Chinese New Year & The Chinese Zodiac
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Chinese New Year
The celebration of the New Year is the longest, most important and most anticipated Chinese holiday. The Chinese New Year is celebrated by an estimated one-sixth of the population or one billion people! Because it is traditionally a holiday spent with family, the coming New Year causes an enormous number of people to travel to be with loved ones and has been called the largest annual human migration in the world. The traditional holiday period is 23 days long and is called the Spring Festival. it is broken up into three parts. The first eight days are called Little Year. This is when the preparations for the New Year begin and go until New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year officially begins on the ninth day and runs for the next ten days, for eleven days in total. This is officially called the Spring Festival. The last four days are called the Lantern Festival. Preparations begin on the first day and the Lantern Festival is held on the last day. Below is a chart to help you visualize it.
Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels
The Lunar Calendar
The date for the Chinese New Year varies each year because the Chinese Zodiac system is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar and not the solar or Gregorian calendar that is used in the West and internationally. Using the lunar calendar, the first day of the month begins on the new moon. Chinese New Year's day is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. This is why the specific date of the Chinese New Year changes every year but is always between January 21st and February 20th.
Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels
The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
There are twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and they go in a specific order. Every New Year it signifies the movement to the next animal in the cycle. The really interesting thing is that each animal year has lots of personality traits associated with it, and people born in that year are seen to be imbued with those particular traits.
What's Your Zodiac Sign?
The year you were born determines your Chinese zodiac sign, but, because it is based on the lunar calendar and not the solar, or gregorian calendar. People born in January or February have to pay special attention to their birth date as well as the year to make sure they get their Chinese zodiac sign correct as the exact date of the transition between animals varies every year. Here are the animals in the Chinese zodiac in order, starting with the year of the rat.
RAT - OX - TIGER- RABBIT - DRAGON - SNAKE - HORSE - GOAT - MONKEY - ROOSTER - DOG - PIG
Rat
People born in the year of the rat are highly organized and love saving money and collecting beautiful things. They are very discerning with the people they spend their time with. Rats don't like to be the centre of attention but are highly observant and very sensitive.
Ox
People born in the year of the ox are strong, quiet and very hard working. They have a strong sense of responsibility, and will always get the job done. They keep their emotions (and most other things) to themselves. If they run into difficulties, they always persevere. They don't lose their temper often but when they do, it is explosive.
Tiger
People born in the year of the tiger are highly protective, independent and are natural-born leaders. Justice is important to them and they are not afraid to fight to get it. In Chinese culture, tigers are believed to be the guardians of children so children often wear clothing, hats and shoes with tiger designs for protection.
Rabbit
People born in the year of the rabbit are gentle and kind. They are responsible and have great attention to detail. They are intelligent and excellent with their hands, making them excellent artists, craftsmen, builders and chefs. In Chinese culture, the rabbit represents the moon.
Dragon
The dragon is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. People born in the year of the dragon are mysterious and majestic. They are full of personality and love lives full of adventure. They are natural leaders and very charismatic. They will never lead a boring life. They are extremely ambitious and achieve great things. Dragons are a very revered creature in Chinese culture and represent royalty. Emperors were often seen as the reincarnation of dragons.
Snake
People born in the year of the snake are determined and devoted. They are rational, calm and thoughtful. They love solving complex problems and have many talents allowing them to be able to choose many different professions. Snakes are graceful and are loyal to all the people in their lives.
Horse
People born in the year of the horse are strong, powerful and elegant. They have great strength and enthusiasm. They love their freedom and have a strong sense of adventure. Horses are intelligent and quick-witted making them suitable for fast-paced professions as they can think on their feet and adapt to change.
Goat
People born in the year of the goat are loving, kind and gentle. They are lovers of animals, children and nature. They love to care for others because they are thoughtful and good-natured. They have many friends as they are great listeners and always understanding and kind.
Monkey
People born in the year of the monkey are highly intelligent, clever and adventurous. They are creative thinkers, have many interests and excel in many areas. They tend to be tricksters, but are good-natured. they are very sociable and humourous and are well-liked by their many friends. They make excellent leaders.
Rooster
People born in the year of the rooster are magnetic, confident and high energy. They love being the centre of attention and are charismatic, very sociable and successful. Roosters are intelligent, and organized, resourceful and courageous, they will lead an exciting life.
Dog
People born in the year of the dog are loyal, honest and kind. Because of their intense loyalty, they love to serve others. Warm-hearted, sensitive and generous, they always have many people around them who love them. They are dependable, intelligent and resilient, making them great friends and allies.
Pig
People born in the year of the pig are intelligent, generous and helpful. Sincere, romantic and generous, they have a laid back attitude and don't let things get to them. They are able to see the big picture and not get caught up in the details. They are calm and collected and are great at settling disputes.
RAT - OX - TIGER- RABBIT - DRAGON - SNAKE - HORSE - GOAT - MONKEY - ROOSTER - DOG - PIG
This cute image from cafeastrology.com
Being In Your Animal Year or Ben Ming Nian
Being in your birth year, or Ben Ming Nian in the Chinese zodiac happens every twelve years. You would think that when your animal rolls around that it would be a good thing, because it is YOUR animal so it must signify all kinds of good things for you, right?
Unfortunately, the opposite is true. It is considered a year that you have to be especially careful and where you are most predisposed to attacks from evil spirits and general misfortune. Good news though, something you can do to ward off any bad luck or calamity during your year is to wear red underwear every day. Yup, every day...
So why is it that being in your animal year is considered to be such bad luck? According to Chinese astrology, people in their animal year are believed to offend the 'God of Age' Tai Sui. Tai Sui is called a star, but is not in fact a star but roughly corresponds to Jupiter. Jupiter takes 11.86 years to orbit the earth and is an imaginary star that changes its position exactly 30 degrees each year, which means it orbits the earth exactly every twelve years.
The 'star' Tai Sui is said to bring back luck and misfortune to people in the zodiac year of the animal in which they were born. For example, if you were born in the year of the rat and you are presently in a rat year, you may be in for a rough year. Tai Sui eventually evolved into the God of Age and has been worshipped by many generations of Chinese. People offer the God of Age sacrifices to keep themselves safe from bad luck and offer blessings in their zodiac year. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can fend off bad luck in your zodiac year.
Getting Good Luck in Your Animal Year
Wear Red
Red is one of the luckiest colours in Chinese culture and is seen to ward off evil spirits and drive away bad luck. Red symbolizes prosperity, success, loyalty and happiness. Wearing red items like clothing, shoes, belts or socks in your animal year will bring you good luck and give you a better chance of having a good year. Red clothing will bring luck, but red underwear seems to really amplify red's luck producing effects. There is an important rule though to make sure that wearing red will have the desired effects - the red items (and especially the underwear) must NOT be bought by you, it must be bought by someone close to you like your spouse, family member or friend.
Photo by Castorly Stock on Pexels
Wear Jade
Wearing jade accessories like jewellery during your animal year is also seen to ward off evil spirits and encourage good luck.
Facing Away From Tai Sui
Because Tai Sui is seen to change position by 30 degrees every year, Chinese astrologers say that if you simply face away from the direction Tai Sui is presently occupying you can not only ward off bad luck, but you can bring good luck by simply facing in the opposite direction. Some Chinese take this seriously changing the position of furniture in their homes and sometimes where they live and work so they can be facing away from the God of Age and preserve their good luck for the entire year.
Origins of the Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese Zodiac or Sheng Xiao (生肖) is thought to have its origins in animal worship and dates back to the Qing dynasty, more than 200 years ago.
Legend has it that the creation of the Chinese zodiac comes from the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor is one of the most important deities in Chinese mythology. He is the ruler of heaven and the first emperor of China. He was renowned for his fairness, benevolence and mercy. Even in the present day, the Jade Emperor plays a significant role in Chinese life, especially during the New Year when the Jade Emperor is said to judge the character of each individual over the past year and reward or punish them accordingly.
The legend has it that the Jade Emperor summoned all the animals to his palace for a great feast, and they order in which they arrived determined their place in the zodiac.
The Chinese zodiac is extremely popular in China and the rest of Asia to this day and is an integral part of everyday life. The zodiac is used to determine what will happen during the year ahead, relationship compatibility, career and financial advice, the best time to have a baby and many aspects of daily life.
*Featured image by Min An on Pexels
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Welcome to the Year of the Monkey 2016
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
On February 8th 2016 we will bring in the Chinese year of the red, fire monkey. The year of the monkey will last until January 27, 2017. There are twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and the monkey is ninth in the order. There are twelve animals and five elements - fire, earth, metal, water and wood - and this year is the year of the fire monkey.
The Chinese new year falls on a different day every year because it is based on the lunar calendar. The lunar calendar is based on cycles of lunar phases unlike the solar calendar, the one used in the west which indicates the position of the earth in the suns orbit.
Below is the Chinese zodiac with the animals, their order and corresponding years...
This adorable Chinese zodiac from mykidsadventures.com
Monkey Years
1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Lucky Things for Monkeys
- Lucky numbers: 4 and 9
- Lucky days: the 14th and 28th of any Chinese lunar calendar month
- Lucky colors: white, blue, gold
- Lucky flowers: chrysanthemum, crape-myrtle
- Lucky directions: north, northwest, west
- Lucky months: Chinese lunar months 8 and 12
The Monkey Personality
The Chinese believe that the year that a person is born is significant because they are engendered with the qualities of the animal of that year. Monkey's are witty, inventive and intelligent. They are problem solvers and very independent, and often over achievers. Monkeys are playful and graceful with their movements and as a result, a pleasure to watch. Monkeys are natural tricksters and excellent at reading people and, if out of balance can be manipulative and opportunistic.
The monkey, holding the ninth position in the Chinese zodiac, it is associated with the 9th terrestrial branch (of the twelve terrestrial branches) and is called the "Shen" branch, which symbolizes limitless curiosity and and creative energy. Monkey's are strong willed, and natural tricksters. Monkeys also represent freedom of the mind - a mind free of inhibitions and guilt, which are uniquely human qualities. Because they are unbound by these attributes, monkeys have the unique ability to think outside the box, experimenting and pushing boundaries in ways that most wouldn't. They are risk takers, and often come up with brilliant solutions to difficult problems. Monkeys are fearless, and willing to take risks. This is why monkeys can do the impossible, as they do not see the limitations that would discourage others.
Monkeys are lively, talkative and highly sociable. Because of monkeys intelligence and skills in conversation he attracts a wide circle of friends. Monkeys are inquisitive, extremely curious and because of this, have a hard time staying in one place, or doing anything for an extended period of time. This makes monkeys prone to boredom and in need of constant stimulation to stay engaged and happy. Monkeys will succeed in any profession as they are intelligent, highly adaptable, able to think creatively and love a challenge.
This sassy image from sunsigns.org
The Fire Monkey
Under the influence of the fire element, these monkeys are energetic, self assured, expressive and honest. They are natural born leaders and innovators who have a competitive drive and tend to be at the top of their chosen profession. They are however prone to jealousy and can become domineering, wanting to be in complete control. Fire monkeys tend to be very healthy, with great strength and vitality. Inventive and intelligent, those born in the year of the fire monkey have boundless enthusiasm that they use to broaden their minds and acquire new skills.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Monkey
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Amadeo Modigliani
- Federico Fellini
- Pope John Paul II
- Harry S. Truman
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Mick Jagger
- Paul Gauguin
- Queen Sirkit of Thailand
- Bette Davis
- Charles Dickens
- John Milton
- George Lucas
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Diana Ross
- Joe Cocker
- Joan Crawford
- Julio Iglesias
- Danny De Vito
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Mel Gibson
- Nelson Rockefeller
- James Stewart
- Annie Oakley
- Jacques Tati
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Gustav Mahler
- Salvador Allende
- Ravi Sankar
- Charlie Parker
- Howard Cosell
- Arthur Hailey
- Isaac Stern
- Aubrey Beardsley
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Sylvia Plath
- François Truffaut
- Omar Sharif
- Anouk Aimee
- Peter O’Toole
- Louis Malle
Featured image from lacuadramagazine.com
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Welcome to the Year of the Monkey 2016 : Chinese Medicine Living