Year of the Rabbit
Throughout those parts of the world with a significant Chinese population this week is time to celebrate the most important traditional Chinese holiday: Spring festival or Chinese New Year, which revolves around the lunar calendar. The origins of this are believed to date back to the reign of the Yellow Emperor, Huang Di. This is the same emperor who also is believed to have written the Neijing, the classic of Chinese Medicine. Not surprisingly therefore, we find a connection between TCM and Chinese astrology. Each one of the 12 animals of the zodiac is related to one of the Five Elements dependent on the lunar year; and each of these years is considered to be yin or yang in energy. For example, those who are born in this year between February 3 and January 22, 2012 are rabbits with the element of metal and yin. Next year will be that of the dragon, water and yang, and 2013 will be the year of the snake, water and yin.
So “gong xi fa cai” and welcome to the peaceful year of the rabbit!