China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 04-30

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/3......................................................................................................................................................4/25

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

日期星

Fourth Month, Thirtieth Day

Sunday, April 30

————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

十歲

靈德

Generational Exemplarity

Ten Spirits

————

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

吉中凶

酉巳丑

凶中吉

戌午寅

凶中凶

亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-1:00 Inauspicious

1:00-3:00 In-Between

3:00-5:00 Inauspicious

5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 In-Between

9:00-11:00 Auspicious

11:00-13:00 In-Between

13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 Auspicious

17:00-19:00 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 In-Between

————

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

忌

置買

業田

Purchasing Land

Setting-up Industry

————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

一

戊

午

火

星

滿

Eleventh Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: wuwu (55/60)

Phase (element): Fire

"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Asterism (25/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Fullness (3/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; right to left)

宜

理祭

髮祀

開會

市友

安出

牀行

戴

勝

降

于

桑

復灾

喪煞

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Opening Markets

Positioning Beds

Hoopoe Alights in Mulberry

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

Baleful Asterisms

Disastrous Balefulness

Return Mourning

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)

白 水

White, Water

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

房

碓 牀

Edifice

Pestle, Bed

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 04-29

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/3......................................................................................................................................................4/25

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

六期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Ninth Day

Saturday, April 29

————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

德天

合月

Heavenly Lunarity

Exemplary Linkage

————

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

中中中

酉巳丑

凶吉吉

戌午寅

凶吉中

亥未卯

凶吉凶

23:00-1:00 In-Between

1:00-3:00 Auspicious

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 Auspicious

13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 In-Between

17:00-19:00 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 Inauspicious

————

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

忌

遠理

行髮

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Distant Travels

————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

初

十

丁

巳

土

柳

除

Tenth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: dingsi (54/60)

Phase (element): Earth

"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Willow (24/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Discard (2/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; right to left)

宜

祭

祀

會

友

重上

日朔

火債

星不

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Meeting Friends

Baleful Asterisms

Upper Decade

Debt Not

Doubled Days

Fire Star

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)

人 人

Person, Person

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

倉

牀 庫

Granary

Bed, Storehouse

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 04-28

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/3......................................................................................................................................................4/25

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

五期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Eighth Day

Friday, April 28

————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

十玉

靈宇

Jade Expanse

Ten Spirits

————

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

吉凶中

酉巳丑

凶吉中

戌午寅

凶中中

亥未卯

吉中中

23:00-1:00 In-Between

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 Inauspicious

11:00-13:00 Auspicious

13:00-15:00 In-Between

15:00-17:00 Auspicious

17:00-19:00 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 Auspicious

————

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

忌

動作

土灶

Stove Work

Moving Soil

————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

初

九

丙

辰

土

鬼

建

Ninth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: bingchen (53/60)

Phase (element): Earth

"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Ghost (23/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Establish (1/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; right to left)

宜

修

飾

垣

墙

三楊

喪忌

陽土

將府

Appropriate Activities

Repairing and Adorning Embankments and Walls

Baleful Asterisms

Poplar Taboo

Soil Palace

Three Mournings

Yang General

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)

人 鬼

Person, Ghost

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

厨

磨 灶

Kitchen

Mortar, Stove

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2023 04-27

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
5/3......................................................................................................................................................4/25

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

七

四期星

Fourth Month, Twenty-Seventh Day

Thursday, April 27

————

Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天官麒

貴日麟

Unicorn

Official Days

Heavenly Nobility

————

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

吉中吉

酉巳丑

凶凶中

戌午寅

凶中吉

亥未卯

吉吉吉

23:00-1:00 Auspicious

1:00-3:00 In-Between

3:00-5:00 Auspicious

5:00-7:00 Auspicious

7:00-9:00 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 Inauspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 Auspicious

————

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

忌

開穿栽

池井種

Planting and Cultivating

Boring Wells

Opening Ponds

————

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

初

八

乙

卯

水

井

閉

Eighth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: yimao (52/60)

Phase (element): Water

"Constellation Personality" Cycle: Well (22/28)
"Day Personality" Cycle: Closed (12/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; right to left)

宜

安立祭

牀約祀

補交祈

塞易福

成修出

服造行

安動開

葬土市

將陽

勾月血

陳害支

Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Going Out (and about)

Opening Markets

Making Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Cultivating

Moving Soil

Positioning Beds

Patching and Plugging

Completing Clothing

Positioning Graves

Yang General

Baleful Asterisms

Blood Branch

Lunar Harm

Narrative Hook

————

Section Seven
Inauspicious Stars
(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English, however, "fits" directly below each character)

人 山

Person, Mountain

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

(the Chinese is read from right to left; the English,

however, "fits" intuitively in the configuration of characters)

碓

門 磨

Pestle

Gate, Mortar