Chinese Almanac for Monday, May 4, 2026
On Monday, May 4, 2026 (day 18 of the 3rd lunar month, 丙午 year of the Horse), the Chinese almanac (Tong Shu) marks a 戊寅 (Wu Yin) Open (開) day on the yellow (auspicious) path of the Life Governor: good for staying put and reflecting and tidying and organising, avoid burials, breaking ground, weddings, business openings, moving in, signing contracts, starting a new role, travel and renovation and building work. The day clashes the Monkey, with the sha direction North.
| Date | Monday, May 4, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lunar date | day 18 of the 3rd lunar month (三月十八), a long (30-day) month |
| Four pillars (day) | Year 丙午 · Month 壬辰 · Day 戊寅 |
| Day officer | Open (開) |
| Day spirit | Life Governor (司命), yellow path |
| Day spirits | Heavenly Pardon (tian she) (天赦), Four Endings (si jue) (四絕) |
| Good for | staying put and reflecting and tidying and organising |
| Avoid | burials, breaking ground, weddings, business openings, moving in, signing contracts, starting a new role, travel and renovation and building work |
| Clash | Monkey (申), sha North |
| Lucky hours | Zi 23:00–01:00, Chou 01:00–03:00, Chen 07:00–09:00, Si 09:00–11:00, Wei 13:00–15:00, Xu 19:00–21:00 |
| Joy / Wealth / Fortune direction | Southeast / North / Northeast |
| Color of the day | ochre yellow (day stem 戊 is Tu, steadiness) |
| Lunar mansion | Heart (xin, 心) |
| Solar term | Grain Rain (穀雨); next: Start of Summer on 2026-05-05 19:48 UTC+8 |
What the day is good for
Open days favour openings, new roles, study and travel; burials and ground-breaking are avoided. Because the day spirit is on the yellow path, the almanac keeps major events on the list.
- Good for: staying put and reflecting and tidying and organising
- Avoid: burials, breaking ground, weddings, business openings, moving in, signing contracts, starting a new role, travel and renovation and building work
- Peng Zu taboos: Wu day: do not take on land, or the owner meets ill luck (戊不受田田主不祥); Yin day: do not make offerings, or the spirits will not accept them (寅不祭祀神鬼不嘗)
Lucky hours on May 4
Yellow-path hours are the traditional lucky hours. The Shen hour clashes the day branch and is marked to avoid.
| Hour | Time (UTC+8) | Spirit | Path | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zi 子 | 23:00–01:00 | Azure Dragon 青龍 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Chou 丑 | 01:00–03:00 | Bright Hall 明堂 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Yin 寅 | 03:00–05:00 | Heavenly Punishment 天刑 | Black | |
| Mao 卯 | 05:00–07:00 | Vermilion Bird 朱雀 | Black | |
| Chen 辰 | 07:00–09:00 | Golden Coffer 金匱 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Si 巳 | 09:00–11:00 | Heavenly Virtue 天德 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Wu 午 | 11:00–13:00 | White Tiger 白虎 | Black | |
| Wei 未 | 13:00–15:00 | Jade Hall 玉堂 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Shen 申 | 15:00–17:00 | Heavenly Prison 天牢 | Black | Clashes the day; avoid |
| You 酉 | 17:00–19:00 | Black Tortoise 玄武 | Black | |
| Xu 戌 | 19:00–21:00 | Life Governor 司命 | Yellow | Lucky hour |
| Hai 亥 | 21:00–23:00 | Hook 勾陳 | Black |
Zodiac signs today
Clash: people born in a year of the Monkey traditionally keep big decisions for another day. Six harmony: the Pig pairs with today’s Yin branch. Three harmony: Horse and Dog. Minor friction (punishment or harm): Snake.
Make it personal
The almanac is the same for everyone. Your own lucky color and best two hours depend on your chart: get them free in Daily Joss, or start with your Joss Profile. Planning something specific? Compare time windows with Joss Timing.
How these are computed: methods and what the Tong Shu is. Good-for and avoid lists start from the day officer and are adjusted by the main day spirits of the Xie Ji Bian Fang Shu (協紀辨方書); printed almanacs weigh more spirits and can differ.
Cultural tradition for reflection and planning only. Not medical, legal or financial advice; no date or hour can promise an outcome.