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January 23, 2004
Happy Chinese New Year
As some of you may have already worked out, yesterday was the first day of Chinese New Year - The Year of the Green (Wood) Monkey. For those who were not already aware of it, the Chinese Lunar calendar follows a 60 year cycle (not a 12 year as many people mistakenly believe). There are 12 animals (Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Pig, Rat, Cow) and 5 elements (Metal/Gold, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) giving a total of 60 years. More information is available for general theory and specific details of the Stem-Branch cycle*.
For the mildly curious, there is a site where you can plug in your birthday and get an instant analysis. Personally I find it really hard to believe that the time of your birth can be all that binding. What about your name instead?
[* I know the reference shows 10 and 12 but the 10 elements are actually in pairs (male / female) and they alternate. Hence the odd numbered animals (1, 3, 5, ...) always attach to the male element and the even number ones attach to the female element. Most on-line references assume that you already know this without any clarification. Now you know better and can confidentially point out that the year of the 'Golden Dragon' - 2000 was a male year but the Golden Rabbit - 1999 was a female year.]
Posted by Ozguru at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
I should have elaborated the cycle a little better:
- 2000 = Gold Dragon (also 1940)
- 2001 = Water Snake (1941)
- 2002 = Water Horse (1942)
- 2003 = Wood Sheep (1943)
- 2004 = Wood Monkey (1944)
- 2005 = Fire Chicken (1945)
- 2006 = Fire Dog (1946)
- 2007 = Earth Pig (1947)
- 2008 = Earth Rat (1948)
- 2009 = Gold Cow (1949)
- 2010 = Gold Tiger (1950)
Don't forget that the Chinese year generally starts in February so if you were born in January it was probably last year :-)
Posted by: ozguru at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
I spent more time on that site than necessary - and I still haven't figured out if it will be a good year or ho hum. :-) After all of that, I think I don't want to know now.
Posted by: Cindy at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
Huge oversimplification: If you are a monkey then this year will be good for you (AFAIK). The deal seems to be that your corresponding year is normally good. Your corresponding element is normally good. Exception: water and fire do not mix. So a water chicken will have a bad year in 2005 (same animal, inverted element).
It is really a lot more complicated than I have suggested. In my case, my year, month, day and hour (the four 'keys') all match and my element and animal are reinforcing. That is the attributes of the animal and the element match. Think of someone born on say the cusp of Aries / Taurus - yet get the 'bull in a china shop' combined with the 'stubbornness of a goat'. Not a good mixture (but I have it). Now find the equivalent thing in the Chinese Zodiac and I get that as well. Oh well.
If you follow some of the links on those pages to the 'Lucky Element' section there is some confusing explanations about the mitigation and offset effects of various elements for the year. The deal is that you want a balanced score across all categories which is a reflection of the Chinese / Taoist / Buddhist concept of 'balance' and 'keeping to the centre'.
Posted by: ozguru at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
An auspicious year to you all.
The Chinese new year is upon us, as Ozguru at G'Day Mate has reminded us. So I will extend a wish to all my readers for an auspicious Year of the Green Monkey to you. Those who want to see...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
An auspicious year to you all.
The Chinese new year is upon us, as Ozguru at G'Day Mate has reminded us. So I will extend a wish to all my readers for an auspicious Year of the Green Monkey to you. Those who want to see...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 23, 2004 07:01 AM
