China's Lunar Calendar 2014 09-06

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 calendar, along with basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying lunar 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. 

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.

Section One
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left
六
日

六期星

Ninth Month, Sixth Day

Astral Period Six
Saturday, September 6

———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天天天母
恩醫喜倉

Maternal Granary
Heavenly Happiness
Heavenly Physician
Heavenly Kindness

—————————————————

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子
中吉凶
酉己丑

中吉吉

戌午寅
凶吉凶
亥未卯

吉吉中

23:00-01:00 Inauspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
05:00-07:00 In-Between

07:00-09:00 Auspicious
09:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

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

The hours above are for Hong Kong. It is up to you if you want to recalibrate or to assume that the cyclicality of the calendar "covers" the rest of the world. This is a greater interpretive challenge than you might think.

————————————————— 

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

忌
行成除結
喪服靈綱

Binding Nets
Expelling Spirits
Completing Clothing
Mourning Visits

—————————————————  
 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
三

庚

辰

金
氐
成

Thirteenth Day Day (Eighth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: gengchen (17/60)

Phase (element): Metal

Constellation: Foundation (3/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Completion (9/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

安交納祭
牀易采祀
作修醫祈
灶造病服
開動開會
渠土市友
人上立訂
倉樑約婚
喪重
復血月無
日忌厭祿

————
Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors
Inquiring-into Fortune

Meeting Friends

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Physician Visits

Opening Markets

Setting-up Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Building

Moving Soil

Putting-up Beams

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Opening Sluices

Peopled Granaries
Repeat Mourning

Baleful Astral Influences

Without Emolument
Lunar Repression
Blood Taboo
Doubled Days

————
  
Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
白 地
White, Earth
————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Information

栖 磨 碓

Perch, Mortar Pestle

China's Lunar Calendar 2014 09-05

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 calendar, along with basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying lunar 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. 

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.

Section One
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left
五
日

五期星

Ninth Month, Fifth Day

Astral Period Five
Friday, September 5

———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

合歲
日德

Generational Virtue
Linked Days

—————————————————

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子
中中凶
酉己丑

凶中凶

戌午寅
中吉凶
亥未卯

凶吉吉

23:00-01:00 Inauspicious
01:00-03:00 Inauspicious
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 In-Between
09:00-11:00 In-Between
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 In-Between
21:00-23:00 Inauspicious

The hours above are for Hong Kong. It is up to you if you want to recalibrate or to assume that the cyclicality of the calendar "covers" the rest of the world. This is a greater interpretive challenge than you might think.

————————————————— 

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

忌
動穿
土井

Boring Wells
Moving Soil

—————————————————  
 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
二

己

卯

土
亢
危

Twelfth Day Day (Eighth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: jimao (16/60)

Phase (element): Earth

Constellation: Horn (2/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Danger (8/12)

—————————————————  

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

宜

理祭
髮祀
開會
市友
交訂
易婚
成納
服采
五
虛
俱土
將符

————
Appropriate Activities

Venerating Ancestors
Meeting Friends
Marriage Engagements
Grain Payments
Patterning Hair
Opening Markets
Trade and Commerce
Completing Clothing

Five Voids

Baleful Astral Influences

Earth Charm
Everything General

————
  
Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
白 林
White, Copse
————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Information

占
門 大

Divination
Gate, Big

China's Lunar Calendar 2014 09-04

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 calendar, along with basic translation and minimal interpretation. Unless you have been studying lunar 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. 

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.

Section One
Solar Calendar Date
(top to bottom; right to left
四
日

四期星

Ninth Month, Fourth Day

Astral Period Four
Thursday, September 4

———————————————— 
Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

解歲
神祿

Generational Emolument
Releasing Spirits

—————————————————

Section Three
Auspicious Hours
(top to bottom, right to left) 
申辰子
凶吉吉
酉己丑

中吉吉

戌午寅
中吉凶
亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-01:00 Auspicious
01:00-03:00 Auspicious
03:00-05:00 Inauspicious
05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 Auspicious
09:00-11:00 Auspicious
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 Auspicious

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

The hours above are for Hong Kong. It is up to you if you want to recalibrate or to assume that the cyclicality of the calendar "covers" the rest of the world. This is a greater interpretive challenge than you might think.

————————————————— 

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

忌
祭置
祀產

Setting-up Production
Venerating Ancestors

—————————————————  
 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

十
一

戊

寅

土
角
破

Eleventh Day Day (Eighth Lunar Month)

Cyclical day: wuyin (15/60)

Phase (element): Earth

Constellation: Horn (1/28)

"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
下月
兀破
水債
痕不

————
Appropriate Activities

Seeking Physicians
Treating Illness
Destroying Rooms
Smashing Embankments

Baleful Astral Influences

Lunar Destruction
Debt Not
Lower Amputee
Water Scar

————
  
Section Seven

Inauspicious Stars 
(right to left) 
人 天
Person, Heaven
————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Information

房
爐 牀

Edifice
Furnace, Bed