RAT
- 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984
You are imaginative, charming and very generous to those you love, though
you do have the tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You
will be happy as a writer, critic or publicist.
OX
- 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985
You are a born leader, and you inspire confidence in those around you.
Be careful about being too demanding. You are also methodical and good
with your hands. You will make a good surgeon, general or hairdresser.
TIGER - 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986
You are sensitive, emotional and capable of great love, but you tend to
be stubborn about what you think is right. You will make an excellent
boss, explorer or race car driver.
RABBIT
- 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987
You are affectionate, cooperative and always pleasant, and people like
to be around you. You can, however, get too sentimental and seem superficial.
You will make a successful businessperson, lawyer, diplomat or actor.
DRAGON - 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988
You are full of life and enthusiasm, and you are a very popular individual
with a reputation for being fun-loving. You will make a good artist, priest
or politician.
SNAKE
- 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989
You are wise and charming. You are romantic and a deep thinker, but you
tend to procrastinate and be a bit stingy about money. You will make a
good teacher, writer or psychiatrist.
HORSE - 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990
You are amazingly hard-working and very independent. Although you are
intelligent and friendly, you can sometimes be a bit selfish. You will
find success as an adventurer, scientist or poet.
SHEEP
- 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991You are charming, elegant and
artistic, and you like material comforts. You also have a tendency to
complain about things and worry too much. You will make a good actor,
gardener or beachcomber.
MONKEY - 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992
You are very intelligent, clever and well-liked by everyone. You will
have success in any field you try.
ROOSTER
- 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993
You are a hard worker and definite in your decisions. You are not afraid
to speak your mind, and you may seem boastful. You will make a good restaurant
owner, publicist or world traveler.
DOG
- 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994
You are honest and faithful to those you love, but you tend to worry too
much and find fault with others. You will make an excellent businessperson,
teacher or secret agent.
PIG - 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995
You are a good friend because you are sincere, tolerant and honest, but
you may be terribly disappointed by expecting the same from others. You
will thrive in the arts as an entertainer, or you may make a great lawyer.
Content on this page was compiled from information on TCU’s Chinese Web site (www.chinese.tcu.edu).
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Year of the Snake By Maliha Suleman This Chinese New Year will be a fairly quiet affair for Joel Sandhu since he’s far away from his home, Hong Kong, and won’t be a part of the festivities. Sandhu, a freshman business major, said he’s going to miss the dragon dances and even more so, the chance to celebrate with family and friends. For many Americans, New Year’s means attending a party where everyone is decked out in evening wear, holding champagne glasses and mingling. However, the Chinese New Year is nothing close to that picture. Welcome to Chinese New Year 101 — a crash course. This year is the Year of the Snake. The Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. This calendar is yearly like the Western calendar, but the start of the lunar year is based on the cycles of the moon. Thus, the beginning of the year can fall sometime between late January and mid-February. This is why the New Year is celebrated on a different date every year. Sandhu said there is a legend attached to the concept of the 12 animals that act as a symbol for each Chinese New Year. “Lord Buddha called upon all the animals to come to him before he departed from Earth, and only 12 of the animals came to bid him farewell,” Sandhu said. “He honored each of them with a year.” The animals appeared to him in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. These animals symbolize the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, he said. Mike Xu, assistant professor of Chinese, said the
Chinese New Year is the biggest celebration in Chinese tradition. Xu developed a tentative TCU Chinese Web page (www.chinese.tcu.edu), with information on the Chinese language and the culture. He said there is still more to add to the page. According to information gathered from links on the TCU Chinese Web page, the unveiling of traditions and festivities related to the New Year begin 22 days prior to its eve and continue for another 15 days.Each of the 15 days holds a special significance. On the 15th day, the Lantern Festival brings a close to the festivities and marks the end of the New Year season. On this day, colorful lanterns are displayed at most temples, but the dragon and lion dances are what enthrall people the most. Pounding drums, cymbals and brass instruments add the punch in the dances of the 100-foot dragons. Alice Wang, a senior interior design major who celebrates Chinese New Year, said the main significance of the New Year celebration is to come together with family during a time of rejoice and cooking. “Even children get to stay up late at night,” she said. Sandhu said ancestors play a big role, and he said sometimes people leave offerings under a plaque. “It is all about inviting good fortune and prosperity, as well as getting together with family,” Sandhu said. He said some traditions include dragon and lion dances, marching bands and painting words of good wishes on red scrolls of paper to put on the door. Wang said she received little red packets from her elders that had money in them. “(The red packets) are called lay see,” Sandhu said, “Red is a very important color, and the packets are to bring happiness and good luck.” Another tradition during the Chinese New Year is to play games. “Sometimes children were allowed to participate in little gambling games with dice,” Wang said. No festival is complete without a feast of sumptuous food. From the 10th day to the 12th day of the season, friends and relatives are invited for dinner, Sandhu said. “Lo pal koe is definitely my favorite because it’s a sort of sweet dish made from radish,” he said. Sandhu also said other popular traditional foods include jai, a vegetarian dish, and nian gao, a sweet, steamed rice pudding. Roasted chicken, pork and duck with Chinese rice are also part of the Chinese traditional dinner, he said. According to the TCU Chinese Web page, many Chinese do not conform to superstitions, but some do believe in practicing certain precautionary customs during this season that are believed to provide continuity with the past and give the family an identity. “Some people avoid sweeping or cleaning the house on one of the days because good fortune may be swept away,” Sandhu said. According to information gathered from links on the TCU Chinese Web page, debts must be paid off and people should refrain from using foul language or unlucky words. In addition, knives or scissors must not be used for it may cut good fortune. Xu said it’s not only people from China that observe the Chinese New Year. “One thing to note is a lot of people in Japan, Korea, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries celebrate this festival,” Xu said. “If they follow the Confucius teachings, they celebrate the Chinese New Year.”Other students, like Sandhu, may miss the celebration this year because they are away from home, but the spirit underlying the occasion is what makes the difference, he said. Maliha Suleman |