Tag: #Folklore

Chinese New Year – Tuesday, 1st February – Year of the Tiger

The Chinese New Year was celebrated Tuesday, 1st February and the celebration marks the end of the Year of the Ox and the start of the Year of the Tiger.

People whose birth dates occurred in the Year of the Tiger include those born in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022.

People born in the Year of the Tiger are characterised as being people born in years of the Tiger are vigorous and ambitious, daring and courageous, enthusiastic and generous, self-confident with a sense of justice and a commitment to help others for the greater good. However, they can sometimes be unpredictable, irritable, and overindulgent.

To discover what Chinese animal you are, please refer to the calendar wheel below.

All of the animals have favourable characteristics assigned to them:

  • Rat: Intelligence, adaptability, quick-wit, charm, artistry, gregariousness.
  • Ox: Loyalty, reliability, thoroughness, strength, reasonability, steadiness, determination.
  • Tiger: Enthusiasm, courage, ambition, leadership, confidence, charisma.
  • Rabbit: Trustworthiness, empathy, modesty, diplomacy, sincerity, sociability.
  • Dragon: Luckiness, flexibility, eccentricity, imagination, artistry, spirituality, charisma.
  • Snake: Philosophical, organised, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive, decisive.
  • Horse: Adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious, intelligent,  adventurous, strong.
  • Sheep: Tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming, intuitive, sensitive, calm.
  • Monkey: Quick-witted, charming, lucky, adaptable, bright, versatile, lively, smart.
  • Rooster: Honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse, confident.
  • Dog: Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady, lively, adaptable, smart.
  • Pig: Honorable, philanthropic, determined, optimistic, sincere, sociable.

The Chinese New Year always occurs on the night of the New Moon, when skies are at their darkest. Though celebrations often start the weekend before and continue for weeks after, only the first seven days, Jan. 31st to Feb. 6th, are considered public holidays.

The third day of Lunar New Year is known as Chi Kou Ri, or “Day of the Red Mouth.” Falling on Thursday, Feb. 3rd this year, it’s believed to be a time when arguments are more likely, so people tend to avoid social interactions and stay home or visit temples instead.

The Lantern Festival, a Chinese tradition celebrated on the first Full Moon of the year, signifying the end of the New Year season and is marked by the flying of paper lanterns and eating of turnip cakes and tangyuan, a Chinese dessert of sweet rice-ball dumplings. It occurs on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar — this year, it lands on Feb. 15th.

“In Chinese culture, the tiger is the symbol of bravery, wisdom and strength. But interestingly, the tiger is not mentioned in the Bible, while the lion, a Western astrological sign, is absent from the Chinese zodiac,” Qin said. “Different places and peoples have different cultures. This is only natural, but such differences should not prevent us from understanding, respecting and appreciating each other’s history, culture and tradition.” 🙂

On January 21st 2023, the Year of the Water Rabbit begins.

Animated image by: Megaport Media

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Chinese New Year – Friday 12th February – Year of the Ox

The Chinese New Year festival officially begins on February 12th, 2021, and ends on February 22nd. It will become the year of the Ox (牛). In China, it is known as the Spring Festival as the holiday marks the end of the coldest days. People welcome spring and what it brings along: planting and harvests, new beginnings and fresh starts.  The Chinese New Year always occurs with the New Moon and it is called the Lunar New Year, because countries such as North and South Korea and Vietnam celebrate it as well.

Fireworks and firecrackers are normally set off at the stroke of midnight to bring in the new year and drive away any potential misfortune. Some families ignite firecrackers on Chinese New Year’s Day morning when they open the door or before they go out, to bring good luck through the year. There will not be the firework displays and the great noise of firecrackers this year.

The years of the Ox are 1937; 1949; 1961; 1973; 1985; 1997 and this year 2021. The Ox is the second of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Ox was about to be the first to arrive, but Rat tricked Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox. Thus, Ox became the second animal. Here are all the twelve animals in their cycle:

In Chinese culture, the Ox is a valued animal. Because of its role in agriculture, positive characteristics, such as being hardworking and honest, are attributed to it. Oxen characteristics in humans are they are the hard workers in the background, intelligent and reliable, but never demanding praise. This often hides their talent, but they’ll gain recognition through their hard work.

Beyond the cycle of twelve animals, there are then sub divisions depending on what Elements are attributed to your year.

Elements & alleged fortunes for the Ox:

Element Year Fortune
Metal 1961, 2021 These Oxen face obstacles early on, although there are no financial worries. Friends and family aren’t much help, but they will be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement.
Water 1973, 2033 These Oxen have a comfortable early life and are respected their entire life. They will have a loving family, but it’s recommended to marry late.
Wood 1925, 1985 These Oxen are multitalented and live like a breeze. There are some difficulties in the beginning, but everything smooths out.
Fire 1937, 1997 These Oxen are friendly and social. There are no financial worries their entire life.
Earth 1949, 2009 These Oxen are detailed and like being the leader. They’re usually are make a lot of money, but can’t seem to hold onto it. However, they are able to slow down and enjoy their later years.

Men born in the Ox year are said to be reliable and trustworthy. They put their entire heart into everything they do. They feel great responsibility towards their family as well. However, due to their confidence (almost arrogance), they don’t allow anyone to go against their rules. They hold your children to high expectations, even though it might be unrealistic.

Women born in the Ox year are said to be calm and gentle. They will never surrender to fate and rarely think of choosing an alternative. This no doubt leads to a life of struggles. But no matter what, they will walk down the road they choose until the end. Despite this stubbornness, they think and react quickly.

Compatibility

Most compatible with Ox: Rat, Snake, Rooster

Rat’s fixed Earthly Branch is water, while Ox is earth. They have complementing personalities and hold the same goals in life.
Snake and Rooster fit Ox nicely as well. Not only will Snakes give warmth and romance, they offer help and support in work too. Honest and loyal, they can also be attracted to the Rooster’s soft and loving heart.

Least compatible with Ox: Goat, Horse, Dog

The Earthly Branches of Goat and Ox clash strongly. They can tolerate each other’s differences, but there will always be tension.
Horses have a free and wild spirit, and may not have a serious attitude toward life. This is the opposite of an Ox’s personality. With Dogs, it’s hard to find common ground.

Careers Fit for Oxen:

Oxen often group family and work together. They look for long-term and steady work. Because of this, they are studious in school and perform well in every subject. This helps build a strong support for any future career path.
Because of their low-key personality, a stable job is the best for Oxen. Their strong sense of responsibility also makes them the perfect candidate for professional and stressful jobs. These include doctors, lawyers, businessmen and teachers. With their technical skills and effort, they can receive society’s recognition and reach their own standards.
No matter what career they choose, it must something they are really interested in. Though they may be okay with any job that fits their skills, they should take the time to find something they love. Only in a stable environment that matches their passions, are they able to find their true calling.

Health and Lifestyle:

Like the wild oxen that run freely in the fields, people of the Ox year are healthy and fit. Hospital visits are rare, but this sometimes leads to overconfidence. Neglect during youth will result in problems in the later years.
As workaholics, Oxen will sometimes go days with minimal food and rest, then binge on both. Irregular diets will lead to indigestion and problems with the digestive system. Irregular exercise is what causes you to fall ill with “random” ailments.
Once they reach the middle ages, there is high risk of heart disease. Strokes are another risk. In addition, they commonly suffer from joint pain.
Most of these issues stem from irregular exercise. For a healthy life, they need to remember to take breaks from work, stretch and relax.