Happy Chinese New Year,

Today came New Year in China and new animal year after the calendar.
Unlike western calendars, the Chinese calendar has names that are repeated every 60 years.  Within the 'Stem-Branch' system is shorter cycle of 12 years denoted by animals and 2011 is the year of the Rabbit.  Actually, this is the Xīn-măo 辛卯 year.  Xīn (Metal) is the eighth of the ten celestial stems and Mao (Rabbit) is the fourth of the twelve terrestrial branches and marks the year of the Rabbit or Hare. Chinese New Year begins according to the Chinese calendar which consists of both Gregorian and lunar-solar calendar systems. Because the track of the new moon changes from year to year, Chinese New Year can begin anytime between late January and mid-February. Below is a chart that shows the beginning day of Chinese New Year and the animal sign for that year. More about when starts Chinese New Year and what animal year it will be can be found out here. More about it all can be read here and here :) There can be also read horoscope what this year will bring you. Will the year be good or bad. Horoscope can be founded here. Information about Chinese New Year can also be found in Wikipedia. There are a lot written about it.

Another dimension of the Chinese zodiac is the 5 'Terrestrial' elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth.
If the year ends in 0 it is Yang Metal.
If the year ends in 1 it is Yin Metal.
If the year ends in 2 it is Yang Water.
If the year ends in 3 it is Yin Water.
If the year ends in 4 it is Yang Wood.
If the year ends in 5 it is Yin Wood.
If the year ends in 6 it is Yang Fire.
If the year ends in 7 it is Yin Fire.
If the year ends in 8 it is Yang Earth.
If the year ends in 9 it is Yin Earth.

Chinese New Year 2011 - The Year Of The Rabbit

Will and Guy have researched the place of the rabbit in the Chinese zodiac and this is what we have found for CNY 2011.

• People born under the sign of the rabbit are traditionally thought to be gentle, sensitive, modest, and merciful and have a strong memory.
• They like to communicate with others in a humorous manner.
• They cannot bear dull life, so they are good at creating romantic or interesting situations but they lack meditative abilities and often sink money into ideas that may cause failures in their career.
• People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious.
• They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste.
• Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky.
• They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind.
• Rabbit people seldom lose their temper.
• They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract.
• They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise.

Year of the Rabbit - The Legend of the Jade Rabbit.                                                                             In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead, jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

A Chinese Rabbit Folk Tale
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the Song State, China. When he was working in a field, he saw a rabbit running past him, then it broke its neck on a tree and died. The farmer grabbed the dead rabbit and made a stew. it was delicious.
After that, the farmer didn't want to work on his field anymore. He just sat next to that same tree and waited for a rabbit to smash itself and die.
Unfortunately, there were no more rabbits after wards and the farmer's field grew nothing but weeds. The moral of this story from China is that nothing can be achieved without either working or paying.

 Happy Chinese New Year!!!