Lunar day 4: the tree — meaning and dates

The character of lunar day 4

A tree grows by dividing, and every fork is a choice that cannot be fully undone. The fourth lunar day is traditionally read as the month's first real fork: the plan begun on day one now meets alternatives, and the branch chosen shapes much of what follows. The tradition also connects the tree with knowledge and with lineage — roots below, branches above — so it is a day when old patterns of choosing show themselves. Words spoken today are said to carry further than they seem to, which is why the day asks for some care in what is promised.

What the day favors

The day favors weighing options honestly, writing down the reasons for and against, and noticing which reason is really one's own. It suits learning from people who have walked the same branch before, reading, and quiet conversations with elders or mentors. Making a choice and then letting it settle overnight before announcing it is in the spirit of the tree.

What can wait

What can wait is hurrying a decision along with other people's voices. A choice made to please, to end an uncomfortable uncertainty, or because somebody insists is the shadow of the fourth day. Gossip and careless promises also sit badly here: words weigh more than usual, and they are harder to take back.

With other people

With other people, the day asks for care with words and honesty about influence. Advice is plentiful, and it is worth listening to the people who know you without letting them choose for you. It suits conversations with older relatives and mentors, and keeping promises modest enough to keep.

The question of the day

The day asks which way you would choose if nobody were going to hear about it.

When lunar day 4 falls

The dates in this table count lunar days (also called moon days) from the exact new moon, the same moment everywhere: day one is the first twenty-four hours after it — a table read anywhere cannot follow one horizon. The line at the top of the page counts the traditional way, from moonrise where you are, which can be up to a day apart. How the lunar day is counted

Times are in UTC.

Begins	Ends
January 21, 2026 at 19:53 UTC	January 22, 2026 at 19:53 UTC
February 20, 2026 at 12:02 UTC	February 21, 2026 at 12:02 UTC
March 22, 2026 at 01:24 UTC	March 23, 2026 at 01:24 UTC
April 20, 2026 at 11:52 UTC	April 21, 2026 at 11:52 UTC
May 19, 2026 at 20:02 UTC	May 20, 2026 at 20:02 UTC
June 18, 2026 at 02:55 UTC	June 19, 2026 at 02:55 UTC
July 17, 2026 at 09:44 UTC	July 18, 2026 at 09:44 UTC
August 15, 2026 at 17:37 UTC	August 16, 2026 at 17:37 UTC
September 14, 2026 at 03:27 UTC	September 15, 2026 at 03:27 UTC
October 13, 2026 at 15:51 UTC	October 14, 2026 at 15:51 UTC
November 12, 2026 at 07:03 UTC	November 13, 2026 at 07:03 UTC
December 12, 2026 at 00:53 UTC	December 13, 2026 at 00:53 UTC
January 10, 2027 at 20:25 UTC	January 11, 2027 at 20:25 UTC
February 9, 2027 at 15:57 UTC	February 10, 2027 at 15:57 UTC
March 11, 2027 at 09:30 UTC	March 12, 2027 at 09:30 UTC
April 9, 2027 at 23:52 UTC	April 10, 2027 at 23:52 UTC
May 9, 2027 at 10:59 UTC	May 10, 2027 at 10:59 UTC
June 7, 2027 at 19:41 UTC	June 8, 2027 at 19:41 UTC
July 7, 2027 at 03:03 UTC	July 8, 2027 at 03:03 UTC
August 5, 2027 at 10:06 UTC	August 6, 2027 at 10:06 UTC
September 3, 2027 at 17:42 UTC	September 4, 2027 at 17:42 UTC
October 3, 2027 at 02:37 UTC	October 4, 2027 at 02:37 UTC
November 1, 2027 at 13:37 UTC	November 2, 2027 at 13:37 UTC
December 1, 2027 at 03:25 UTC	December 2, 2027 at 03:25 UTC