From Round to Square (and back)

For The Emperor's Teacher, scroll down (↓) to "Topics." It's the management book that will rock the world (and break the vase, as you will see). Click or paste the following link for a recent profile of the project: http://magazine.beloit.edu/?story_id=240813&issue_id=240610

A new post appears every day at 12:05* (CDT). There's more, though. Take a look at the right-hand side of the page for over four years of material (2,000 posts and growing) from Seinfeld and country music to every single day of the Chinese lunar calendar...translated. Look here ↓ and explore a little. It will take you all the way down the page...from round to square (and back again).
*Occasionally I will leave a long post up for thirty-six hours, and post a shorter entry at noon the next day.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2021 08-31

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
9/6.................................................................................................................................................8/30


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 tha"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 calendarSome 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)
二期星
Eighth Month, Thirty-First Day
Tuesday, August 31

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
相歲
日馬
Generational Equinity
Facing Days

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 In-Between
1:00-3:00 Auspicious
3:00-5:00 Inauspicious
5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between
9:00-11:00 Inauspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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

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


嫁合
娶醬
Mixing Sauces
Marriage Alliances
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
廿
Twenty-Fourth Day (Seventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: xinhai (48/60)
Phase (element): Metal
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Tail 
(6/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Level (4/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
孤重
辰日
俱大
   將亡空  

Appropriate Activities
Leveling and Painting Roadways
Repairing and Embellishing Embankments and Walls

Baleful Astral Influences
Doubled Days
Great Loss-Void
Orphan Dawn
Everything General
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left)
白 州
White, Landmass
————

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)
牀 灶
Kitchen
Bed, Stove

Monday, August 30, 2021

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2021 08-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
9/6.................................................................................................................................................8/30


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 tha"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 calendarSome 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)
一期星
Eighth Month, Thirtieth Day
Monday, August 30

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
福天
德恩
Heavenly Kindness
Fortunate Exemplarity

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 Inauspicious
1:00-3:00 Auspicious
3:00-5:00 Inauspicious
5:00-7:00 In-Between

7:00-9:00 Inauspicious
9:00-11:00 In-Between
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
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
————

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


行結
喪網
Binding Nets
Mourning Visits
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
廿
滿
Twenty-Third Day (Seventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: gengxu (47/60)
Phase (element): Metal
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Heart-Mind 
(5/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Fullness (3/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
復三
日喪
火水
星痕

Appropriate Activities
Meeting Friends
Patching Embankments
Plugging Caves
Livestock Payments

Baleful Astral Influences
Three Linkages
Water Scar
Repeated Days
Fire Star
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left)
人 水
Person, Water
————

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)
栖 磨
Pestle
Perch, Mortar

Sunday, August 29, 2021

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2021 08-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
8/29.................................................................................................................................................8/21


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 tha"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 calendarSome 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
期星
Eighth Month, Twenty-Ninth Day
Sunday, August 2

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
三歲
合支
Generational Branch
Three Linkages

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
亥未卯
23:00-1:00 Auspicious
1:00-3:00 Inauspicious
3:00-5:00 Inauspicious
5:00-7:00 Inauspicious

7:00-9:00 Auspicious
9:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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

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


取栽
魚種
Planting and Cultivating
Garnering Piscinity (Goin' Fishin')
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
廿
Twenty-Second Day (Seventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: jiyou (46/60)
Phase (element): Earth
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Edifice 
(4/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Discard (2/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
竪理
柱髮
上掃
樑舍
除修
服造
安動
葬土
咸陰
池將

Appropriate Activities
Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)
Sweeping Rooms
Repairing and Cultivating
Moving Soil
Erecting Pillars
Raising Beams
Discarding Clothing
Positioning Graves

Short Star

Baleful Astral Influences
Yin General
Widespread Pond
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left)
人 人
Person, Person
————

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)
門 大
Divination
Gate, Great

Saturday, August 28, 2021

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2021 08-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
8/29.................................................................................................................................................8/21


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 tha"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 calendarSome 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
六期星
Eighth Month, Twenty-Eighth Day
Saturday, August 28

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 
(top to bottom, right to left)
天德天
赦合月
Heavenly Lunarity
Exemplary Linkage
Heavenly Amnesty

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left

申辰甲
酉巳丑
戌午寅
亥未卯
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 In-Between
13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

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) 


安置買
牀業田
Purchasing Land
Setting-up Industry
Positioning Beds
————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information
廿
Twenty-First Day (Seventh Lunar Month)
Cyclical Day: wushen (45/60)
Phase (element): Earth
"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Foundation 
(3/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Establish (1/12)
————

Section Six
Appropriate Activities
and Miscellaneous Information
(top-to-bottom; right to left) 
上理會
樑髮友
安醫出
門病行
納掃嫁
畜舍娶
安納裁
葬財衣
肅始地天
土猴下
府口兀

Appropriate Activities
Meeting Friends
Going Out (and about)
Marriage Alliances
Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)
Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)
Physician Visits
Sweeping Rooms
Cash Payments
Raising Beams
Positioning Gates and Doors
Livestock Payments
Positioning Graves

Heaven and Earth Become Stern
(the forty-first of seventy-two five-day solar micro-periods on the agricultural calendar)

Baleful Astral Influences
Lower Amputee
Monkey Mouth
Soil Palace
————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese should be read right to left)
人 鬼
Person, Ghost
————

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)
爐 牀
Edifice
Furnace, Bed