In this post I shall translate a short Chinese electional astrology text on the "Lunar mansions" or Xiu. It comes from the 2018 edn of the 集福堂 “Hall of collected fortune" almanac of China. This post was based on a twitter thread I published in 2021 https://x.com/edwardW2/status/1435541551598342146/
There are many such texts that are currently circulating in Chinese almanacs. They vary in form and content; some are 4 lines of 7-character verse; others have 8 lines of verse. per lunar mansion This particular poem. however is particularly concise- each judgment merely 12 characters long. Hence it is a ripe candidate for translation.
As some of my readers are no doubt aware, these Xiu 宿 are Chinese constellations. However, we are not concerned with these constellations today, but rather with their current use: as a cycle of 28 days that has no relation to the moon's position in the sky whatsoever. (Think of it as a 28-day week) Chinese almanacs tabulate what is the Xiu or lunar mansion assigned to a particular day. For example, the day I type this (10 Feb 2025) is assigned to the Xiu 心- heart, the 5th lunar mansion. Reading the relevant poem, we find it is an inauspicious day to marry or build. Tomorrow, by contrast will be assigned the 6th lunar mansion, Wei the tail. This is a propitious day to build or bury, as it brings officials.
Each Xiu is associated with an animal. I have taken the translations of the animal names from Thomas Thomas F. Aylward's _The Imperial Guide to Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology (his translation of 協記[辦方書)
which is one of the very few good books on Chinese astrology in English. Each entry of this text is headed with a small drawing of the relevant animal, which adds much to its charm.
which is one of the very few good books on Chinese astrology in English. Each entry of this text is headed with a small drawing of the relevant animal, which adds much to its charm.
Again, you might notice that each of the names of the xiu are associated with a planet/ one of the 5 phases. When the xiu are used in practise, each xiu lines up one of the seven days of the week; so, all the xiu assigned to the "sun"in them fall on Sundays; all the xiu with the word "Fire" on them fall on Tuesdays (as Tuesday- Mars day (martidi) - 火曜日)
As regards the categories of elections, the categories that are mentioned almost invariably in each entry are burial, marriage and construction- things which are in generally the preoccupation of Chinese electional astrology.
Some entries need a bit more explaining, such as mentions of “Doors” and “Water”. Doors, refers to auspicious days to fix/repair doors. “Releasing Water” I gather, surrounds opening irrigation ditches and suchlike works.Finally, as regards to the caveat attached at the end of the whole text, what the book is referring to is a rather complex form of divination called the "Evolving beasts" 演禽術, which somewhat resembles Greater Six Ren 大六壬 divination
Some other almanacs, like the Hong Kong 廣經堂 - Hall of Broad Classics almanac express an even more extreme skepticism about the lunar mansions:
值於舊曆書內所載之二十八宿，原為西城人士紀曆之用，本無吉凶之分，玉匣記附以吉凶詩斷，協記己闢非，今仍註於六甲子日之下者，實為保留紀曆作用，對星宿吉凶論斷，實毋需重視也。"in the old calendars, were recorded the 28 mansions . These were originally used by the people of the Western Lands to record time, and originally were not divided into auspicious or inauspicious [xiu]. The Jade Box Record 玉匣記, has an appendix which contain poems judging the auspiciousness of each of the xiu; however The Imperial Guide to Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology has shown why [these poems] are baseless 闢非. These lunar mansions are placed beneath the 60 Stems and branches (in this almanac), for the sake of preserving their calendarical use. As for their [in]auspiciousness, in truth, one should put much stock by them.
1.角木蛟 Jiao Wood flood-dragon
角造福，嫁贵朗。交易逆。葬不良
Construction in Jiao: Fortune
Marriage: good husband.
Trade unfavourable,
Burials: unsuitable
2亢金龙 Kang, Gold Dragon
亢最富。埋葬昌。嫁娶日，守空房
Kang is most prosperous
Burial brings glory
But to marry on this day,
[you will] watch over an empty room
3氐土貉 Di, Wood Badger
氐造殃，行船退。田宅空，嫁必凶
Building in Di: disastrous.
A maiden voyage: Setback
Dwellings and property: empty.
Marriage: inauspicious.
4.房日兔 Fang, Sun Rabbit
房大吉。葬埋兴。嫁生子。造必荣
Fang: Very auspicious.
Burials: brings prosperity.
Marriage : sons born,
Construction: Sure glory.
5. 心金狐 Xin, Metal Fox
心莫逢。造埋凶。嫁娶日，生育空
Xing, should not arrive.
Burial and construction: inauspicious.
Marrying on this day,
No children
6尾火虎 Wei, fire tiger
尾造兴。葬公卿。门水吉；生子、荣。
Construction on wei: flourish.
Burial : brings lords and officials公卿.
[positioning] Doors and [releasing] water: auspicious;
Sons born, Glory.
7.箕水豹 Ji, water Leopard
造作强。作福昌。埋葬富。放水良。
Construction: strong.
Making Fortune: Glory.*
Burial: will prosper.
Suitable for letting water.
* might also be read as "Making [things]: Fortune and glory"
8.斗木獬 Dou, Wood Xie*
斗招财，造福来。葬多吉。嫁和谐
Dou brings wealth.
Construction: Fortune comes
Burial is auspicious.
Marriage, harmonious.
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiezhi
9/ 牛金牛 Niu, Golden Cow.
牛多灾。造莫为。嫁损伤。门畜产
Niu : many disasters.
Nothing will become [of] construction.
Marriage, losses and injury,
[fixing] doors, livestock prolific
10/ 女土蝠 Nü, Earth Bat
女不迁。造葬凶。开门水，散异(邑？)乡
In Nü, don’t move,
Making burials, inauspicious.
Opening doors and water
will scatter the village.
11/ 虚日鼠 Xu, Sun Rat
虚不祥。造葬凶。事事逢，主败亡
Xu is unlucky.
Making a tomb is bad.
In all matters, when [this xiu] arrives,
Losses and death.
12/ 危日燕Wei, Sun Swallow.
造不宜，兴造灾。葬此日，亦无时。
Bad for construction
Building: disaster
Burials on this day,
also [no time?]
13. 室火猪 Shi, Fire Pig
造进田。嫁贵子。葬福兴。放水吉
Construction: Lands increase.
Marriage: noble sons.
Burial: flourishing and prosperity.
Releasing water: auspicious.
14.壁水俞 Bi, Water Porcupine
造进田。葬福兴。放水吉。嫁多生
Construction: Lands increase.
Burial: flourishing and prosperity.
Releasing water: auspicious.
Marriage: will be fertile.
15/ 奎木狼 Kui, Wood wolf
造作良。嫁吉昌。埋葬凶，损儿郎
Suitable for construction.
Marriage will bring glory.
Burial inauspicious,
Will decrease children, husband.
16/ 娄金狗 Lou, Metal Dog
造作良。葬荣昌。放水吉。开门昌
Suitable for construction.
Burial will bring glory.
Releasing water auspicious.
Opening doors brings glory.
17/ 胃土雉 Wei, the Earth Pheasant
胃造福，子孙兴。埋葬昌，儿孙荣
Construction in Wei: Fortune;
Children and grandchildren flourish.
Burial: Excellent;
Children and grandchildren glorious.
18/ 昴日鸡 Mao: Sun Chicken
造为仇。葬不宜。门水殃。事事忧
Construction: bad.
Unsuitable for burial.
Doors and water: disaster .
Everything goes to a standstill. 忧
19/ 毕月鸟 Bi, Moon Bird
造最良。门水昌。葬多益。嫁生男。
Most suitable for construction.
Doors and water: glory.
Burials: [will bring] much plenty
Marriage: Sons born.
20/ 嘴火猴 Zi, Fire Monkey
嘴可慎。葬杀人。造亦退，金化尘。
Be careful of Zhi.
Burial: kills people.
Construction, also loss;
Gold turns to dust
21/ 参水猿 Shen, Water Ape
造兴家，出丁才。开门吉。放水发。
Construction: prosperous for family,
wealth and children come.
Opening doors: auspicious.
Releasing water: prosperity
22/ 井木犴 Jing, Wood Tapir
造作强。放水吉。葬妨祸。婚姻昌。
Construction: strong.
Releasing water: auspicious.
Burial: beware of accidents.
Marriage: will prosper.
23 鬼金羊: Gui, Metal Goat
造败亡。葬荣昌。嫁刑克。裁衣祥。
Construction: loss and death,
Burial: glory.
Marriage: punishments, vanquishment
Sewing clothes: auspicious.
24/柳土獐 Liu, Earth Water-stag
造官非，葬不昌。开门灾，放水伤。
Construction: lawsuits.
Burial: will not flourish.
Opening doors: disaster.
Releasing water: injury.
25/ 星日马 Xing, Sun Horse
造房利。放水伤。葬凶败。嫁拆房。
Constructing rooms: profits.
Releasing water, injury.
Burial inauspicious, losses.
Marriage, the house demolished.
26/ 张月麂Zhang, Moon Deer
造福兴。葬吉昌。放水吉。婚姻祥。
Building: Fortune and flourishing.
Burial: auspicious, glory.
Releasing water: auspicious.
Marriage: auspicious.
27/ 翌火蛇 Yi, Fire Snake
造不宜。葬不得。门水退。事事灾。
Unsuitable for construction.
Burial, no gain.
Door, water: setback.
Disaster in all matters.
28/ 轸水蚓 Zhen, Water Earthworm
造可通。嫁生子。兴工富。门水昌.
Construction may proceed.
Marriage: Sons born
Starting work: prosperity.
Doors and water: glory.
[appendix] 二十八宿变化多端。当分时令衰、旺、败、亡，
The 28 Mansions have much transformations. Every minute of every hour [a given xiu may be] weakened, prospering, defeated, or dead.
某时某宿春夏秋冬择者须知。
What Xiu, and what hour of the day, and [whether it is] Spring, Summer, Autumn or winter, must be known before a selection is made.
勿执宿之吉凶免误往期也
Do not be misled as regards auspicious times, by grasping onto [a simple] judgment of the Xiu’s [in]auspiciousness
本主人谨白
Beware of this!
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