Chinese Color AtlasALMANAC · LIJI YUE LING · SOURCE-AWARE
12 SEASONAL MONTHS
4 EDITORIAL PALETTES PER SEASON

Twelve Monthly Ordinances

Read all twelve seasonal months of the Liji's Yue Ling through source passages, materials, objects, and clearly labelled editorial color palettes.

PRIMARY TEXT · EDITORIAL COLOR

A seasonal sequence, not a Gregorian conversion

The Yue Ling connects seasons with ritual order, directions, materials, dress, food, and objects. This page preserves that twelve-part sequence. It does not label Mengchun as simply ‘January’ or Zhongqiu as simply ‘August’. Annual calendars, regions, and historical contexts still matter.

Spring

13 · YUE LING SEQUENCE
01

First Month of Spring

First Month of Spring

孟春之月,日在營室。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Mengchun

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to wheat, sheep, green dress and azure jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Green banners, dress and objects used in rites welcoming spring

Cyan#00E09E
Moon White#D6ECF0

An editorial palette for early-spring renewal, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in First Month of Spring. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 1 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 1. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

02

Second Month of Spring

Second Month of Spring

仲春之月,日在奎。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Zhongchun

MATERIAL REFERENCES

References to wheat, sheep, green robes and azure jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Qingyang hall, green banners and spring ritual objects

An editorial palette for mid-spring growth, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Second Month of Spring. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 2 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 2. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

03

Last Month of Spring

Last Month of Spring

季春之月,日在胃。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Jichun

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Craft materials including metal, hide, feathers, glue, cinnabar and lacquer

OBJECT REFERENCES

Boats, silk work and materials of the five storehouses

Cyan#00E09E
Shi Lu#206864
Vermilion#FF4C00

An editorial palette for late-spring craft and abundance, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Last Month of Spring. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 3 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 3. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

Summer

46 · YUE LING SEQUENCE
04

First Month of Summer

First Month of Summer

孟夏之月,日在畢。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Mengxia

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to beans, fowl, vermilion robes and red jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Vermilion carriage, red banners and objects used in rites welcoming summer

Vermilion#FF4C00
Bright Red#FF2121
Ming Huang#DCB114
Shi Lu#206864

An editorial palette for early-summer heat and growth, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in First Month of Summer. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 4 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 4. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

05

Second Month of Summer

Second Month of Summer

仲夏之月,日在東井。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Zhongxia

MATERIAL REFERENCES

References to beans, fowl, vermilion robes and red jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Mingtang, vermilion banners and summer ritual objects

Vermilion#FF4C00
Rouge#9D2933
Ming Huang#DCB114
Shi Lu#206864

An editorial palette for high-summer fire tones, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Second Month of Summer. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 5 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 5. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

06

Last Month of Summer

Last Month of Summer

季夏之月,日在柳。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Jixia

MATERIAL REFERENCES

References to the centre and earth, millet, oxen, yellow robes and yellow jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Central ancestral hall and yellow ritual banners

Ming Huang#DCB114
Jin Huang#CF8A14
Sandalwood#B26D5D

An editorial palette for late-summer earth tones, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Last Month of Summer. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 6 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 6. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

Autumn

79 · YUE LING SEQUENCE
07

First Month of Autumn

First Month of Autumn

孟秋之月,日在翼。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Mengqiu

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to hemp, dog, white robes and white jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

White banners and objects used in rites welcoming autumn

Jin Se#EACD76
Jin Huang#CF8A14
Moon White#D6ECF0

An editorial palette for early-autumn restraint, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in First Month of Autumn. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 7 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 7. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

08

Second Month of Autumn

Second Month of Autumn

仲秋之月,日在角。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Zhongqiu

MATERIAL REFERENCES

References to hemp, dog, white robes and white jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Zongzhang hall, white banners and autumn ritual objects

Moon White#D6ECF0
Jin Se#EACD76
Cang Se#75878A

An editorial palette for mid-autumn moonlight and harvest, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Second Month of Autumn. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 8 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 8. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

09

Last Month of Autumn

Last Month of Autumn

季秋之月,日在房。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Jiqiu

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to metal, white dress, white jade and storing

OBJECT REFERENCES

Late-autumn storage and preparation of tools

An editorial palette for late-autumn gold and brown, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Last Month of Autumn. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 9 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 9. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

Winter

1012 · YUE LING SEQUENCE
10

First Month of Winter

First Month of Winter

孟冬之月,日在尾。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Mengdong

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to millet, swine, black robes and dark jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Dark banners and objects used in rites welcoming winter

Dai Lan#425066
Cang Se#75878A
Moon White#D6ECF0

An editorial palette for early-winter dark-water tones, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in First Month of Winter. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 10 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 10. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

11

Second Month of Winter

Second Month of Winter

仲冬之月,日在斗。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Zhongdong

MATERIAL REFERENCES

References to millet, swine, black robes and dark jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Xuantang hall, dark banners and winter ritual objects

Dai Lan#425066
Cang Se#75878A
Moon White#D6ECF0

An editorial palette for mid-winter depth, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Second Month of Winter. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 11 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 11. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

12

Last Month of Winter

Last Month of Winter

季冬之月,日在婺女。

Liji - Yue Ling, opening of Jidong

MATERIAL REFERENCES

Seasonal references to ice, millet, black robes and dark jade

OBJECT REFERENCES

Year-end storage, ice administration and winter objects

Moon White#D6ECF0
Cang Se#75878A
Dai Lan#425066

An editorial palette for year-end ice and snow, informed by the season, direction, dress colors and materials named in Last Month of Winter. Color IDs come from the 567-color atlas and are not claimed as exact screen values from the ancient text.

Entry 12 follows the seasonal month sequence of the Liji's Yue Ling and is only an aggregation aid. Ancient monthly ordinances were organized through the Chinese calendar, solar terms and ritual order; they do not map one-to-one onto Gregorian month 12. Any display must use an annual calendar and regional context.

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