Foreign Cultures 81The Culture of

Everyday Life in China

Peter Bol, Michael Szonyi, Stephen Ford

When – Part 2

Multichronicity in Daily Life

Eight Trigrams Diviner in

Pujiang, 1998

1368• Was the 1st year of the Hongwu 洪武 (Overflowing Martiality) reign

period of the founding emperor of the Great Ming.

• The Hongwu reign period ended with the death of the emperor in 1398

• His successor took the reign period title of Jianwen 建文 (Establishing the Civil) in 1399. When he was usurped by his uncle in 1403, his reign period was erased. The new emperor named his reign period Eternal Joy 永樂。

But

• 1368 was also the 28th year of the Zhizheng 至正 (Perfect Correctness) reign period of Toghon Temur, the reigning emperor/grand khan of the Great Yuan.

February 16 2012• Is the 25th day of the 1st moon of the renchen 壬辰

year; a dragon year, the 12th day of Start of Spring ( 立春 lìchūn) (Four days from today Rain Water (yushui 雨水 ) begins.)

• the 5th day of the third week• Today is the dingwei 丁未 day• It is 10 days past the Lantern Festival (1/15)• Today the moon is in the lunar mansion “Encampment”

(shi 室 ) in the Black Tortoise division 玄武• Today is a Water 水 day • It is 6 o’clock• Don’t get your head shaved today, but do meet with

friends

Stems 天干 tiān gān

Branches 地支 dì zhī

1 甲 jiǎ 1 子 zǐ

2 乙 yǐ 2 丑 chǒu

3 丙 bǐng 3 寅 yín

4 丁 dīng 4 卯 mǎo

5 戊 wù 5 辰 chén

6 己 jǐ 6 巳 sì

7 庚 gēng 7 午 wǔ

8 辛 xīn 8 未 wèi

9 壬 rén 9 申 shēn

10 癸 guǐ 10 酉 yǒu

11 戌 xū

12 亥 hài

The sexagenary cycle

the Renchen 壬辰 year

the dingwei 丁未 day

Stems 天干 tiān gān Element Branches 地支 dì zhī Animal

1 甲 jiǎ Wood 1 子 zǐ Rat

2 乙 yǐ Wood 2 丑 chǒu Ox

3 丙 bǐng Fire 3 寅 yín Tiger

4 丁 dīng Fire 4 卯 mǎo Rabbit

5 戊 wù Earth 5 辰 chén Dragon

6 己 jǐ Earth 6 巳 sì Snake

7 庚 gēng Metal 7 午 wǔ Horse

8 辛 xīn Metal 8 未 wèi Goat

9 壬 rén Water 9 申 shēn Monkey

10 癸 guǐ Water 10 酉 yǒu Chicken

11 戌 xū Dog

12 亥 hài Pig

The sexagenary cycle

Why is this the year of the Dragon?

Why are months moons?How many moons in a year?

• Today is the 25th day of the 1st moon

• This month is a big month, it will have 30 days – next month will have 29

How to solve this problem?

Lunar year = 12 moons, 29 ½ days each. Thus 6 small months of 29 days and 6 big months of 30 (354) . some years 7 big (355) or small. (353).

Does the solar year matter?

• yes, of course, but why?• On what should it be based?

(the Gregorian Calendar cut off 10 days from Julian Calendar in 1582, it took another 200 years before all Europe adopted Jan 1 as the start of the year (rather than a religious event)

Religious calendars and saint days were practical calendars into the 19th c. for most.)

EclipticLongitude

Chinese Name

GregorianDate (approx.)

UsualTranslation

Remarks

315 立春

lìchūnFebruary 4

start of spring

spring starts here

330° 雨水

yǔshuǐFebruary 19 rain water

starting at this point, the temperature makes rain more likely than snow

345°

啓蟄 qǐ

zhé(驚蟄 jīngzhé)

March 5awakening of insects

when hibernating insects awake

Today is the the 12th day of Start of Spring ( 立春 lìchūn) Rain Water begins 4 days from today

Climactic periods (jieqi 節氣 )

• 24 periods of 15 days

• Starts with the Beginning of Spring (2/4)

• Ends with Big Cold (1/22)

• Anchored by spring and autumn equinoxes (fen 分 ), summer and winter solstices (至 )

Ecliptic

Lngt.Chinese Name

GregorianDate

(approx.)

UsualTranslation

Remarks

315 立春 lìchūn February 4 start of springspring starts here according to the Chinese definition of a season, see also Cross-quarter day

330° 雨水 yǔshuǐ February 19 rain water starting at this point, the temperature makes rain more likely than snow

345° 啓蟄 qǐzhé(驚蟄 jīngzhé) March 5awakening of insects

when hibernating insects awake

0° 春分 chūnfēn March 21 vernal equinoxlit. the central divide of spring (referring to the Chinese seasonal definition)

15° 清明 qīngmíng April 5 clear and bright a Chinese festival where, traditionally, ancestral graves are tended

30° 穀雨 gǔyǔ or gǔyù April 20 grain rains rain helps grain grow

45° 立夏 lìxià May 6 start of summer refers to the Chinese seasonal definition

60° 小滿 xiǎomǎn May 21 grain full grains are plump

75° 芒種

mángzhòng or mángzhǒng

June 6 grain in ear lit. awns (beard of grain) grow

90° 夏至 xiàzhì June 21 summer solstice lit. summer extreme (of sun's height)

105° 小暑 xiǎoshǔ July 7 minor heat when heat starts to get unbearable

120° 大暑 dàshǔ July 23 major heat the hottest time of the year

135° 立秋 lìqiū August 7 start of autumn uses the Chinese seasonal definition

150° 處暑 chùshǔ August 23 limit of heat lit. dwell in heat

165° 白露 báilù September 8

white dew condensed moisture makes dew white; a sign of autumn

180° 秋分 qiūfēn September 23

autumnal equinox

lit. central divide of autumn (refers to the Chinese seasonal definition)

195° 寒露 hánlù October 8 cold dew dew starts turning into frost

210° 霜降 shuāngjiàng October 23 descent of frost appearance of frost and descent of temperature

225° 立冬 lìdōng November 7

start of winter refers to the Chinese seasonal definition

240° 小雪 xiǎoxuě November 22

minor snow snow starts falling

255° 大雪 dàxuě December 7 major snow season of snowstorms in full swing

270° 冬至 dōngzhì December 22

winter solstice lit. winter extreme (of sun's height)

285° 小寒 xiǎohán January 6 minor cold cold starts to become unbearable

300° 大寒 dàhán January 20 major cold coldest time of year

Date English NameChinese Name

Remarks 2010

month 1day 1

New Year (Spring Festival)春節chūnjié

Family gathering and festivities for 3–15 days

Feb 14

month 1day 15

Lantern Festival元宵節yuánxiāojié

Tangyuan eatingand lanterns

Feb 28

Apr 4or 5[1] Qingming Festival (Clear and Bright)

清明節qīngmíngjié

Tomb sweeping Apr 5

month 5day 5

Dragon Boat Festival端午節duānwǔjié

Dragon boat racingand eating zongzi

Jun 16

month 7day 7

Night of Sevens七夕qīxī

For lovers, like Valentine's Day Aug 16

month 7day 15

Ghost Festival (Spirit Festival)中元節zhōngyuánjié

Offer tributes and respect to the deceased Aug 24

month 8day 15

Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)[1]

中秋節zhōngqiūjié

Family gathering and moon cake eating Sep 22

month 9day 9

Double-Ninth Festival (Double Yang)

重陽節chóngyángjié

Mountain climbingand flower shows

Oct 16

month 10day 15

Xiayuan Festival 下元節xiàyuánjié

Pray for a peaceful year to the Water God Nov 20

Dec 21 or 22

Winter Solstice Festival 冬至dōngzhì

Family gathering Dec 12

month 12day 23

Kitchen God Festival 謝灶xièzào

Worshipping the kitchen god with thanks Jan 30

[1] Qingming Festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice (or the 15th day from the Spring Equinox), usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar

Today the moon is in the first lunar mansion, “Horn” (jiao角 )

four symbols (四象)

"Xiu" (宿)

name pinyin lit. translation vicinity in western sky

The Azure Dragon of the East (東方青龍)

角 Jiao Horn Spica

亢 Kang Neck Virgo

氐 Di Root Libra

房 Fang Room Libra

心 Xin Heart Antares

尾 Wei Tail Scorpius

箕 Ji Winnowing-basket

Sagittarius

The Black Tortoise (or Xuan Wu) of the North (北方玄武)

斗 Dou Dipper Sagittarius

牛 Niu Ox Capricornus

女 Nü Girl Aquarius

虛 Xu Emptiness Aquarius

危 Wei Rooftop Aquarius/Pegasus

室 Shi Encampment Pegasus

壁 Bi Wall Pegasus

The White Tiger of the West (西方白虎)

奎 Kui Legs Andromeda

婁 Lou Bond Aries

胃 Wei Stomach Aries

昴 Mao Hairy head Pleiades

畢 Bi Net Taurus

觜 Zi Turtle beak Orion

參 Shen Three stars Orion

The Vermillion Bird of the South (南方朱雀)

井 Jing Well Gemini

鬼 Gui Ghosts Cancer

柳 Liu Willow Hydra

星 Xing Star Alphard

張 Zhang Extended net Crater

翼 Yi Wings Corvus

軫 Zhen Chariot Corvus

PHASE wood fire earth metal water

SEASON spring summer midsummer fall winter

DIRECTION east south center west north

PLANET Jupiter Mars Saturn Venus Mercury

CROP wheat rice "grain" millet legumes

IMPLEMENT compass balance cord square plumb

EMBLEM bluegreen dragon

vermillion bird

yellow dragon

white tiger dark warrior

COLOR bluegreen vermillion yellow white black

Today is an Earth 土 day

Stems 天干 tiān gān Element Branches 地支 dì zhī Animal

1 甲 jiǎ Wood 1 子 zǐ Rat

2 乙 yǐ Wood 2 丑 chǒu Ox

3 丙 bǐng Fire 3 寅 yín Tiger

4 丁 dīng Fire 4 卯 mǎo Rabbit

5 戊 wù Earth 5 辰 chén Dragon

6 己 jǐ Earth 6 巳 sì Snake

7 庚 gēng Metal 7 午 wǔ Horse

8 辛 xīn Metal 8 未 wèi Goat

9 壬 rén Water 9 申 shēn Monkey

10 癸 guǐ Water 10 酉 yǒu Chicken

11 戌 xū Dog

12 亥 hài Pig

The sexagenary cycle

Why is today an earth day?

Chinese Hour Animal Chinese Name

Interval

1st Hour Rat Zi [11pm – 01 am[

2nd Hour Buffalo Chou [01 am – 03 am[

3rd Hour Tiger Yin [03 am – 05 am[

4th Hour Rabbit Mao [05 am – 07 am[

5th Hour Dragon Chen [07 am – 09 am[

6th Hour Snake Si巳 [09 am – 11 am[

7th Hour Horse Wu [11 am – 01 pm[

8th Hour Goat Wei [01 pm – 03 pm[

9th Hour Monkey Shen [03 pm – 05 pm[

10th Hour Rooster You [05 pm – 07 pm[

11th Hour Dog Xu [07 pm – 09 pm[

12th Hour Pig Hai [09 pm – 11 pm[

Heaven and Earth

Time

Fortune-TellingSun DayMoon Month Seasons

BaziPredictions differ based on calendar dayHours corresponding to 12 Earthly Branches

Following yo

ur fortu

nes

28 ConstellationsAuspicious & Inauspicious StarsEarthly & Heavenly BranchesEclipses recorded in almanacGeomancy (Feng-shui)

Peter Cai, 2008