May 9 · SunLunar 3/28Ding Si day · 建 day

The six coloured hours are the ones the almanac calls good; the other six are ordinary. ★ marks the hours when help tends to come.

• Zi23:00–01:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 白虎 · Black Path
• Chou01:00–03:00reading, writing, quiet work 玉堂 · Yellow Path
• Yin03:00–05:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 天牢 · Black Path
• Mao05:00–07:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 玄武 · Black Path
• Chen07:00–09:00arranging, delegating, handing things on 司命 · Yellow Path
• Si09:00–11:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 勾陳 · Black Path
• Wu11:00–13:00beginnings, going out, meeting people 青龍 · Yellow Path
• Wei13:00–15:00discussions, signing, submitting 明堂 · Yellow Path
• Shen15:00–17:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 天刑 · Black Path
• ★ You17:00–19:00asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation 朱雀 · Black Path
• Xu19:00–21:00money, collecting, placing orders 金匱 · Yellow Path
• ★ Hai21:00–23:00asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation ／ asking favours, making peace, good deeds 天德 · Yellow Path

This is how the almanac itself writes the day: two characters each for year, month and day, plus the day officer on duty. The good hours and do’s and don’ts above are all looked up from these.

• YearXin Chou
• MonthGui Si
• DayDing Si
• 建 dayJian, Establish, opens the twelve-day round: things are just standing up, a day to set a direction and take the first step.
• 勾陳Hooked Array on duty: things tangle and drag. Don't start what isn't urgent.

FromThe day's officer, spirit, clash and nayin come from tables on the month and day branches. Good hours: Nobleman hours from the day stem, the twelve Yellow and Black Path spirits from the day branch. Solar terms are the observatory's timetable; the lunar date is ICU's Chinese calendar. Times are Taipei time (UTC+8).

Old Chinese almanacs list two customs for every day: one from the day's stem, one from its branch, the same for everyone. The Qing court almanac files them as habits handed down rather than reasoned rules. Each line in the original goes on to say what happens if you ignore it; only the first four characters are printed here. The line for xu days is about an old eating habit that has no place in life today, so it is left out. Whether to follow them is up to you.

• 丁不剃頭On a ding day no one had their head shaved. Some people still avoid a haircut on this day.
• 巳不遠行On a si day no long journey began. Some people use it when choosing a departure date.

FromQinding Xieji Bianfang Shu (1739), vol. 35, appendix on the hundred taboo days.

Everything above is the same for everyone. Sign in and make a profile, and a second row appears that is yours alone: hours worked out from your BaZi day stem and the elements your chart favours. An hour lit on both rows is your good hour.

• 1Sat3/20
• 2Sun3/21
• 3Mon3/22
• 4Tue3/23
• 5Wed3/24
• 6Thu3/25
• 7Fri3/26
• 8Sat3/27
• 9Sun3/28
• 10Mon3/29
• 11Tue3/30
• 12Wed4/1
• 13Thu4/2
• 14Fri4/3
• 15Sat4/4
• 16Sun4/5
• 17Mon4/6
• 18Tue4/7
• 19Wed4/8
• 20Thu4/9
• 21Fri4/10
• 22Sat4/11
• 23Sun4/12
• 24Mon4/13
• 25Tue4/14
• 26Wed4/15
• 27Thu4/16
• 28Fri4/17
• 29Sat4/18
• 30Sun4/19
• 31Mon4/20