China's Lunar Calendar 2013 03-01

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Calendars and Almanacs" 
Today's date:                                      * 

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

一三

日月

五期星

Third month, first day

Astral Period Five

(Friday, March 1) 

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Section Two

Beneficent Stars

月王月

恩日德

Lunar Virtue

Kingly Days

Lunar Grace

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Section Three
Auspicious Hours
申辰子

凶凶吉

酉己丑

吉中中

戌午寅

中吉中

亥未卯

凶中吉

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

07:00-09:00 Inauspicious
09:00-11:00 In-Between
11:00-13:00 Auspicious
13:00-15:00 In-Between

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious
17:00-19:00 Auspicious
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.
 

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Section Four
Activities to Avoid 

 忌 
祭作修
祀灶廚  
Kitchen Repairs
Stove Work
Paying Reverence

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 Section Five 
Cosmological Information 

二

十

丙

寅

火
牛

建

Twentieth day (first lunar month)

Cyclical day: bingyin (3/60)

Phase (element): Fire

Constellation: Dipper (9/28)

Jianchu Cycle: Establish (1/12)

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Section Six
Appropriate Activities 
(and Miscellaneous Information)

宜

開立會

倉約友

伐交訂

木易婚

納納納

畜財采

安上裁

葬樑衣

府土

天往月

刑亡建

Appropriate Activities

Meeting Friends

Engagement to Marry

Grain Payments

Cutting out Clothing

Setting-up Appointments

Trade and Commerce

Tax Payments

Erecting Beams

Opening Granaries

Felling Trees

Livestock Payments

Positioning Graves 

 

Earth Palace

   

Miscellaneous Information

Lunar Establishment

 Towards Loss

Heavenly Punishment

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 Section Seven
Inauspicious Star
白天
White, Heaven

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Section Eight
Miscellaneous Activities 

廚

爐灶

Kitchen

Furnace, Stove