(The Chinese version is on the bottom. 中文版在最底下。)
In the Lunar New Year post, I briefly introduced some of the origins and customs of the Lunar New Year. This post will introduce the five elements and zodiac animals.
First, let’s look at the meaning of each element in the Five Elements:
- Metal (金 jīn): persistence, ambition. Birth years ending in 0 or 1.
- Wood (木 mù): creativity, imagination. Birth years ending in 4 or 5.
- Water (水 shuǐ): agility, eloquence. Birth years ending 2 or 3.
- Fire (火 huǒ): passion, adventure. Birth years ending in 6 or 7.
- Earth (土 tǔ): patience, stability. Birth years ending in 8 or 9.
As for the zodiac signs, the Chinese believe that each zodiac sign has its own special personality traits. Do you believe that? When introducing these qualities, pictures of blessings related to the twelve zodiac signs sent by friends are also attached. (I will gradually complete the pictures of all the zodiac signs in the future.)
- Rat (鼠 shǔ) - those born in 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, and 2020. They’re quick on their feet and inventive, finding opportunities and welcoming challenges in any situation. They can also find ways out of tricky spots! As you can imagine, they have charm, humor, and good taste. They’re kind-spirited, but can be judgmental, and their opportunistic natures can sometimes give way to scheming and conniving or greed!
Rat 鼠 shǔ 
- Ox (牛 niú) - those born in 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, and 2021. They’re hard-working, goal-oriented, and reliable, with an unwavering attentiveness to friends and family. This trait can make them good leaders, especially when coupled with their strength of will and determination. As with anything though, this can be their downfall, when they become overly convinced that it’s their way or the highway! Even worse, sometimes they can be overly conservative in their approach, leaving opportunities on the table. Such a steadfast and serious sign can sometimes suffer from loneliness or insecurity as well.
Ox 牛 niú 
- Tiger (虎 hǔ) - those born in 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022. These are powerful individuals: authoritative, brave, and self assured with a strong moral compass and belief system. They enjoy competition, or even fighting for a cause, but can sometimes struggle with their emotional and sensitive natures that allow them to be so passionate—sometimes becoming moody or intense. When crossed, the combination of sensitivity and authority can make for a terrifying combination! They can sometimes find the more lighthearted or fickle animals of the zodiac silly or tiresome.
Tiger 虎 hǔ 
- Rabbit (兔 tù) - those born in 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, and 2023. They’re friendly and inoffensive, with a polite sensibility that makes for a versatile disposition. They can thrive in a variety of settings and have a general ability to get along with others. Rabbits are gentle animals and represent a calm and peaceful disposition and energy. Easygoing and friendly, it’s no wonder that Rabbits are surrounded by lots of friends. Their sense of responsibility and sincerity helps them create consensus—or avoid conflict. As you can imagine, they like to keep things simple, enjoying the creature comforts of home. At worst, they can sometimes be seen as pushovers.
Rabbit 兔 tù 
- Dragon (龍 lóng) - those born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, and 2024. This sign is an auspicious one, as dragons are seen as intelligent and bold self-starters with big ambitions. They’re passionate about their goals and have the self-reliance, smarts, and charm to win over people, succeed at business dealings, and in general enjoy life! Unsurprisingly, they can sometimes get hamstrung by their own egos, and will do what’s necessary to remain on top. Dragon leaders make for tough bosses, as they’re good at giving orders, and will hold people accountable to big results!
Dragon 龍 lóng 
- Snake (蛇 shé) - those born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025. These people may be one of the least predictable in the Chinese zodiac. They can be a bit inscrutable and introverted, but their perceptiveness and wisdom is undoubtable. While they have a strong gut, their analytical abilities can sometimes lose control, with feelings of jealousy and insecurity taking over. Though they may come off as cold to those who aren’t paying attention, these individuals are generous, with a proclivity for building loving relationships and providing emotional support.
Snake 蛇 shé 
- Horse (馬 mǎ) - those born in 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, or 2026. They’re energetic, spirited, and athletic in mind and/or body. While that might sound like these individuals are sporty, it’s more about a restless spirit that leads the way, helping them prioritize what matters most to them above everything else, like traveling and tight-knit relationships. They’re natural born leaders and hate to have their freedom taken away. As you can imagine, this restlessness and independence can give way to impatience and challenges with compromise. Even a drifter mentality where they hop from thing to thing in search of the next best thing!
Horse 馬 mǎ 
- Goat (羊 yáng) - those born in 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, and 2027. They’re calm and collected, and like to have time alone with their thoughts. Sometimes their sense of composure can make them seem unassuming, but these individuals have strength and compassion in equal measure, with consideration and empathy for those around them.Their strong, quietly observant abilities come in handy when they need to make moves, but these creative thinkers can sometimes be unorganized, high-strung, or insecure. Support and reassurance in response to their empathy is key to getting along with them.
Goat 羊 yáng 
- Monkey (猴 hóu) - those born in 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028. They’re clever, creative, humorous, playful, and fun-loving. Their wit serves them well, helping them move adeptly through life in how they interact with others and the paths they choose. They like to keep active with new projects and activities, thriving on personal challenges. But they can sometimes be more self-serving than other more generous signs of the zodiac. While they can be confident because of their resourcefulness, sometimes, when confronted with obstacles, they can become discouraged or question their otherwise clear-eyed senses, lacking the self control to stay on track and become prone to boredom or moral crises.
Monkey 猴 hóu 
- Rooster (雞 jī) - those born in 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and 2029. These are self-confident individuals, with clear ambitions for the future and the dedication and honesty to see them through. Along the way, they always welcome progressive ideas and ways of thinking, but they do take care with perfectionist and conservative tendencies that most often manifest as stubbornness and independence. They won’t hesitate to go it alone if they feel they’re on the right path.
Rooster 雞 jī 
- Dog (狗 gǒu) - those born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030. Unsurprisingly, these individuals are honest, loyal, and friendly. They go above and beyond for the people they care about, bringing a prudent and diligent approach that helps them go to great lengths to support others. However, they can be temperamental and sensitive, sometimes suffering from mood swings.
Dog 狗 gǒu 
- Pig (豬 zhū) - those born in 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, and 2031. They’re generous, trustworthy, and warm-hearted. These are kind and pleasant people who are looking to live a full life—but one that doesn’t involve stepping on others to get ahead. That said, they’re okay to put other people first. They’ll surely be able to see and appreciate the finer things in life, and can be big spenders on luxuries. While you might think they could be perceived as snobbish or greedy, they actually can suffer from being taken advantage of.
Pig 豬 zhū 
在農曆新年的帖子中，簡單地介紹了一些農曆新年的起源及習俗，這一篇則要介紹五行及生肖。
現在先讓我們看看五行中每個元素的意義：
- 金：毅力、雄心。出生年份以 0 或 1 結尾。
- 木：創造力、想像力。出生年份以 4 或 5 結尾。
- 水：機靈、有口才。出生年份以 2 或 3 結尾。
- 火：熱情、冒險。出生年份以 6 或 7 結尾。
- 土：耐心、穩定。出生年份以 8 或 9 結尾。
至於生肖，中國人相信，每一種生肖都有它特別的人格特質，你相信嗎？在介紹這些特質時，也附上朋友寄來與十二生肖相關的祝福圖片。(請看上面的英文版。以後我會逐步完成所有十二生肖的圖片。）
- 鼠 - 出生於1948、1960、1972、1984、1996、2008和2020年的人。他們行動敏捷，富有創造力，在任何情況下都能發現機會並迎接挑戰。他們還可以找到擺脫困境的方法！正如你可以想像的那樣，他們有魅力、幽默、品味高。他們心地善良，但也可能很挑剔，他們的機會主義本性有時會屈服於陰謀、縱容或貪婪！
- 牛 - 出生於1937、1949、1961、1973、1985、1997、2009和2021年的人。他們工作勤奮、目標明確、可靠，對朋友和家人有堅定不移的關注。這種特質可以使他們成為優秀的領導者，尤其是與他們堅強的意志和決心結合時。然而就像任何事情一樣，當他們過於相信這是他們的方式而沒有任何商量的餘地，這可能是他們垮台的時候！更糟的是，有時他們的做法可能過於保守，而錯失了機會。這樣堅定而嚴肅的生肖有時也會遭受孤獨或不安全感的困擾。
- 虎 - 出生於1938、1950、1962、1974、1986、1998、2010和2022年的人。這些人都是有權力的人：權威、勇敢、自信，有強大的道德准则和信仰體系。他們喜歡競爭，甚至為某種原則而奮鬥，但有時會與自己的情感和敏感天性作爭鬥，而這些天性讓他們變得很情緒激昂，有時變得喜怒無常或緊張。當敏感與權威交叉時，會產生可怕的組合！他們有時會發現十二生肖中比較輕鬆或善變的生肖很愚蠢或令人厭煩。
- 兔 - 出生於1939、1951、1963、1975、1987、1999、2011和2023年的人。他們友善且無攻擊性，彬彬有禮，多才多藝。他們可以在各種環境中茁壯成長，並具有與他人相處的能力。兔子是一種溫柔的動物，代表著平靜、和平的個性和能量。屬兔的人隨和又友善，難怪屬兔的人有很多朋友。他們的責任感和誠意有助於他們達成共識，或避免衝突。你可以想見，他們喜歡讓事情變得簡單，享受像家的舒適。在最壞的情況下，他們有時會被視為容易屈服的人。
- 龍 - 出生於1940、1952、1964、1976、1988、2000、2012和2024年的人。這是一個吉祥的星座，因為屬龍的人被視為聰明、雄心勃勃勇敢自我啟動的人。 他們對自己的目標充滿熱情，並擁有自力更生、聰明才智和魅力來贏得他人的支持，在商業交易中取得成功，一般而言是享受生活的！毫不奇怪，他們有時會被自己的自負所束縛，並採取必要的措施來保持領先地位。屬龍的領導者是強硬的老闆，因為他們善於發號施令，並且會要求人對大成果負責！
- 蛇 - 出生於1941、1953、1965、1977、1989、2001、2013和2025年的人。這些人可能是十二生肖中最難預測的人之一。他們可能有點高深莫測、內向，但他們的洞察力和智慧是毋庸置疑的。雖然他們有很強的直覺，但他們的分析能力有時會失控，由於嫉妒和不安全感佔了上風。 雖然對於那些不注意的人來說，他們可能會顯得冷漠，但這些人很慷慨，傾向於建立愛的關係並提供情感支持。
- 馬 - 出生於1942、1954、1966、1978、1990、2002、2014和2026年的人。他們精力充沛、積極堅定、身心健康。雖然這聽起來像是這些人很有運動精神，但更多的是一種永不動搖的精神引領潮流，幫助他們優先考慮對他們來說最重要的事情，例如旅行和緊密的關係。他們是天生的領導者，討厭自己的自由被剝奪。你可以想見這種不安和獨立可能會讓人變得性急，並挑戰妥協。甚至是一種漂泊者心態，他們從一個事物跳到另一個事物，尋找下一個最好的事物！
- 羊 - 出生於1943、1955、1967、1979、1991、2003、2015和2027年的人。他們冷靜、鎮定，喜歡獨處思考。有時他們的鎮定感會讓他們顯得謙遜，但這些人也有優點和同情心，對周圍的人充滿關心和同理心。當他們需要採取行動時，他們強大、安靜的觀察能力會派上用場，但這些有創造力的思考者有時可能會缺乏組織性、高度緊張或缺乏安全感。對他們的同理心給予支持和保證是跟他們相處的關鍵。
- 猴 - 出生於1944、1956、1968、1980、1992、2004、2016和2028年的人。他們聰明、有創意、幽默、頑皮、有趣。他們的機智為他們提供了很好的幫助，幫助他們在與人交往和選擇人生道路時游刃有餘。他們喜歡積極參與新專案和活動，在個人挑戰中不斷成長。但有時他們會比其他更慷慨的星座更自私。雖然他們因為足智多謀而充滿自信，但有時當遇到困難時，他們會變得灰心喪氣或對自己原本清醒的理智質疑，缺乏自我控制力來堅持到底，容易產生厭倦情緒或道德危機。
- 雞 - 出生於1945、1957、1969、1981、1993、2005、2017和2029年的人。他們是自信的人，對未來有著明確的抱負，並以奉獻精神和誠實的態度來實現這些目標。在前進的道路上，他們總是歡迎進步的想法和思維方式，但也會注意完美主義和保守主義的傾向，這些傾向通常表現為固執和獨立。如果他們覺得自己走在正確的道路上，就會毫不猶豫地單獨行動。
- 狗 - 出生於1946、1958、1970、1982、1994、2006、2018和2030年的人。毫無疑問這些人誠實、忠誠、友善。他們為自己關心的人不遺餘力，以謹慎和勤奮的方式幫助他人，竭盡全力支持他人。 然而他們可能喜怒無常、敏感，有時會出現情緒波動。
- 豬 - 出生於1947、1959、1971、1983、1995、2007、2019和2031年的人。他們慷慨大方、值得信賴、熱心。這些人善良、討人喜歡，他們希望過著充實的生活，但並不需要踩著別人的腳步來獲得成功。也就是說，他們可以把別人放在第一位。他們肯定能夠看到並欣賞生活中美好的事物，並且可以在奢侈品上大手筆花錢。雖然你可能認為他們是勢利或貪婪，但實際上他們可能會因為被利用而遭痛苦。
XYZ/Inspirational Posts 其它雜類或勵志帖子
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Chinese New Year
- History: Lunar New Year 2024
- The Woks of Life: CULTURE