China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/1.....................................................................................................................4/23

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
三
十

四期星

Fourth Month, Thirtieth Day

Astral Period Four
Thursday, April 30

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

不天德歲
將喜日支

Generational Branch
Virtuous Days
Heavenly Happiness
Not General

—————————————————

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

吉吉凶

戌午寅
凶凶中
亥未卯
吉中中

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

07:00-09:00 Inauspicious
9:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 In-Between

15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
19:00-21:00 Inauspicious
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.
                             —————————————————

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

忌
進新作修
水船灶廚
Kitchen Repairs
Stove Work
New Boats
Entering Water

—————————————————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
二
丙
子
水

奎
成

Twelfth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: bingzi (13/60)

Phase (element): Water

Constellation: Astride (15/28)

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

—————————————————  

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
成修內入
服造采學
安動裁會
葬土衣友
煞班
 天歸大 水
 牢忌亡空痕

————
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Alliances

Grain Payments

Cutting-out Clothing

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Building

Moving Soil

Raising Beams

Repairing Granaries

Completing Clothing

Positioning Graves

Classified Balefulness

Baleful Astral Influences

Water Scar
Great Loss-Void
Return Taboo
Heavenly Penitentiary

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
白 地
White, Earth

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

碓 灶 廚

Pestle, Stove, Kitchen

China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/1.....................................................................................................................4/23

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
九

三期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Ninth Day

Astral Period Three
Wednesday, April 29

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

合歲
日德

Generational Virtue
Linked Days

—————————————————

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

中凶凶

戌午寅
凶中吉
亥未卯
中吉吉

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

07:00-09:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 In-Between
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
嫁栽
娶種
Planting and Cultivating

Marriage Alliances

—————————————————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
一
乙
亥
火

壁
危

Eleventh Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: yihai (12/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Eastern Wall (14/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Danger (8/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

沐

浴

安

牀

取

魚

內

畜 游上
禍兀
天重
賊日

————
Appropriate Activities
Bubbling and Bathing
Positioning Beds
Garnering Fish
Livestock Payments

Baleful Astral Influences

Upper Amputee
Doubled Days
Natatorial Disaster
Heavenly Thief

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
白 林
White, Copse

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

碓

牀 磨

Pestle

Bed, Mortar

China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/1.....................................................................................................................4/23

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

二期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Eighth Day

Astral Period Two
Tuesday, April 28

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

解天
神貴

Heavenly Nobility

Unleashing Spirits

—————————————————

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

中吉吉

戌午寅
凶凶吉
亥未卯
中吉吉

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

07:00-09:00 Inauspicious
9:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 In-Between
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
出開
財倉

Opening Granaries

Capital Outflow

—————————————————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
十
甲
戌
火

室
破

Tenth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jiaxu (11/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Pyre (13/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Destroy (7/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

求
醫
治
病
破
屋
壊
垣
四月
撃破
白債
虎不

————
Appropriate Activities
Seeking Physicians
Treating Illness
Destroying Rooms
Smashing Embankments

Baleful Astral Influences

Lunar Destruction
Debt Not
Four Fisticuffs
White Tiger

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
人 天
Person, Heaven

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

門

栖 碓

Gate

Perch, Pestle

China's Lunar Calendar 2015 04-27

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/1.....................................................................................................................4/23

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
七

一期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Seventh Day

Astral Period One
Monday, April 27

———————————————— 

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

除六普
神合護

Universal Protection

Six Linkages

Expelling Spirits

—————————————————

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

中吉凶

戌午寅
凶中吉
亥未卯
中凶凶

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

07:00-09:00 Auspicious
9:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 In-Between
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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
作動詞
灶土訟

Lawsuits and Litigation

Moving Soil

Stove Work

—————————————————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

初
九
癸
酉
金

危
執

Ninth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: guiyou (10/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Danger (12/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Grasp (6/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

安裁祭
    衣祀
捕理祈
捉髮福
內醫訂
畜病婚
安掃嫁
葬舍娶
符土
咸五楊
池虛忌

————
Appropriate Activities
Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune
Marriage Engagements

Marriage Alliances

Cutting-out Clothing

Physician Visits

Sweeping Rooms

Positioning [blank]

Seizing and Capturing

Livestock Payments

Positioning Graves

Earth Charm

Baleful Astral Influences

Poplar Taboo

Five Voids

Widespread Pond

Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
人
Person

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous

房

門 牀

Edifice

Gate, Bed