Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs"
⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
9/21....................................................9/17..........Monthly Calendar Information
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.
9/21....................................................9/17..........Monthly Calendar Information
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.
一期星
Ninth Month, Twenty-First Day
Monday, September 21
————
Monday, September 21
————
Section Two
Beneficent Stars
(top to bottom, right to left)
天明
恩堂
天明
恩堂
Luminous Hall
Heavenly Kindness
Heavenly Kindness
Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
中中中
酉巳丑
凶中中
戌午寅
中凶吉
亥未卯
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left)
申辰子
中中中
酉巳丑
凶中中
戌午寅
中凶吉
亥未卯
吉吉凶
23:00-01:00 In-Between
23:00-01:00 In-Between
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 In-Between
11:00-13:00 Inauspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious
15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
19:00-21:00 In-Between
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 In-Between
13:00-15:00 Auspicious
15:00-17:00 In-Between
17:00-19:00 Inauspicious
————
Section Four
Activities to Avoid
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
忌
穿理
井髮
穿理
井髮
Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)
Boring Wells
Boring Wells
Section Five
Cosmological Information
Cosmological Information
初
五
丁
卯
五
丁
卯
火
長
破
長
破
Fifth Day (Eighth Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: dingmao (4/60)
Phase (element): Fire
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Drawn Bow (26/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Destroy (7/12)
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Drawn Bow (26/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Destroy (7/12)
————
Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left)
宜
破
屋
壞
垣
諸日
事值
不四
宜離
四
離
月長
破星
————
宜
破
屋
壞
垣
諸日
事值
不四
宜離
四
離
月長
破星
————
Appropriate Activities
Destroying Rooms
Smashing Embankments
Four Separations
Baleful Astral Influences
Smashing Embankments
Four Separations
Baleful Astral Influences
Long Star
Lunar Destruction
Lunar Destruction
Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left,
but the English translation is underneath each character)
丫 神
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left,
but the English translation is underneath each character)
丫 神
Bifurcation, 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)
門
庫 倉
庫 倉
Gate
Storehouse, Granary
Storehouse, Granary
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