China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 04-20

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/20............................................................................................................................................................4/14

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)

二

十

六期星

Fourth Month, Twentieth Day

Saturday, April 20

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

聖歲歲歲

氣馬祿德

Generational Exemplarity

Generational Emolument

Generational Equinity

Engendered Vapor

————

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

凶吉中

酉巳乙

吉中中

戌午寅

凶凶吉

亥未卯

中吉中

23:00-1:00 In-Between

 01:00-03:00 In-Between

 03:00-05:00 Auspicious

 05:00-07:00 In-Between

07:00-09:00 Auspicious

  09:00-11:00 In-Between

11:00-13:00 Inauspicious

13:00-15:00 Auspicious

15:00-17:00 Inauspicious

17:00-19:00 Auspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 In-Between

————

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

忌

祈祭出開

福祀財倉

Opening Granaries

Cash Outflow

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

二

甲

寅

水

胃

開

Twelfth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: jiayin (51/60)

Phase (element): Water

"Constellation Personality: Stomach (17/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Open (11/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

宜

安交移入

牀易徙學

開修醫會

渠造病友

置動理出

產圖髮行

成上開裁

服樑市衣

痕水

血厭八大

  忌對傳亡空

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Cutting-out Clothing (Sewing and Tailoring)

Moving Residences

Physician Visits

Patterning Hair (Haircuts and Styling)

Opening Markets

Trade and Commerce

Repairing and Constructing

Raising Beams

Positioning Beds

Opening Irrigation Sluices

Setting-up Production

Completing Clothing

Water Scar

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Great Loss-Void

Eight Specialties

Mutual Loathing

Blood Taboo

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

白 火

White, Fire

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

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

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

爐 門占

Furnace, Gate, Divination

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 04-19

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/20............................................................................................................................................................4/14

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)

十

九

五期星

Fourth Month, Nineteenth Day

Friday, April 19

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天益

恩后

Increasing Imperiality

Heavenly Kindness

————

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

吉吉吉

酉巳乙

吉吉吉

戌午寅

凶中中

亥未卯

中凶吉

23:00-1:00 Auspicious

 01:00-03:00 Auspicious

 03:00-05:00 In-Between

 05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 Auspicious

  09:00-11:00 Auspicious

11:00-13:00  In-Between

13:00-15:00 Inauspicious

15:00-17:00 Auspicious

17:00-19:00 Auspicious

19:00-21:00 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 In-Between

————

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

忌

修詞

倉訟

Lawsuits and Litigation

Repairing Granaries

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

十

一

癸

丑

木

畢

收

Eleventh Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: guichou (50/60)

Phase (element): Wood

"Constellation Personality: Net (16/28)

"Day Personality" Cycle: Receive (10/12)

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

穀

雨

時亥

零正

零廿

分二

————

宜

捉捕

萍

始

生

五寡

虛宿

Corn Rain

Arrives at precisely at the hai hour; 22:00 o'clock

(the sixth of twenty-four five-day solar periods on the agricultural calendar)

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Seizing and Capturing

Floating Weeds Appear

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

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Orphan Hostel

Five Voids

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

白 神

White, Spirit

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

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

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

房

厠 牀

Edifice

Toilet, Bed

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 04-18

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/20............................................................................................................................................................4/14

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)

十

八

四期星

Fourth Month, Eighteenth Day

Thursday, April 18

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天母月天

喜倉德德

Heavenly Exemplarity

Lunar Exemplarity

Maternal Granary

Heavenly Happiness

————

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

凶吉吉

酉巳乙

中吉吉

戌午寅

凶凶吉

亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-1:00 Auspicious

 01:00-03:00 Auspicious

 03:00-05:00 Auspicious

 05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 Auspicious

  09:00-11:00 Inauspicious

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 Inauspicious

21:00-23:00 In-Between

————

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

忌

田問放開

獵卜水渠

Opening Irrigation Sluices

Putting-into Water

Divinatory Inquiries

Field Venery (Goin' Huntin')

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

初

十

壬

子

木

奎

成

Tenth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: renzi (49/60)

Phase (element): Wood

"Constellation Personality: Astride  (15/28)

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

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

宜

修醫出祭

倉病行祀

安修訂祈

牀造婚福

作動納入

灶土采學

安上嫁會

葬樑娶友

不債

俱歸班下

將忌煞兀

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Venerating Ancestors

Inquiring-into Fortune

Entering Study

Meeting Friends

Going Out (and about)

Marriage Engagements

Grain Payments

Marriage Alliances

Physician Visits

Repairing and Constructing

Moving Soil

Raising Beams

Repairing Granaries

Positioning Beds

Stove Work

Positioning Graves

Debt Not

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Lower Amputee

Classified Balefulness

Return Taboo

Everything General

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

人 地

Person, Earth

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

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

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

碓 庫 倉

Pestle, Storehouse, Granary

China's Lunar-Solar Calendar 2024 04-17

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

⇦⇦⇦⇦⇦ From right to left: ⇦⇦⇦⇦
4/20............................................................................................................................................................4/14

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)

十

七

三期星

Fourth Month, Seventeenth Day

Wednesday, April 17

————

 Section Two
Beneficent Stars 

(top to bottom, right to left)

天十玉

恩靈堂

Jade Hall

Ten Spirits

Heavenly Kindness

————

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

中中吉

酉巳乙

凶凶吉

戌午寅

凶吉吉

亥未卯

中吉吉

23:00-1:00 Auspicious

 01:00-03:00 Auspicious

 03:00-05:00 Auspicious

 05:00-07:00 Auspicious

07:00-09:00 In-Between

  09:00-11:00 Inauspicious

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 In-Between

————

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

忌

嫁造合

娶酒病

Mixing Sauces

Making Liquor

Marriage Alliances

Section Five 
Cosmological Information

初

九

辛

亥

金

壁

危

Ninth Day (Third Lunar Month)

Cyclical Day: xinhai (48/60)

Phase (element): Metal

"Constellation Personality: Eastern Wall (14/28)

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

————

Section Six

Appropriate Activities

and Miscellaneous Information

(top to bottom; left to right)

事用王土

宜

捕安會

捉牀友

牧補納

養賽裁

納栽掃

畜種舍

忌楊

陰天重

將賊日

Earth King's Usage Matters

(a manner of dividing the calendar year into five sections of seventy-two days)

Appropriate Activities

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Meeting Friends

Cash Payments

Sweeping Rooms

Positioning Beds

Patching and Plugging

Planting and Cultivating

Seizing and Capturing

Tending Flocks

Livestock Payments

Poplar Taboo

Baleful Asterisms

(top down, starting on the right; two characters each)

Doubled Days

Heavenly Thief

Yin General

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

人 林

Person, Copse

————

Section Eight

Miscellaneous Items

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

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

厨

牀 灶

Kitchen

Bed, Stove