AETHER
Chinese calendar

§ Tong Shu · 通書

Lucky hours, today.

The Chinese day is split into twelve two-hour periods, each ruled by one of the Earthly Branches. Each period has its own energy — what it favors and what it resists.

Now · 02:23 PM

Wèi

· Wèi Hour

13:00 — 15:00 · Goat hour

+ Good for now · 宜

  • Creative collaboration.
  • Meetings.
  • Light snacks.

− Avoid now · 忌

  • Heavy lifting.
  • Difficult talks.

All 12 periods today

23:00–01:00
Rat hour
+Sleep deeply · Set intentions · Write in dreams journal
Major decisions · Heavy meals

Chǒu

01:00–03:00
Ox hour
+Deep rest · Liver healing · Lucid dreaming
Stressful work · Caffeine

Yín

03:00–05:00
Tiger hour
+Meditation · Pre-dawn rituals · Setting day's vision
Confrontation · Decisions in anger

Mǎo

05:00–07:00
Rabbit hour
+Wake gently · Drink warm water · Stretch / move body
Skipping breakfast · Rushed starts

Chén

07:00–09:00
Dragon hour
+Eat well · Start important work · Send key messages
Skipping food · Procrastinating

09:00–11:00
Snake hour
+Deep focus · Studying · Strategic thinking
Multitasking · Snacking

11:00–13:00
Horse hour
+Eat the day's main meal · Take a short nap · Big-picture work
Heated debates · Overexertion

Wèi

13:00–15:00
Goat hour
+Creative collaboration · Meetings · Light snacks
Heavy lifting · Difficult talks

Shēn

15:00–17:00
Monkey hour
+Communication · Negotiation · Tying loose ends
Starting new projects · Big purchases

Yǒu

17:00–19:00
Rooster hour
+Wrap up the workday · Light dinner · Gentle exercise
Late stressful meetings · Caffeine

19:00–21:00
Dog hour
+Family time · Quiet reflection · Reading
Screen overuse · Hard exercise

Hài

21:00–23:00
Pig hour
+Wind down · Bath / shower · Prepare for sleep
Heavy meals · Emotional conversations

Whole day · 宜 ()

  • Sacrifices
  • Promotions
  • Festivals

Whole day · 忌 ()

  • Burials
  • House repair

What is Tong Shu?

Tong Shu (通書), sometimes called the Chinese Farmer's Almanac, is a daily reference book that has been continuously published in China for over 1,200 years. It assigns each day, hour, and direction a quality — auspicious or inauspicious — based on the interaction of the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, and the 28 lunar mansions. Traditional Chinese families consulted it before weddings, journeys, business openings, and burials.

Why two-hour periods?

Classical Chinese time is divided into twelve 兩小時 (two-hour) periods, each ruled by one of the twelve Earthly Branches and one of the twelve zodiac animals. The Zǐ hour begins at 11:00 PM (when the rat is most active in the wild) and the cycle repeats every day. Your BaZi chart's Hour Pillar is determined by which of these periods you were born in.

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