Chinese New Year -- 2015

The Chinese invented many wonderful things, such as dynamite, fortune cookies and Chinese food.

They also invented astrology. In fact, the Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history.

Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac in 2600 BC. As with other supreme rulers of his era, he had a lot of time on his hands and was eager to impress his subjects with his superior knowledge.

The first day of the Chinese New Year is celebrated at the second new moon after the winter solstice which can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February, depending on cyclical lunar conditions.

The Chinese lunar year is divided into 12 months of 29 or 30 days. Each 12-year cycle is then positioned within a major cycle of 60 years (five 12-month cycles) representing the characteristics of each upcoming year.

Chinese astrology is basically composed of two cycles – 12 annual animal cycles and 5 two-year element cycles. The 12 annual animals are Dog, Boar, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey and Rooster. The five element cycles, each lasting two years, are fire, earth, metal, water and wood.

In 2015, The Chinese New Year started on February 19, 2015 -- the Year of the Sheep

Those born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991 and 2015 were born in the Year of the Sheep. Your personality will be creative, thoughtful, honest and persevering. Your best-suited career will be teacher, pediatrician, interior designer, editor, actor, and musician.

Year of the Sheep lucky chart:

·         lucky numbers -- 2,7

·         lucky months -- August & December

·         lucky colors -- brown, red, purple

·         lucky direction -- north

Notable people born in the Year of the Sheep include Mark Twain, Michelangelo, Barbara Walters, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Thomas Edison and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.

The Year of the Sheep is now upon us -- may the Force be with you.

Once you awaken, you cannot go back to sheep.

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Quote for the Day -- "In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself." Albert Einstein

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Bret Burquest is the author of 10 books. He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a couple of dogs and was born in the Year of the Monkey many moons ago.

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