Chinese New Year and Mystical Chinese Astrology

The most important traditional festival among Chinese, is the  Spring Festival or commonly known as the Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year, because the Chinese, follow the lunisolar calendar cycle. The Chinese Pinyin: Chun Jieor Spring season starts with the first solar term in Chinese calendar year. The Chinese Spring Festival begins on day one of the month,or in traditional Chinese terms known as Zheng Yue and the festival ends on the fifteenth day of the month and called the Lantern Festival, and also considered as major holiday for all the Chinese who had a strong influence among its neighboring countries. These includes Korea (Korean Seollal) and in Bhutan (Bhutanese Losar),  Vietnam (Tet Nguyen Dan), Thailand (Songkran), Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar or Qagan Sar means White Moon or White Month) and in Japan (Shogatsu). During the Chinese New Year, it is the time for their Chuxi or “Eve of the Passing Year” , the most important family reunion gathering, which every member family gathers once a year.

1) Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year starts on January 23, 2011 ; Sin Ngen Kai Lok (Hakka), Slin Nen Fai Lok (Taishanese), Gong Xi Fa Cai (traditional Pin yin), Keong Hee Huat Chye (Hokkien), Gung Hei Faat Coi (Cantonese) and so Kung Hei Fat Choi to all or Chinese friends in many parts of the world.

2) Feng Shui Five Elements, Five Movements or Five Steps or stages, is the traditional Chinese beliefs in ancient Chinese fields of mnemonic device (learning techniques that helps the memory, and improve memorization, and involves long and short memory). The five elements are:

Wood (Chinese, pinyin: mu)

Fire (Chinese, pinyin: huo)

Earth (Chinese, pinyin: tu)

Metal (Chinese, pinyin: jin)

Water (Chinese, pinyin: shui)

3)  Feng Shui or Fung Shui is a Chinese geomancy system using the both Heaven and Earth laws by helping how to improve an individual person’s life by receiving positive  qi energy ( chi or ch’i) which means “life energy, life force or energy flow”, in qi translation as breath, air or gas.

4)   Feng Shui Lucky Charm symbols attracting wealth and fortune into your home:

5)  Four Chinese Constellations Symbols or Si Xiang are the four constellation elements of the Chinese mythology in Cultural history, folktales and religious beliefs with the four Chinese creatures symbol.

Azure Dragon (Wadang Ginglong) of the East

Vermilion Bird of the South

White Tiger of the West

Black Tortoise of the North

6) Four Saintly Beasts Symbols (Vietnam) : The Four Saint Beasts are the Four symbol protecting the Four Directions of Vietnam : The East (Long), West (Lan), North (Quy) and the South (Phung). The four symbols of Vietnam is based on the Chinese mythology “Qin Long, Baittu, Xuan Wu, and Zhu Que“. The Chinese mythical hooved and popular creature in East Asia culture and traditions, brings good omen (serenity and prosperity), and also known as the Chinese unicorn. Quy is the giant tortoise also resembles as the Chinese Black tortoise, while the Fenghuang or the Chinese Phoenix bird, a mythological birds of East Asia, reign all over the birds. August Rooster is the other name for Fenghuang.

Qin Long (Dragon  Symbol)

Lan or Qilin

Quy Symbol

  Chinese Zodiac Animals or Shengxiao are animal sign that relates to the 12 year mathematical cycle scheme using the zodiac term that reflecting similarities in western zodiac signs, associated with the country’s cultures and beliefs, personality and events of everyday life. The difference of the Chinese zodiac, is that, the cycle is divided into years than in months. The Chinese Rat starts the cycle of the Chinese zodiac and astrology.

7)  Year of the Rat (or Mouse): People born under the sign of Rat bear the elemental sign of the Five Elements or Five Phases (Wu Xing).

Person born on the Year of the Rat: January 1900- February 1901(Metal Rat), February 1912-February 1913(Water Rat), February 1924-January 1925 (Wood Rat), January 1936-February 1937 (Fire Rat), February 1948-January 1949 ( Earth Rat), January 1960-February 1961 (Metal Rat), February 1972-February 1973 (water rat), February 1984-February 1985 (wood rat), February 191996-February 1997 (Fire rat), February 2008-January 2009 (Earth rat), January 2020-February 2021 (Metal rat). Fixed element is water, Gemstone is Garnet, equivalent western sign is Sagittarius. “Rat” person are meticulous, sensitive, intense, intellectual, industrious, artistic and sociable, but sometimes they can be vindictive, can manipulate other people, envious, self-destructive, intolerant and ruthless.

Year of the Ox (or Water Buffalo in Vietnam): Person born on the following Ox year are from January 1889-January 1890 (Earth Ox), February 1901-February 1902 (Metal Ox), February 1913-January 1914 (Water Ox), January 1925- February 1926 (Wood Ox), February 1937-January 1938 (Fire Ox), January 1949-February 1950 (Earth Ox), February 1961-February 1962 (Metal Ox), February 1973-January 1974 (Water Ox), February 1985- February 1986 (Wood Ox), Feb 1997-January 1998 (Fire Ox), February 2021-January 2022 (Metal Ox), January 2033-February 2034 (Water Ox)

Person born under the Year of the Ox’s Western zodiac sign equivalent is Capricorn and birth gem stone is the Aquamarine. Ox person are dependable, ambitious, calm, born leader, patient, hardworking, modest, logical but also they can be stubborn, dogmatic, hot-tempered, selfish, aggressive and moody. Birthstone is Aquamarine gem stone and lucky color is violet. Capricorn is the equivalent western zodiac sign.

9) Year of the Tiger: Born under this sign in the years; February 1902-January 1903 (Water Tiger), January 1914-February 1915 (Wood tiger), February 1926-February 1927 (Fire tiger), January 1938-February 1939 (Earth Tiger), February 1950-February 1951 (Metal Tiger), February 1962-January 1963 (Water tiger), January 1974-February 1975 (Wood tiger), February 1986-January 1987 (Fire tiger), January 1998-February 199 (Earth tiger), February 2010-February 2011 (Metal tiger), February 2022-January 2023 (Water tiger), February 2034-February 2035 (Wood tiger).

Person born under the Year of the Tiger are unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, moody, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, quick-tempered, selfish and impatient. Tiger person’s gem stone is Sapphire, and lucky color is green and blue. The western zodiac equivalent is Aquarius.

10) Year of the Hare (Rabbit): (Cat in Vietnam) Born under Rabbit or Hare sign are from; 1903-1904 (Water Hare)m 1915-1916 (Wood hare), 1927-1928 (Fire hare), 1939-1940 (Earth hare), 1951-1952 (Metal hare), 1963-1964 (Water hare), 1975-1976 (Wood hare), 1987-1988 (Fire hare), 1999-2000 (Earth hare), 2011-2012 (Metal hare), 2023-2024 (Water hare), 2035-2036 (Wood hare).

Person born under the Year of the Rabbit or Hare are good friend, passionate, kind, sensitive, elegant, reserved and cautious, artistic and generous, but sometimes they can be moody, self-indulgent, stubborn, opportunistic and detached. Their lucky color is grey and lucky gem stone is pearl. Their equivalent western zodiac is the Pisces.

11) Year of the Dragon: Dragon person are born on the years; 1904-1905 (Wood Dragon), 1916-1917 (Fire dragon), 1928-1929 (Earth dragon), 1940-1941 (Metal dragon), 1952-1953 (Water dragon), 1964-1965 (Wood dragon), 1976-1977 (Fire dragon), 1988-1989 (Earth dragon), 2000-2001 (Metal dragon), 2012-2013 (Water dragon), 2024-2025 (Wood dragon).

Year of the Dragon lucky color is red and the lucky gem stone is Ruby gem. The western zodiac sign equivalent of person born under the Year of the Dragon is the Aries.

12) Year of the Snake: Person born under the Year of the Snake are from the year: 1905-1906 (Wood snake), 1917-1918 (Fire snake), 1929-1930 (Earth snake), 1941-1942 (Metal snake), 1953-1954 (Water snake), 1965-1966 (Wood snake), 1977-1978 (Fire snake), 1989-1990 (Earth snake), 2001-2002 (Metal snake), 2013-2014 (Water snake), 2025-2026 (Wood snake), 2037-2038 (Fire snake).

13)  Year of the Horse : Person born on the Year of the Horse are the following years: 1906-1907 (Fire horse), 1918-1919 (Earth horse), 19301931 (Metal horse), 1942-1943 (Water horse), 1954-1955 (Wood horse), 1966-1967 (Fire horse), 1978-1979 (Earth horse), 1990-1991 (Metal horse), 2002-2003 (Water horse), 2014-2015 (Wood horse, 2026-2027 (Fire horse).

Person born under the Year of the Horse, are cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, talkative, perceptive, agile, intelligent, astute, flexible, open-minded, but sometimes they can be fickle-minded, arrogant, childish, rude, anxious, gullible and stubborn. Lucky gem stone is Topaz and the lucky color is Magenta.

14) Year of the Sheep / Goat: Person born under the Year of the Goat or Sheep are born on; 1907-1908 (Fire goat), 1919-1920 (Earth goat), 1931-1932 (Metal goat), 1943-1944 (Water goat), 1955-1956 (Wood goat), 1967-1968 (Fire goat), 1979-1980 (Earth goat), 1991-1992 (Metal goat), 2003-2004 (Water goat), 2015-2016 (Wood goat).

The person born under the Year of the Goat or Sheep are righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, observant, artistic, intellectual, innovative, generous, peaceful and creative. But sometimes Goat person can be shy, pessimistic, indecisive, sensitive, over-passive and stressful. Their equivalent western zodiac sign is Cancer and their luck gem stone is Emerald. Their lucky colors are purple and pink.

15)  Year of the Monkey: Person born in the Year of the Monkey signs are on; 1908-1909 (Earth monkey), 1920-1921 (Metal monkey), 1932-1933 (Water monkey), 1944-1945 (Wood monkey), 1956-1957 (Fire monkey), 1968-1969 (Earth monkey), 1980-1981 (Metal monkey), 1992-1993 (Water monkey), 2004-2005 (Wood monkey), 2016-2017 (Fire monkey), 2028-2029 (Earth monkey).

Person born in the Year of the Monkey are sociable, artistic, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, flexible, polite, dignified, problem-solver, self-assured, competitive factual and innovative. However, person born in Monkey signs can be snobbish, stubborn, suspicious, vain, arrogant, selfish and egoistic. Their lucky colors are gold and yellow. The lucky gem stones for person born under the monkey sign is Peridot gems, and their western zodiac equivalent is the Leo zodiac sign.

16) Year of the Rooster: Rooster people are born on; 1909-1910 (Earth roster), 1921-1922 (Metal rooster), 1933-1934 (Water rooster), 1945-1946 (Wood rooster), 1957-1958 (Fire rooster), 1969-1970 (Earth rooster), 1981-1982 (Metal rooster), 1993-1994 (Water rooster), 2005-2006 (Wood rooster), 2017-2018 (Fire rooster), 2029-2030 (Earth rooster).

Person born in the Year of the Rooster are meticulous, neat, organized, conservative, perfectionist, self-assured, practical and alert. But they can be egotistical, proud, abrasive, over zealous and puritanical. The lucky color of the Year of the Horse person is peach and apricot, The lucky birthstone is citrine gem stone. Their western zodiac sign equivalent is the Virgo zodiac sign.

17) Year of the Dog: Person born under the Year of the Dog are on; 1886-1887 (Fire dog), 1898-1899 (Earth dog), 1910-1911 (Metal dog), 1922-1923 (Water dog), 1934-1935 (Wood dog), 1946-1947 (Fire dog), 1958-1959 (Earth dog), 1970-1971 (Metal dog), 1982-1983 (Water dog), 1994-1995 (Wood dog), 2006-2007 (Fire dog), 2018-2019 (Earth dog), 2030-2031 (Metal dog).

Person born under the Year of the Dog sign are honest, intelligent, fair, attractive, sociable, loyal, straight-forward, but can be lazy, cynical, pessimistic, quarrelsome, worries a lot, and cold. The lucky birthstone is diamond, lucky color is yellow. The western zodiac sign equivalent is the Libra zodiac sign.

18)  Year of the Pig:(Boar in Japan, Elephant in Northern Thailand) Born under the Year of the Pg animal sign are born on; 1899-1900 (Earth pig), 1911-1912 (Metal pig), 1923-1924 (Water pig), 1935-1936 (Wood pig), 1947-1948 (Fire pig), 1959-1960 (Earth pig), 1971-1972 (Metal pig), 1983-1984 (Water pig), 1995-1996 (Wood pig), 2007-2008 (Fire pig), 2019-2020 (Earth pig).

The lucky color for person born under the Year of the Pig sign is dark blue, and the lucky birthstone is Ruby gem stone. The western equivalent zodiac sign is the Scorpio and Sagittarius zodiac signs.

19)  Chinese Astrology is based on the Chinese traditional calendar and astronomy based on the Five Classical Planets related with the Wu Xing. The five planets are:

Venus  – Metal (White Tiger)

Jupiter – Wood  (Azure Dragon)

Mercury – Water (Black Tortoise)

Mars – Fire (Vermilion bird, it can maybe compared or may not with the Phoenix bird, an Imperial symbol like the Dragon in the Chinese mythology).

Saturn – Earth ( Yellow Dragon)

Many Chinese believed that the Chinese Astrology can determine every individual’s destiny or fate, according to planet’s position, birth date and zodiac sign,  depending on the sun, moon and comet’s position.

20)  Lantern Festival, is celebrated on the Fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year which ends the Lunar year.