China's Lunar Calendar 2020 12-31

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
1/4..........................................................................................................................12/28

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-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a basic translation and minimal interpretation. 

As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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. You will likely find that several of the translations seem quite "fanciful" in English. I am simply trying to convey that they also sound fairly fanciful in Chinese.

                                                       Section One    

                                                Solar Calendar Date

(top to bottom, right to left)

卅

一

四期星

Twelfth Month, Thirty-First Day

Thursday, December 31
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天天母歲

醫喜倉祿

Generational Emolument

Maternal Granary

Heavenly Happiness

Heavenly Physician

————

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

吉吉中

酉巳丑

中吉吉

戌午寅

中凶凶

亥未卯

中吉中

23:00-1:00 In-Between

1:00-3:00 Auspicious

3:00-5:00 Inauspicious

5:00-7:00 In-Between

7:00-9:00 Auspicious

9:00-11:00 Auspicious

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 In-Between

 ————

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

忌
動安置買

土牀業田

Purchasing Land

Setting-up Industry

Positioning Beds

Moving Soil

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

七

戊

申

土

奎

成

Seventeenth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: wushen (45/60)

Phase (element): Earth
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Astride (15/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

宜

上醫納買

樑病采學

作掃嫁會

灶舍娶友

納開移出

畜市徙行

安交理訂

葬易髮婚

動泉水

倶土五猴

將符離口

Appropriate Activities

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Marriage Alliances

Moving Residences

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Physician Visits

Sweeping Rooms

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Raising Beams

Stove Work

Livestock Payments

Positioning Graves

Spring Waters Move

(the sixty-sixth of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)

Baleful Astral Influences

Monkey Mouth

Five Separations

Soil Charm

Everything General

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
白 地

White, Earth
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation is under the bottom of each character)

盧 牀 房

Furnace, Bed, Edifice

————

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 12-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
1/4..........................................................................................................................12/28

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-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a basic translation and minimal interpretation. 

As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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. You will likely find that several of the translations seem quite "fanciful" in English. I am simply trying to convey that they also sound fairly fanciful in Chinese.

                                                       Section One    

                                                Solar Calendar Date

(top to bottom, right to left)

三

十

三期星

Twelfth Month, Thirtieth Day

Thursday, December 30
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

合月麒

日德麟

Unicorn

Lunar Exemplarity

Linked Days

————

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

中中中

酉巳丑

吉吉凶

戌午寅

中凶中

亥未卯

吉吉凶

23:00-1:00 In-Between

1:00-3:00 Inauspicious

3:00-5:00 In-Between

5:00-7:00 Inauspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between

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 Auspicious

19:00-21:00 In-Between

21:00-23:00 Auspicious

 ————

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

忌
成除理

服靈髮

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Exorcising Spirits

Completing Clothing

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

六

丁

未

水

壁

危

Sixteenth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: dingwei (44/60)

Phase (element): Water
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Eastern Wall (14/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Danger (8/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

宜

動裁祭

土衣祀

安立祈

牀約福

作交訂

灶易婚

伐修納

木害采

喪復

陽月小

  將害亡空

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)

Making Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Constructing

Moving Soil

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Felling Timber

Repeat Mourning

Baleful Astral Influences

Small Loss-Void

Lunar Harm

Yang General

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
丫 林

Bifurcation, Copse
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation is under the bottom of each character)

倉

厠 庫

Granary

Toilet, Storehouse

————

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 12-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
1/4..........................................................................................................................12/28

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-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a basic translation and minimal interpretation. 

As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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. You will likely find that several of the translations seem quite "fanciful" in English. I am simply trying to convey that they also sound fairly fanciful in Chinese.

                                                       Section One    

                                                Solar Calendar Date

(top to bottom, right to left)

廿

九

二期星

Twelfth Month, Twenty-Ninth Day
Wednesday, December 29
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

陽解

德神

Unleashing Spirits

Yang Exemplarity

————

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

吉凶凶

酉巳丑

吉吉中

戌午寅

吉凶中

亥未卯

吉中中

23:00-1:00 Inauspicious

1:00-3:00 In-Between

3:00-5:00 In-Between

5:00-7:00 In-Between

7:00-9:00 Inauspicious

9:00-11:00 Auspicious

11:00-13:00 Inauspicious

13:00-15:00 In-Between

15:00-17:00 Auspicious

17:00-19:00 Auspicious

19:00-21:00 Auspicious

21:00-23:00 Auspicious

 ————

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

忌
作修

灶廚

Repairing Kitchens

Stove Work

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

五

丙

午

水

室

破

Fifteenth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: bingwu (43/60)

Phase (element): Water
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Room (13/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Destroy (7/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

宜

破

屋

壞

垣

灾歲

煞破

血大

忌耗

Appropriate Activities

Destroying Rooms

Smashing Embankments

Baleful Astral Influences

Generational Destruction

Great Squander

Calamitous Balefulness

Blood Taboo

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
丫 天

Bifurcation, Heaven
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation is under the bottom of each character)

廚

碓 灶

Kitchen

Pestle, Stove

————

China's Lunar Calendar 2020 12-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
1/4..........................................................................................................................12/28

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-solar (or "luni-solar" calendar; I call it the "lunar" calendar in order to distinguish it from the kinds of calendars most Westerners use. It has a basic translation and minimal interpretation. 

As for interpreting the translation, unless you have been studying 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 (almost any "it" you will see). 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. And do not assume that people from China understand the traditional calendar particularly well, either. I have encountered confusion and furrowed brows for countless items in the calendar. It can seem "remote," in other words, from the world we live in these days, and yet it is printed anew every single year.

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. You will likely find that several of the translations seem quite "fanciful" in English. I am simply trying to convey that they also sound fairly fanciful in Chinese.

                                                       Section One    

                                                Solar Calendar Date

(top to bottom, right to left)

廿

八

一期星

Twelfth Month, Twenty-Eighth Day
Monday, December 28
————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

鳳德歲

凰日支

Generational Branch

Exemplary Days

Phoenix

————

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

吉中吉

酉巳丑

吉凶吉

戌午寅

吉凶中

亥未卯

凶中中

23:00-1:00 Auspicious

1:00-3:00 Auspicious

3:00-5:00 In-Between

5:00-7:00 In-Between

7:00-9:00 In-Between

9:00-11:00 Inauspicious

11:00-13:00 Inauspicious

13:00-15:00 In-Between

15:00-17:00 Auspicious

17:00-19:00 Auspicious

19:00-21:00 Auspicious

21:00-23:00 Inauspicious

 ————

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

忌
除遠栽

服行種

Planting and Cultivating

Distant Journey

Discarding Clothing

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

四

乙

巳

火

危

執

Fourteenth Day (Eleventh Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: yisi (42/60)

Phase (element): Fire
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Danger (12/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Grasp (6/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top-to-bottom; right to left) 

宜

安動祭

牀土祀

作上移

作樑居

田開入

獵渠宅

捕結修

捉網造

日重

劫下月

煞兀忌

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Moving Residences

Entering Residences (Remaining Home)

Repairing and Cultivating

Moving Soil

Raising Beams

Opening Sluices

Binding Nets

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Field Venery (Hunting)

Seizing and Capturing

Doubled Days

Baleful Astral Influences

Lunar Taboo

Lower Amputee

Plundered Balefulness

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left, 
but the English translation is underneath each character)
丫

Bifurcation
————

Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items 
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation is under the bottom of each character)

碓

牀 磨

Pestle

Bed, Mortar
————