The Lunar New Year starts today, and it’s the Year of the Tiger, but which one?
In Chinese astrology, each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal sign and one the Five Elements: Gold (Metal), Water, Wood, Fire, or Earth. Both the sign and element of your birth year are said to affect your personality and destiny. Once again, this year’s elemental sign is water – so we are celebrating Water Tiger.
(Please be aware that once again, Mr. Teeny and I will be celebrating Chinese New Year recklessly this Year of the Tiger, by shooting firecrackers in public locations for the next two weeks. Please also remember that people in China don’t call it Chinese New Year, it’s Lunar New Year; other countries celebrate Lunar New Year as well.)
According to a Chinese legend, Nüwa is the goddess who created the world. She created certain animals on different days, hence each day is considered the birthday of the corresponding animal.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, she created chickens. Legend also has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Lunar Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality.
People born under the ‘water tiger’ are said to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others. But sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, and overindulgent. Chinese horoscopes say that, just as last year, this year of your birth sign is not the luckiest, so famous people born in the year of tiger, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lady Gaga, and Shawn Mendes need to watch out and avoid the color brown, gold, and silver and the numbers six, seven and eight.
This year Tigers may find luck in some areas of their life, but others will require hard work to avoid potential pitfalls. There’ll be no shortage of problems for tigers to solve, but if they like changes to spice up their life, this may be the year for you.
It is also believed that the Tiger is most compatible with the Horse, the Dog, or the Pig, but least compatible with the Ox, the Snake, the Goat, and the Monkey.
The world’s largest annual human migration is now well underway as the 2.8 billion usual trips are made across China (before COVID concerns cut back the number of trips,) in what is known as Chunyun, when students, migrant workers and office employees living away from home will make the journey back to celebrate with their families.
Demand Euphoria!
The Haus of Dcaligari 