Eight Trigrams Diviner in

Pujiang, 1998

1368

• It was the 1st year

of the Hongwu 洪武 (Overflowing Martiality) reign period

of the reigning emperor (Zhu Yuanzhang)

of the Great Ming.• It was also the28th year of the Zhizheng (Perfect

Correctness) reign period of the reigning emperor/khan of the Great Yuan (Toghon Temur).

• 1368 was the wu-shen 戊申 year.

February 28 2008• Is the 22nd day of the 1st moon of the Wu-zi 戊子

year, the year of the rat 鼠 , the 10th day of the beginning of Rain Water 雨水 yǔshuǐ “climactic period”(jieqi 節氣 ), the second of the 24 climactic periods. Another 6 days until the Awakening of Insects 啓蟄 qǐzhé period begins.

• 2nd day of third week• It is 13 days after the Lantern Festival (1/15)• Today is the Wu-xu day 戊戌• This year there will be 12 months

– (two years ago there were 13 months – there were two 7th moons (months)

Date English Name Chinese Name Remarks 2008

month 1day 1

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)春節chūnjié

Family gathering and festivities for 3–15 days Feb 7

month 1day 15

Lantern Festival元宵節yuánxiāojié

Tangyuan eatingand lanterns

Feb 21

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

清明節qīngmíngjié

Tomb sweeping Apr 4

month 5day 5

Dragon Boat Festival端午節duānwǔjié

Dragon boat racingand zongzi eating

Jun 8

month 7day 7

Night of Sevens七夕qīxī

For lovers, like Valentine's Day Aug 7

month 7day 15

Ghost Festival (Spirit Festival)中元節zhōngyuánjié

Offer tributes and respect to the deceased Aug 15

month 8day 15

Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)[1] 中秋節zhōngqiūjié

Family gathering and moon cake eating Sep 14

month 9day 9

Double Ninth Festival (Double Yang)重陽節chóngyángjié

Mountain climbingand flower shows

Oct 7

month 10day 15

Xia Yuan Festival下元節xiàyuánjié

Pray for a peaceful year to the Water God Nov 12

Dec 21 or 22 Winter Solstice Festival冬至dōngzhì

Family gathering Dec 21

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

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 )