................................................................................................................7/10

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
十

五

二期星

Seventh Month, Fifteenth Day

Astral Period Two
Tuesday, July 15

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Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

陰德歲
德日支

Generational Branch
Virtuous Days
Yin Virtue

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子
中中凶
酉己丑

吉凶凶

戌午寅
吉吉吉
亥未卯

吉吉凶

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

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

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
19:00-21:00 Auspicious
21:00-23:00 Auspicious

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.

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

忌
除嫁理
服娶髮
Patterning Hair
Marriage Alliances
Discarding Clothing

 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
九
丁
亥
土
尾
定

Nineteenth Day (Sixth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: dinghai (24/60)

Phase (element):  Earth

Constellation: Tail (6/28)

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

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

宜

安掃會
牀舍友
作修出
灶造行
醞動裁
釀土衣
牧上移
養樑徙
日重
死債下
氣不兀

Appropriate Activities
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Cutting-out Clothing
Moving Residences
Sweeping Rooms
Repairing and Building
Moving Soil
Putting-up Beams
Positioning Beds
Stove Work
Fermenting Beverages
Raising Livestock

Doubled Days

Baleful Astral Influences

Lower Amputee
Debt Not
Death Vapor

————

  Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
白 人

White, Person
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Information
倉
牀 庫

Granary
Bed, Storehouse