[Review of auspicious wedding dates in 2026]
What determines the auspicious date for marriage in 2026?
Of course, you have to pick a good day to get married. 2026 is the Year of the Horse in the lunar calendar, which has special significance from the astronomical calendar. It starts on February 17, 2026 (the first day of the first lunar month) and ends on February 5, 2027, a total of 354 days. Although it is not a leap year, the following Year of the Snake (2025-2026) will form a "double spring year" because of the leap June. There is a saying among the people that "double spring and leap month are good years for marriage." The calendar feature lays the "heavenly time" foundation for the selection of the wedding date, and the determination of the specific auspicious day requires the integration of multiple rules of the Yin-Yang calendar, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and the zodiac ethics.
The code of the stems and branches in the lunar calendar
Traditionally, the selection of auspicious dates is based on the lunar calendar, which breaks down the year, month, day, and time into a combination of heavenly stems and earthly branches, and judges good and bad luck through the five elements. In the lunar year of Bingwu in 2026, Bing belongs to Yang Fire, and Wu is Yang Fire, forming a "Fu Yin" pattern. In theory, it is necessary to avoid conflicts with the "fire" element in the new couple's horoscope, but the year of the horse itself forms a "Yin Wu Xu" triple combination with the tiger and the dog, and the corresponding zodiac combination can use the power of the triple combination to resolve the taboo of Fu Yin. Specifically for date selection, the Tianbao Calendar emphasizes that "Yin and Yang are not generals" is the best, that is, the five elements of the heavenly stems and earthly branches are the same. For example, January 3, 2026 (the 23rd day of the eleventh lunar month, Bingzi day), Bing belongs to Fire, and Zi hides Gui Water, but Bing Fire and Zi Water form a yin and yang coordination, and Zi and Chou are combined (Rat and Ox are six combinations), so it is an auspicious day suitable for most zodiac signs.
The Lucky God System in the Almanac
The commonly used "Tong Sheng" almanac in Hong Kong divides days into "auspicious days" and "unlucky days". The marking of "suitable for marriage" is based on the "Jianchu Twelve Direct" system: "Chu, Wei, Ding, Zhi, Cheng, Kai" are the six auspicious days. March 3, 2026 (the 23rd day of the first lunar month, Jimao Day) is a "fixed day" because Mao is the rabbit, and it forms a "Yinmaochen" meeting wood bureau with the Yin of the same month (the first month). Wood is the main growth, symbolizing a long-lasting marriage. In addition, the "four phase days" and "auspicious days" are also important references. Bingding days in spring and Wuji days in summer belong to the four phases, and the auspicious period is usually the day before the month. For example, if the second month is built with Mao, then the third day of the third month (the fifth day of the second lunar month, Gengchen Day) is an auspicious day, suitable for meeting relatives.
Mathematical logic of zodiac matching
Traditional wedding dates emphasize "birth date for boys, marriage year for girls", with the female zodiac sign as the main basis. According to the "lucky months for girls to get married", "the seventh month is for chickens and rabbits, the second and eighth month is for tigers and monkeys", the eighth month of the lunar calendar in 2026 (September in the Gregorian calendar) is the lucky month for brides born in the year of the tiger. September 19 (the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, Guimao day) is the Mid-Autumn full moon, and because of the combination of rabbit and dog (six combinations of rabbit and dog), it is particularly suitable for grooms born in the year of the dog. On the contrary, combinations of zodiac signs that conflict need to avoid specific dates - the rat and the horse are "Zi Wu clash", so special caution should be taken on June 23, 2026 (the nineteenth day of the fifth lunar month, Renwu day), because Wu is the horse, and the rat is prone to Sui Po when it meets the horse in the afternoon.
List of auspicious wedding dates in 2026:
Time selection from spring to winter
Spring Auspicious Days
January : January 3 (Zi Chou conjunction), January 16 (Shen Zi Chen trine conjunction), January 29 (New Moon in Pisces)
February : February 10 (the third day of the first lunar month, need to avoid Sanniang evil spirit), February 19 (Rain Water solar term, Hai, Mao, and Wei are in harmony)
March : March 3 (fixed date), March 16 (eighth day of the second lunar month, a combination of Yin, Wu and Xu), March 28 (the opening day of the year)
Summer auspicious days
April : April 2 (before Grain Rain, Si, You, Chou are in harmony), April 13 (the sixth day of the third lunar month, when Yin and Yang are not in harmony)
May : May 4 (the 28th day of the third lunar month, Xinmao day, Dragon and Rooster are in harmony), May 20 (Grain Full, Yin, Wu and Xu are in harmony)
June : June 1 (May 27th in the lunar calendar, need to avoid Sanniangsha), June 24 (after the summer solstice, Si and Shen are in conjunction)
Autumn Auspicious Days
July: July 2 (the first day of the sixth lunar month, the combination of Shen, Zi and Chen), July 20 (the seventeenth day of the sixth lunar month, the day of Ren Chen, the lucky day of Water Dragon)
August: August 10 (the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Chinese Valentine's Day, but avoid the evil spirit of Sanniang), August 28 (the twenty-third day of the seventh lunar month, the harmony of yang and yang)
September: September 5 (the third day of the eighth lunar month, avoid the evil spirit of Sanniang), September 19 (Mid-Autumn Festival, the rabbit and dog are in harmony)
Auspicious days in winter
October: October 3 (the 21st day of the eighth lunar month, Yin and Hai combine), October 25 (the 21st day of the ninth lunar month, Xu and Hai combine)
November: November 10 (the ninth day of the tenth month in the lunar calendar, Si, You, and Chou are in harmony), November 25 (Minor Snow, Zi and Chou are in harmony)
December: December 6 (the fourth day of the eleventh lunar month, the combination of Shen, Zi and Chen), December 29 (the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month, the end of the year, auspicious)
Taboos on choosing auspicious dates: Risk avoidance in traditional wisdom
1. Sanniang evil day
According to legend, if Yue Lao refused to tie the red string for Sanniang, the resentful Sanniang would deliberately destroy the newlyweds' weddings, so the third, seventh, thirteenth, eighteenth, twenty-second, and twenty-seventh days of each month are called "Sanniang Sha". Dates to avoid in 2026 include: March 3 (the twenty-third day of the first lunar month, the thirteenth day of the evil), July 7 (the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, the third day of the evil), and December 22 (the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh lunar month, the twenty-second day of the evil). These days are believed to easily lead to marital conflicts. Although they come from myths and legends, they reflect the importance that the ancients attached to the stability of marriage.
2. Four separations and four extinctions
"Four separation days" refer to the day before the Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumnal Equinox, and Winter Solstice, and "Four Absolute Days" refer to the day before the Beginning of Spring, Beginning of Summer, Beginning of Autumn, and Beginning of Winter. The four separation days in 2026 are March 20 (before the Spring Equinox) and September 22 (before the Autumnal Equinox), and the four abolition days are February 3 (before the Beginning of Spring) and May 4 (before the Beginning of Summer). Traditionally, it is believed that the aura of heaven and earth is unstable when the solar terms change, and it is easy to "qi clash" when getting married at this time. Modern understanding is that the human body's adaptability is weaker when the seasons change, so it is better to avoid grand ceremonies.
3. Zodiac conflict
According to the "Six Conflicts" principle, zodiac signs that are six years apart are in conflict, such as rats and horses, cows and sheep, etc. The fifth month of the lunar calendar in 2026 (the month of Wu) is a conflict month for rats, so rat couples should be cautious on May 28 (the 24th day of the fifth lunar month, the day of Wu); similarly, the seventh month of the lunar calendar (the month of Shen) is a conflict month for tigers, so tiger couples should choose another date on July 23 (the 20th day of the sixth lunar month, the day of Bing Shen). The essence of conflict is the conflict between the five elements of the earthly branches. For example, the conflict between Zi and Wu is the conflict between water and fire, which symbolizes the intensification of contradictions.
4. A day of great mourning
"Heavy funeral day" refers to the day when the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the day conflict with the year pillar. For example, on the ninth day of the third lunar month in 2026 (April 25, Guisi day), Gui and Bing (year stem) conflict with each other, and Si and Wu (year branch) are in conflict. Traditionally, it is believed that holding a wedding on this day is likely to lead to a series of funerals. Although it is an extreme taboo, it still reflects the ancients' emphasis on the balance of yin and yang at time nodes. In modern date selection, heavy funeral days are listed as high-risk dates along with the "Ten Evil Days".
5. Parents’ birthday
Traditionally, it is not appropriate to hold a wedding on the day of one's parents' birthday, because "double happiness" will distract attention from the elders, which is against filial piety. In 2026, if the birthday of parents happens to be the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (September 19), even if that day is an auspicious day for the rabbit and dog, it is still recommended to hold the wedding at a different time. This taboo reflects the value orientation of "respecting the elders first" in the traditional Chinese family concept, and it can be flexibly understood in modern times to avoid conflicts with the important days of the elders.
No matter what day you choose to get married, the perfection of marriage still needs to be based on mutual respect, and let the traditional auspicious day become a cultural witness of the starting point of happiness. Of course, if you want perfection, you can find a professional master to help choose an auspicious wedding day. If the newlyweds want to build their love nest, they can also choose our Design House HK interior design and decoration services . Whether it is a light decoration or a complete house renovation, our interior design has rich experience and will fully follow up your decoration project. Please feel free to contact us for inquiries about interior design and decoration engineering services.
