Translation and Interpretation of "戊申晦五鼓与子颍"

"戊申晦五鼓与子颍" is a phrase from ancient Chinese literature that originates from the Book of Songs (《诗经》), a collection of ancient Chinese poetry. This phrase is part of a larger poem called "颂小星" (Sòng Xiǎo Xīng), which is one of the 305 poems in the Book of Songs. Let's break down and interpret the meaning of this phrase.

The phrase "戊申晦五鼓与子颍" can be translated as:

On the dark night of the fifth watch of the wushen day, I meet with Ziying.

1.

戊申 (Wù Shēn)

: These are Chinese characters representing a specific day in the ancient Chinese calendar. The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which means it is based on the phases of the moon as well as the time of the solar year. "戊" (Wù) represents one of the ten Heavenly Stems (Tiān Gān), and "申" (Shēn) represents one of the twelve Earthly Branches (Dì Zhī). Together, they form a cyclical system used to denote days, years, etc. in the traditional Chinese calendar.

2.

晦 (Huì)

: This character means "dark" or "obscure". In the context of time, it typically refers to the end of a month or the dark phase of the moon.

3.

五鼓 (Wǔ Gǔ)

: "五" (Wǔ) means "five", and "鼓" (Gǔ) refers to a watch of the night. In ancient China, the night was divided into five watches, each approximately two hours long. The fifth watch was typically from 3 AM to 5 AM.

4.

子颍 (Zǐ Yǐng)

: These characters represent a person's name. "子" (Zǐ) is often used as an honorific before a person's name, and "颍" (Yǐng) could be a surname or part of a given name.

Putting it all together, the phrase describes a specific moment in time: a dark night during the fifth watch of a particular day in the ancient Chinese calendar, when the speaker encounters someone named Ziying. The imagery evokes a sense of mystery and anticipation, as well as the passing of time during the late hours of the night.

"戊申晦五鼓与子颍" captures a moment in ancient Chinese culture, rich with symbolism and imagery. It reflects the poetic sensibilities of the time, as well as the significance of timekeeping and celestial observations in traditional Chinese society. Understanding phrases like these offers insights into both the linguistic and cultural aspects of ancient China.