What is the best-seller, the book with the most versions in Taiwan
Non-farmers as we are, most of us keep at home a “Chinese farmer’s calendar” 農民曆(nong2 min2 li4), or黃曆(huang2 li4), yellow calendar. Yes, statically it is the best-selling book in Taiwan
You may call it an encyclopedia in the traditional society, especially for the farmers. It is arranged based on the 24 solar terms, 節氣(jie2 qi4), by which farmers regulate their agricultural activities. There’re also weather predictions from a long-term observation and statistics.
For example, there’s a chant going like this, 立秋無雨最堪憂，萬物從來只半收(li4 qiu wu2 yu3 zui4 kan you, wan4 wu4 cong2 lai2 zhi3 ban4 shou). It worries farmers the most If it doesn’t rain on the day “start of autumn立秋,” because that foretells a bad harvest.
Opening a 黃曆, you’ll see today is a good day for wedding or offering services to god or ancestors, 宜：嫁娶、祭祀(yi2: jia4 qu3, ji4 si4)but not good for remodeling or building houses 忌：修造(ji4: xiu zao4) This is how most non-farmers depend on this calendar, not for anything related to agriculture, but for “picking out good days.” 看日子(kan4 ri4 zi)
It is generally believed that when conducting important affairs, such as marrying, starting a business, moving, offering religious or ancestry services. . . etc, it is important to pick out an auspicious day 黃道吉日(huang2 dao4 ji2 ri4), so that everything will go smoothly and no ill luck will be incurred. Some people believe it’s a matter not only of days, but even hours. They might go to a fortune teller to pick out the exact hour of the exact day according to the day and hour of their birth.
But you can’t go to a fortune teller for everything. So the黃曆solves the problem. It includes the dos宜 and don’ts忌 on a daily basis. And the activities included range from bathing, hunting, meeting friends to getting married or having a funeral, almost every routine in our life.
Though time has changed and so have our notions, 農民曆is still frequently consulted because many people consider it harmless and nothing will be lost if you just check it out, picking a day that is both convenient for you and “right” to do something important. That’s our attitude when dealing with things like this—寧可信其有(ning2 ke3 xin4 qi2 you3), you’d rather believe in it when you get nothing to lose.
When I was a little girl, I loved to read 黃曆. You’re wrong if you take them as nothing more than a calendar. When reading them carefully, you’ll find many interesting information, which reveal details of life in the past. For example, besides the do’s and don’ts, it has a 沖煞 every day. It means a certain day is unlucky for people born in certain years. So, if today’s沖煞is people born in the years of tiger. It’s better for those “tigers” not to enter the bride’s room if there’s a wedding today.
In addition, every day there will be one or two “lucky directions.” Years ago when we spent Chinese New Year in the city, my mom-in-law would tell us in the morning of the lunar New Year Day which direction to go once we finished our breakfast and wanted to go out. She checked the黃曆before she told us this, in the hope that we would have a good start by going the “right direction.”
In addition, every day there will be one or two “lucky directions.” Years ago when we spent Chinese New Year in the city, my mom-in-law would tell us in the morning of the lunar New Year Day which direction to go once we finished our breakfast and wanted to go out. She checked the黃曆before she told us this, in the hope that we would have a good start by going the “right direction.”
Another interesting item would be telling your fortune by the time you were born. There’s a list of “weight” for each year, month, and hour. You add these numbers and get a total amount of your “weight.” For each weight, you’ll find a general description of your life in rhymed lines.
I really can’t remember what my “weight” was when I did the counting. Nothing too bad, I guess. At least I didn’t start my life with the burden from the thought that I was “doomed,” or no matter how hard I tried, I was destined to be miserable. Actually I didn’t take it so seriously when I read it. But I wonder how many people are “ruined” by this from taking it too seriously. My point here is it more or less reflects the general belief that your destiny has been written in the stars the moment when you were born.
Usually the bottom cover of the book is a list of food, the kinds of food that clash with each other, which you can’t eat together. “Antidotes” are also offered. But we have a lot of doubts about those lists, which might result from misleading hearsays in old days. For example, do you believe that chicken plus plums will be “poisonous?” I know some people have done experiments according to the lists and have proved parts of them wrong.
However ridiculous you think parts of the farmer’s calendar are, it is still a part of our life. Its content is changing to cope with the changes of times. It’s harmless if you check it out once in a while as a reference. Today, for example, is a good day to say to your sweetheart, “Let’s get married today. According to the book, it’s the right day to do so!”
However ridiculous you think parts of the farmer’s calendar are, it is still a part of our life. Its content is changing to cope with the changes of times. It’s harmless if you check it out once in a while as a reference. Today, for example, is a good day to say to your sweetheart, “Let’s get married today. According to the book, it’s the right day to do so!”
農民曆=农民历
節氣=节气
立秋無雨最堪憂=立秋无雨最堪忧
萬物從來只半=收万物从来只半收
寧可信其有=宁可信其有
沖煞=冲煞
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