Lunar New Year
February 4, 2019
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 9
Happy Lunar New Year!
The Pig wallows in
PEACEFUL & PRODUCTIVE PIG. An employee of ProAurum gold house presents the Australian 2019
Year of the Pig one-ounce gold coin with 999.9 purity in Munich, Germany. The Lunar New Year, which begins
February 5 this year, marks the Year of the Pig. People born under the sign of the Pig are generally considered to
be caring, charitable, generous, outgoing individuals who are sincere and genuine. They are also known for their
tendency to be pessimistic and can be materialistic and stingy. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
What sign are you?
Find the year you were born. Those born in
January or February should consult page 16.
1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 — Rat
1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 — Ox
1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 — Tiger
1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 — Rabbit
1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 — Dragon
1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 — Snake
1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 — Horse
1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 — Sheep
1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 — Monkey
1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 — Rooster
1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 — Dog
1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 — Pig
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The Gregorian and Chinese lunar calendars
Animal
Gregorian
Chinese
Pig
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
February 5, 2019
January 25, 2020
February 12, 2021
February 1, 2022
January 22, 2023
February 10, 2024
January 29, 2025
February 17, 2026
February 6, 2027
January 26, 2028
February 13, 2029
February 3, 2030
Year 4717
Year 4718
Year 4719
Year 4720
Year 4721
Year 4722
Year 4723
Year 4724
Year 4725
Year 4726
Year 4727
Year 4728
The Year of the Pig comes snuffling in
February 5, 2019, and its arrival will be
celebrated by people throughout the world
— not only in Asian nations such as China,
Korea, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Iran, and
Mongolia, but also in western and other
countries. Considered by many to be the
oldest calendar system in the world, the
Chinese lunar calendar traces its origin
back as far as 2637 B.C.E. Each year is
represented by one of the 12 animals of the
zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon,
Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster,
Dog, and Pig.
Similar to many traditions, the observa-
tion dates back to an ancient legend:
China’s Jade Emperor wanted to
determine the order of the calendar, so he
called upon 12 animals in the kingdom to
participate in a race. The order in which
the animals finished determined the
placement in the calendar. The Rat, Ox,
and Tiger scored the first three places,
while the Pig finished at the back of the
pack in last place. In 2019 we celebrate the
cheerful and sincere Pig.
Like many celebrations observed by
multiple cultures, the Lunar New Year is
known by many names. In Vietnam, it is
known as Tet Nguyen Dan, while Korea
celebrates Sol, Cambodia commemorates
Chaul Chnam Thmey, and Thailand
enjoys Songkran, which occurs in April.
China recognizes the Spring Festival,
Chuen Jie, when friends and family come
together to wish one another happiness
and pay respects to ancestors in a celebra-
tion that begins on the New Year and
continues for 15 days.
Each culture has different traditions,
and in the case of the lunar calendar, the
animals that make up the yearly cycles
sometimes differ. For example, in the
Tibetan cycle, the Rat is referred to as the
Mouse, the Rabbit as Hare, and the
Rooster as the Bird. In the Vietnamese
tradition, the Rabbit is referred to as the
Cat, the Sheep as Ram, and the Rooster as
Cock. This year’s animal, the Pig, is also
called the Boar in some countries.
Each animal recurs every 12 years, but
in a different incarnation based on one of
five elements — metal, water, wood, fire,
and earth. For example, this year is the
Year of the Earth Pig, which was last
celebrated 60 years ago in 1959. After
exiting on January 24, 2020, the Earth Pig
will not return until 2079.
According to Chinese astrology, people
born in the Year of the Pig (1911, 1923,
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007,
and 2019) are known to be sensible, smart,
forgiving individuals who are affectionate
and courteous. They are also known for
their tendency to be impatient and can be
materialistic and fearful. Earth Pigs —
including those born between February 5,
2019 and January 24, 2020 — possess
great willpower and are resourceful,
hardworking, and honest.
New Year traditions
For many cultures, the arrival of the
New Year marks a spiritual time in which
celebrants give thanks at temples and
pray for a year’s good luck. Another widely
practiced tradition involves sweeping
homes clean of evil spirits by literally
cleaning and sweeping dwellings of dirt. In
addition, new clothing is often purchased
in commemoration of the New Year.
The Spring Festival ushers in China’s
busiest travel season, a time when families
journey great distances to celebrate with
loved ones. In Thailand, revellers get wet
and wild during Rohd Nam Songkran, a
festival in which celebrants dowse one
another with water to bring rain in the
coming year.
Worldwide celebrations also bring out
many culinary traditions. Vietnamese
dine on a kind of rice cake called banh
trung, Chinese traditionally eat rice cakes
and dumplings, and people in Korea
prepare traditional foods, including
duk-kuk, a rice cake soup.
Children celebrating the arrival of the
Lunar New Year are greeted with many
treats. In China and Vietnam, youngsters
receive special red envelopes containing
New Year’s money (in China, the envel-
opes are called hong bao). Korean children
bow to their parents and grandparents
and, in return, receive freshly minted
money (though not in red envelopes).
The next Lunar New Year will bring the
Year of the Rat, from January 25, 2020 to
February 11, 2021. Have a safe and
prosperous Year of the Pig!
The Year of the Pig
The Pig is the twelfth animal of the lunar zodiac. Those born under the Pig sign
are generally considered to be caring, charitable, generous, outgoing individuals
who are sincere and genuine. They are also known for their tendency to be
pessimistic and can be materialistic and stingy.
Pigs born between February 5, 2019 and January 24, 2020 are Earth Pigs. The
earth element makes for Pigs who are very productive and possess great
willpower. Earth Pigs are ambitious but are aware of their own limits. They are
resourceful, hardworking, and full of stamina. They also cope well with stress.
Pig facts
A few animal characteristics
Rat: Honest, idealistic, practical, sentimental, argumentative, greedy
Ox: Careful, diligent, eloquent, patient, eccentric, stubborn
Tiger: Ambitious, dynamic, honorable, loyal, critical, impatient
Rabbit: Artistic, considerate, intelligent, peaceful, hesitant, judgemental
Dragon: Energetic, faithful, generous, sincere, defensive, opinionated
Snake: Charitable, elegant, organized, reflective, anxious, possessive
Horse: Calm, confident, independent, talented, contradictory, moody
Sheep: Adaptive, creative, empathetic, polite, impractical, pessimistic
Monkey: Charming, sensitive, vivacious, wise, cunning, selfish
Rooster: Adventurous, courageous, funny, hardworking, cynical, vain
Dog: Brave, devoted, knowledgeable, trustworthy, disagreeable, strict
Pig: Affectionate, cheerful, obliging, optimistic, naïve, snobbish
Read your forecast for the Year of the Pig!
Horoscopes by Madame Mingmei begin on page 12.
Year of the Pig: February 5, 2019 to January 24, 2020
Chinese Calendar Year: 4717
Pig Years: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Characteristics: Those born in the Year of the Pig are intelligent and optimis-
tic. Pigs often sacrifice their own happiness and comfort for the sake of others and
feel responsible for keeping everyone happy. Pig people are honest, easygoing,
want everything done right, and rarely ask for help. Pigs are naïve, but some-
times their innocence exceeds imagination.
Best careers: Pig people make good teachers, coaches, writers, film directors,
restaurateurs, painters, doctors, engineers, scientists, musicians, administra-
tors, chefs, builders, and researchers.
Born in the Year of the Pig: Chiang Kai-shek, the 14th Dalai Lama, Gurinda
Chadha, Ishiro Honda, Le Duc Tho, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Alexander Wang,
Heechul, Ni Hua, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, Andrew Jackson, Hillary
Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Henry Ford, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elton
John, Mila Kunis, Farrah Fawcett, Tupac Shakur.