Want to use the Chinese calendar to find an auspicious date?

Such a dilemma! You don’t want to consult the temple medium or fortune teller for an auspicious date. Perhaps you think it is too superstitious to believe a date will have any effect on your wedded bliss.

Perhaps you are a Christian but your parents are not. They think it is most important that they select an auspicious date to ensure a successful marriage for you. They feel you are ungracious for objecting to their kind intentions.


If you are a Christian, what is a suitable middle ground?

There really isn’t any good or easy answer. Perhaps there should not be any middle ground. It is too fine a line to tread. But such is life when you and your loved ones have different beliefs.

You need to choose your battlefronts. I think it is really up to your personal conviction.

I am a Christian, my parent’s are not. When I got married, our compromise was to select a date using the chinese calendar.

chinese calendar
chinese calendar

Choosing a date using the chinese calendar

No consulting of temple medium, and no reference to specifics of our birthdates and times.

To me, it was just choosing a date out of the chinese calendar, like picking out a date on a weekend or public holiday. To my parents, they were able to avoid really “disastrous” dates on which no weddings should take place.

Whatever your reasons, if you need to use the chinese calendar to find an auspicious date, here is a simple guide on how to read it without going into fengshui/chinese astrology stuff. (I wouldn’t know how to even if I wanted to. ^_^;


So what’s on the chinese calendar?

Usually, the chinese calendar contains:

  • top, showing the Gregorian month,
  • body, showing the Gregorian date,
  • middle, showing the chinese date and the day of the week, and
  • bottom, showing the fengshui/chinese astrology information.
chinese calendar almanac info
chinese calendar almanac info

Chinese wise sayings

Wise sayings are usually printed along the two sides of chinese calendar. They can be quite enlightening. Here’s one that I like, ”欲人无闻,莫若勿言。欲人勿知,莫若勿写。”which means “If you do not want others to hear, don’t say. If you do not want others to know, don’t write”.


Basic terminology

Here are the chinese words related to wedding events on the chinese calendar:

嫁娶 – Wedding day
结婚纳彩/采 – Betrothal
安床 – Install bridal bed

Auspicious rating:
宜(yi) – good for
忌(ji) – bad for / to avoid
吉(ji) – auspicious timing
中(zhong)- neutral timing
凶(xiong)- fierce/ bad timing


Choosing the auspicious date

2 ways to go about it:

  • choose the Gregorian date for your event, then check if it is auspicious, or
  • find all the auspicious chinese dates, then decide on the Gregorian dates within these.

To determine if the date is auspicious, read the sub-sections, titled 宜(yi) which list the favorable activities for the day, and 忌(ji), activities to be avoided.

Locate the corresponding term for wedding event Wedding day 嫁娶, Betrothal 结婚纳彩/采 or install bridal bed 安床 under 宜 or 忌.

If found under 宜, it’s a good date for that event, if 忌, don’t select that date. The date is neutral for that event if nothing is mentioned.

Important note: Certain days are not favorable for all joyous events and are listed as “不宜诸吉事” under the 宜 section. For such an unfavorable day, 忌 section will also list 吉事 meaning to avoid all joyous events.


Check the auspicious timing

Some people also want an auspicious timing for events such as fetching the bride and entering the groom’s home.

Check the auspicious rating under “今天时辰吉凶”. The timings are listed as 吉 auspicious timing, 中 neutral timing and 凶 fierce or bad timing. Choose those that are 吉 or 中 and avoid timing listed as 凶.

The chinese timing are divided into 12 periods, each 2 hours long. The chinese day commence at 11 pm the night before. These are the corresponding time:

Chinese periods Hours
子(zi) 11pm to 1 am
丑(chou) 1am to 3 am
寅(yin) 3am to 5 am
卯(mao) 5am to 7am
辰(chen) 7am to 9am
巳(si) 9am to 11am
午(wu) 11am to 1pm
未(wei) 1pm to 3pm
申(shen) 3pm to 5pm
酉(you) 5pm to 7pm
戌(xu) 7pm to 9pm
亥(hai) 9pm to 11pm

Learn more about the history of the Chinese Calendar from WebExhibits.org.


What about chinese horoscope?

The chinese horoscope that “clashes” on that date is listed with the age under a section titled 每日相煞. Under 生年相冲 the other years of the same horoscope that also “clashes” is listed. It is interesting to note that not all the years of the same horoscope is listed as “clashes”. It is a mystery to me and I’ll leave it at that.


Not sure what is your chinese horoscope?

No worries, just click here to find out what is your chinese horoscope.

21 thoughts on “Want to use the Chinese calendar to find an auspicious date?

  1. Jennifer says:

    Hi,
    My fiance’ and I are trying to get married in June 2011. What date would be good for our wedding?

    Bride – 6/23/86 tiger
    mother of bride – 9/10/64 dragon
    father of bride – 11/22/53 snake

    groom – 12/13/86 tiger
    mother of groom – 9/30/61 ox
    father of groom (deceased)- 9/26/63 rabbit

    Thank you so much.

    Jennifer

  2. joe says:

    I’m currently thinking of 7 Sept 2011 for my wedding date (i’m a Dragon and wife-to-be’s a Sheep). Although 7 Sept 2011 is not on the list of ‘auspicious wedding dates’ (from what I found on the internet), is it still an OK date? Thank you for your kind attention.

  3. IRENE says:

    i would like to know the auspicious date and time for wedding for couples groom bday on may 16 1986 and september 22 1986. the chosen dates are between last week of april and first week of may thank you

  4. June lim says:

    HI,my son plan to get married in the month of Dec 2011, can u kindly tell, which is the auspicious day that is required. Bride-14/8/75,time:6-7pm.groom-15/2/82. time:10-11am.groom family: mother-4/6/58,father-7/5/54,brother 16/6/80,brother-1/3/88, godfather-22/6/59,godmom-23/7/59,your kindness is vey much appreciated. thank you.

  5. Jerry says:

    Hi there,
    My fiancee and i were thinking of having our ROM in July 2011. Although we doesn’t really believe this but still we still hoping for a blissful marriage and hoping you can help us to find a date that be good for us.

    all is in english calander
    Bride – 24/02/1985, 0200hrs ox
    Groom – 09/07/1983, 1420hrs pig

    Thanks a million.

    Jerry

  6. Ana says:

    Hi,

    Please advised us which is the auspicious date to get married on december 2012 my brother is born in the year of the rate and my sister in law is born in the year of the tiger.

    Thanks,

    Ana

  7. Gracey says:

    HI! I am a beilever of the chinese calendar since I worked for a chinese firm wayback. I just wanted to know about two things…my son is getting married in June 2013, His birthday is 04/23/83 and his soon to be wife is 11/16/86. What is the best time and date for the wedding? Also, my grandson is born on 12/12/11 and we want him baptized on sept 2012. What is the best time and date for the Baptism? Thank you.

    • admin says:

      Hi Gracey

      04/23/83 –> BOAR
      11/16/86 –> Tiger

      Here are the good wedding dates for your reference
      06/01/2013
      06/03/2013
      06/07/2013
      06/10/2013
      06/13/2013
      06/22/2013
      06/24/2013
      06/25/2013

  8. San says:

    Hello

    Can you advise when is auspicious date to marry?
    Bride – 25/05/80 – born 3.29pm
    Groom – 19/12/81 – born 4/5am

    Not sure if makes a difference to marry year of dragon or snake
    would really appreciate advice and suggested dates in the english calendar so not to get confused..
    preferably sunday or saturday only

    hope you can help – confused and not sure when to do it

    T

    • admin says:

      Dear Serena

      25/05/80 –> Monkey
      19/12/81 –> Pig

      Can we know your target months?

      Best,
      BestGiftsforWedding.com

  9. K lee says:

    Hi I’m curious when in April 2013 may be good for a wedding.

    Bride 19/3/80 monkey
    14/7/81 rabbit groom

    Thanks

    • admin says:

      Dear K lee

      Bride – 19/3/80 monkey
      Groom – 14/7/81 rabbit

      Here are the good wedding dates for your reference

      2013/03/02 Sat 農曆01月(大)21日 沖鶏(辛酉)煞西
      2013/03/05 Tue 農曆01月(大)24日 沖鼠(甲子)煞北
      2013/03/06 Wed 農曆01月(大)25日 沖牛(乙丑)煞西
      2013/03/09 Sat 農曆01月(大)28日 沖龍(戊辰)煞北
      2013/03/11 Mon 農曆01月(大)30日 沖馬(庚午)煞南
      2013/03/14 Thu 農曆02月(小)03日 沖鶏(癸酉)煞西
      2013/03/17 Sun 農曆02月(小)06日 沖鼠(丙子)煞北
      2013/03/19 Tue 農曆02月(小)08日 沖虎(戊寅)煞南
      2013/03/21 Thu 農曆02月(小)10日 沖龍(庚辰)煞北
      2013/03/23 Sat 農曆02月(小)12日 沖馬(壬午)煞南
      2013/03/24 Sun 農曆02月(小)13日 沖羊(癸未)煞東
      2013/03/26 Tue 農曆02月(小)15日 沖鶏(乙酉)煞西
      2013/03/29 Fri 農曆02月(小)18日 沖鼠(戊子)煞北
      2013/03/30 Sat 農曆02月(小)19日 沖牛(己醜)煞西
      2013/03/31 Sun 農曆02月(小)20日 沖虎(庚寅)煞南

      Best,
      BestGiftsforWedding.com

  10. Diana says:

    Hi,
    Would like to ask which date in october 2012 is Auspicious for ROM
    Bride 28/09/79
    Groom 08/01/83

    Pls advice .
    Diana

  11. Prissie says:

    Hi, me and my fiancé are planning to get married next year 2018. We want it on April 2018, but no specific date yet. Can you suggest good dates on April 2018 that we can consider?
    Me – July 21, 1990 – Cancer
    Him – October 10, 1989 – Libra
    Thanks a lot.

    • Stella Yim says:

      Hi Prissie

      Sorry for the late respond.
      You – July 21, 1990 – Cancer –> Snake (Please refer to https://www.bestgiftsforwedding.com/check-your-chinese-zodiac-for-wedding-dates/)
      Him – October 10, 1989 – Libra –> Dragon

      Below are the good dates (no Eveil Chong to both Snake and Dragon) for your reference:
      2018-04-03 二月18日戊戌年 乙卯月 乙丑日 Tue Goat Chong Eveil 沖羊(己未)煞東
      2018-04-07 二月22日戊戌年 丙辰月 己巳日 Sat Boar Chong Eveil 沖豬(癸亥)煞東
      2018-04-08 二月23日戊戌年 丙辰月 庚午日 Sun Rat Chong Eveil 沖鼠(甲子)煞北
      2018-04-16 三月初一戊戌年 丙辰月 戊寅日 Mon Monkey Chong Eveil 沖猴(壬申)煞北
      2018-04-20 三月初五戊戌年 丙辰月 壬午日 Fri Rat Chong Eveil 沖鼠(丙子)煞北
      2018-04-28 三月13日戊戌年 丙辰月 庚寅日 Sat Monkey Chong Eveil 沖猴(甲申)煞北
      2018-04-30 三月15日戊戌年 丙辰月 壬辰日 Mon Dog Chong Eveil 沖狗(丙戍)煞南

    • Stella Yim says:

      Yes, 9 September 2018 is a good day for your son and partner if the Zodiac of the both parents are not (dog). As on that day, Dog Chong Eveil

    • Stella Yim says:

      Yes, 9 September 2018 is a good day for your son and partner if the Zodiac of the both parents are not (dog). As on that day, Dog Chong Eveil

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