..::Chinese New Year::.. (Happy Year of The Tiger)

[dreamlikediana]

Happy Chinese New Year

I know today is Valentines Day, but it is also Chinese New Year. This year, 2010, is the Year of the Tiger.

Roar.

 

[dreamlikediana]

What Is It?

Chinese New Year is not only celebrated by the Chinese, it is celebrated by all Asian Elasticities. They follow the lunar calendar, and the new year comes on a new day each year. The days vary from late January and late February.

The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated for 15 days.

So if you were born early on in the year before the Chinese New Year, you are not the year you were born in but the year before you.

Example:

I was born on February 2nd, 1992. Instead, I am February 2, 1991. So usually if i was 1992 i would be the year of the Monkey, but instead I'm the Sheep/Goat.

 

[dreamlikediana]

The Story of How It All Began

**Some of you may know this story from popular manga Fruits Basket**


There are several legends about how the animals were chosen for the Chinese zodiac. This is one of them. The Jade Emperor is the name of the Emperor of Heaven.

Long ago, in China, the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time. On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race. The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them.

All the animals lined up along the river bank. The rat and the cat, who were good friends, were worried because they were poor swimmers. Being clever they asked the strong ox if he would carry them across the river.

'Of course' said the kind ox. 'Just climb on my back and I will take you across.'

The rat and the cat quickly jumped up and were very excited when the ox soon took the lead in the race. They had almost reached the other bank when the rat pushed the cat into the river leaving him to struggle in the water. Then just before the ox was about to win the race the rat leapt on his head and on to the bank to finish first.

'Well done,' said the Jade Emperor to the proud rat. 'The first year of the zodiac will be named after you.'

The poor ox had been tricked into second place and the second year of the zodiac was named after him.

Shortly after the exhausted tiger clawed his way to the river bank to claim third place. Swimming across the river had been an enormous struggle for him against the strong currents. The Emperor was so delighted with his efforts that he named the third year after him.

Next to arrive was the rabbit, who hadn't swum across at all. He hopped across on some stepping stones and then found a floating log which carried him to the shore.

'I shall be very happy to call the fourth year after you,' the surprised Jade Emperor explained.

Just then a kind dragon swooped down to take fifth place.

'Why didn’t you win the race, as you can fly as well as swim?' the Jade Emperor asked.

'I was held up because some people and animals needed water to drink. I needed to make some rain,' the dragon explained. 'Then when I was nearly here I saw a poor little rabbit on a log in the water and I blew a puff of wind so that the log would float to the river bank.'

'Well that was very kind of you and now you are here you will have the fifth year of the zodiac named after you.'

The next thing the Jade Emperor heard was the sound of the horse’s hooves. Just as he was thinking the horse would be the next animal to arrive, a sneaky snake wriggled out from around one of the horse’s hooves. The horse was so surprised that he jumped backwards giving the snake a chance to take the sixth place in the race. The poor horse had to be satisfied with seventh place.

Not long afterwards a raft arrived carrying the goat, the monkey and the rooster. They explained to the Emperor how they had shared the raft that the rooster had found. The goat and monkey had cleared weeds and pushed the raft to the shore. The Emperor was very pleased that the animals had worked together. He said the goat would be the eighth zodiac animal, the monkey the ninth and the rooster the tenth.

The next animal to finish was the dog.

'Why are you so late when you are one of the best swimmers?' asked the Jade Emperor.

'The water in the river was so clean that I had to have a bath on the way,' explained the dog.

His reward was to have the eleventh year named after him.

Now there was one place left in the zodiac and the Emperor wondered when the last winner would come. He had nearly given up when he heard a grunt from the boar.

'You took a long time to cross the river,' said the Emperor to the boar.

'I was hungry and stopped to eat,' explained the boar. 'After the meal I felt so tired that I fell asleep.'

'You have still done well,' said the Jade Emperor. 'The last year of the zodiac will be named after you.'

As for the cat who had been pushed into the water by the rat, he finally crawled out of the water but was too late to have a year named after him. He felt very cross with the rat and since then cats have never been friends with rats.

From that day to this the Chinese Zodiac has followed this cycle of years named after these twelve animals.


Or...


The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the twelve years after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."

 

[dreamlikediana]

Find Out Your Sign!

Either one of these website will tell you your zodiac sign, they are safe. Just put in your birthday and press submit. Some will tell you more than others. :3 They are all different Websites, and are all safe. Enjoy!!!!

Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac

Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac.

Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac

Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac.

Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac

 

[dreamlikediana]

More Links about/for the Chinese New Year

New Year
When Is Chinese New Year?
Wikipedia Chinese New Year
Wikipedia Chinese Zodiac
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Pig

 

[dreamlikediana]

Oh P.S.

i'm not Chinese, i'm half Japanese. so i got all this stuff from knowledge i learned from friends, and some websites which i noted.

if you have anything more to add, make sure it's correct and drop me a note i'll post it up.

other than that, post, enjoy, share :3

happy Chinese new year.

 

[dreamlikediana]

-PrimaCzarina-

[[I'm a horse. -accidentally voted rat in the poll. ^^;-

"Very hardworking and independent. Will work on and on until a job is finished. Very intelligent, ambitious and expect to succeed. Can cope with several projects at once. Easily fall in love."

I think it's pretty accurate -- vague but accurate. xD]]

・・・・・★
─┼──────┼─
Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not seek the answers which cannot be given you...

yeahh if you click on different ones you might figure it out more, or search google. i used to think i was the monkey because of 1992, but nope. i'm the sheep/goat and it's really accurate for me :3

glad.

...because you would not be able to live them. The point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, and live along some distant day into the answer.
─┼──────┼─
★・・・・・

 

[-PrimaCzarina-]

[[Oh, no I was expecting vague. All zodiac stuff is vague to keep people thinking it's more accurate than it is.

But I like that the Chinese Zodiac changes as time goes by which would keep it more astronomically accurate.
Like, the other zodiac (the cancer, libra, gemini one) was calculated so long ago that the positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies that the whole thing is based on have changed so drastically that there's no way it can be right anymore (right as in by the standards on which it was designed).

And, do you want me to delete my first post? It's kind of in the middle of your stuff. Sorry about that. ^^;]]

 

[dreamlikediana]

I'm the year of the Sheep/Goat.

This is what I found out about myself, I'm going to bold what pertains to me. :3

Elegant, artistic and good-natured. Inclined to worry too much. Peace-lovers who prefer to avoid disagreements. Others may put upon them, but they are stronger than they seem. Family is very important.

(Family is important to me, but mines dysfunctional. XD)

Except for a knack of always getting off on the wrong foot, Sheep can be charming company. Sheep sometimes hold back their emotions, and are not fully appreciated for their true nature. Still, they are first to complain about discomfort. Naturally pessimistic, mild mannered and even shy, the Sheep person is a sympathetic voice. Lovers of art and nature, they tend to spoil themselves. Still, they are creative, cultured and well-mannered -- A civilizing influence on others. Some Sheep are timid and easily upset, while others can be adaptable and sure-footed when the need arises. Either way, Sheep prefer to live and work with other people, and find emotional satisfaction with partners that provide them security in life.

Personality

Occupying the 8th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Goat (or Sheep) symbolizes such character traits as creativity, intelligence, dependability, and calmness. Comfortable being alone to ponder the workings of their inner minds, Goats enjoy being part of a group, but prefer the sidelines rather than the center. Their nurturing personality makes Goats excellent care-givers. They’re quiet and reserved because they spend much time absorbed in their thoughts.

Outwardly dreamy and starry-eyed, Sheep are inwardly anxious, insecure, and usually find day-to-day living difficult and puzzling. As such, they often take refuge in religion, astrology or the occult.

Home and alone is where Goats feel most comfortable. There they can express themselves artistically, whether it’s by painting, cooking or participating in whatever artistic endeavors they enjoy. Goats prefer the couch because there they can relax and explore their minds. They don’t need elaborate furnishings; only items reflecting their desire for art.



When traveling or seeking entertainment, Goats prefer groups or venues that hold many people. Goats spend money on fashions that give them a first class appearance. Although Goats enjoy spending money on the finer things in life, they are not snobbish.
Health

Perhaps because Goats are basically serene, they tend to have fewer health problems. Their fragile exterior hides the fact they’re typically very healthy. When they’re happy, they’re healthy. When Goats become unhappy, especially as a result of romance, they quickly become sick.
Relationships

Goats tend to be private, so it can take effort to get to know one. The Goat is the one who will decide when and with whom it will share its personal life. As a result, most Goats have few “close” friends, yet they’ll work hard for those they love.
Career

Goats at work prefer being part of a flock. Power and status aren’t important. Goats will only assume leadership roles when asked directly. They’ll never volunteer. Good career choices for Goats include: florist, interior designer, daycare teacher, pediatrician, actor, editor, hair stylist, illustrator, musician, and art history teacher.

Compatibility

Goats are compatible with Rabbits and Pigs and incompatible with the Rat and Ox.

The following occupations best suit the Sheep personality.

ARCHITECT ¤ CARTOGRAPHER ¤ TOWN PLANNER ¤ ART HISTORIAN ¤ ILLUSTRATOR ¤ ACTOR ¤ MUSICIAN ¤ DAYCARE WORKER ¤ FLORIST ¤ PEDIATRICIAN

Characteristics:
Intelligent, Artistic, Gentle, Kind, Cultured, Sensitive
-----------------
Fussy, Insecure, Ingratiative, Self-Indulgent, Dependent

 

[dreamlikediana]

-PrimaCzarina-

[[Oh, no I was expecting vague. All zodiac stuff is vague to keep people thinking it's more accurate than it is.

But I like that the Chinese Zodiac changes as time goes by which would keep it more astronomically accurate.
Like, the other zodiac (the cancer, libra, gemini one) was calculated so long ago that the positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies that the whole thing is based on have changed so drastically that there's no way it can be right anymore (right as in by the standards on which it was designed).

And, do you want me to delete my first post? It's kind of in the middle of your stuff. Sorry about that. ^^;]]

yeah, i understand that. i usually don't really follow the horoscopes unless it's the chinese ones because they are super accurate with me and i'm like ... creepy much? hahah. but if you want to, i don't care. it up to you hun :3 or just keep posting. :3

happy year of the tiger :3  

[dreamlikediana]

heart heart heart wahhhh, i never realized i wrote so much :3, or posted so muchh. oops. :3

happy year of the tiger

i would have gone out with friends/family today but i'm sick home with a cold i'm glad target is two blocks away :3 heart heart heart

 

[-PrimaCzarina-]

[[Happy year of the tiger to you, too.

I hope you get feeling better. <333]]

 

[dreamlikediana]

-PrimaCzarina-

[[Happy year of the tiger to you, too.

I hope you get feeling better. <333]]

thank you prima. :3:3:3

it's just a cold, and tomorrow i have off. so i get to sleep in. my ear is a bit clogged, but it's getting better so i'm glad. :3 heart  

[dreamlikediana]

heart bump heart