Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
9/8.................................................................................................................9/1
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. 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. 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.
9/8.................................................................................................................9/1
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.
三期星
Ninth Month, Ninth Day
Wednesday, September 9
————
Wednesday, September 9
————
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
(top to bottom, right to left)
德歲
合月
德歲
合月
Generational Lunarity
Exemplary Linkage
Exemplary Linkage
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
吉中吉
酉巳丑
凶凶吉
戌午寅
吉凶吉
亥未卯
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
吉中吉
酉巳丑
凶凶吉
戌午寅
吉凶吉
亥未卯
吉吉凶
23:00-01:00 Auspicious
23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 In-Between
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 Inauspicious
07:00-09:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious
15:00-17:00 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
19:00-21:00 Auspicious
21:00-23:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Auspicious
05:00-07:00 Inauspicious
07:00-09:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious
15:00-17:00 Auspicious
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
————
Section Four
Activities to Avoid
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
忌
穿栽
井種
穿栽
井種
Planting and Cultivating
Boring Wells
Boring Wells
Section Five
Cosmological Information
Cosmological Information
廿
二
乙
卯
二
乙
卯
水
壁
壁
破
Twenty-Second Day (Seventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: yimao (52/60)
Phase (element): Water
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Eastern Wall (14/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Destroy (7/12)
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Eastern Wall (14/28)
"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
壞
垣
上月
兀破
復短
喪星
————
宜
求
醫
治
病
破
屋
壞
垣
上月
兀破
復短
喪星
————
Appropriate Activities
Seeking Physicians
Treating Illness
Destroying Rooms
Smashing Embankments
Baleful Astral Influences
Treating Illness
Destroying Rooms
Smashing Embankments
Baleful Astral Influences
Lunar Destruction
Short Star
Upper Amputee
Return Mourning
Short Star
Upper Amputee
Return Mourning
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left,
but the English translation is underneath each character)
人 神
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left,
but the English translation is underneath each character)
人 神
Person, Spirit
————
————
Section Eight
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation for is under the bottom characters)
Miscellaneous Items
(the Chinese should be read top-to-bottom, and right-to-left;
the English translation for is under the bottom characters)
碓
門 磨
門 磨
Pestle
Gate, Mortar
Gate, Mortar
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