So begins another Lunar New Year. The Chinese New Year follows the phases of the moon, or Lunar New Year. Today begins the first day of that cycle. In the cycle of the Chinese zodiac, this begins the year of the Goat.
It’s probably time for a little context. You may have heard this story. Or you may have heard another version of this story (there have been several through the centuries as every good story teller makes a story their own). The simple version of the story, Buddha decided to help the people of China better track the passage of time by assigning animals to the years in a rotating cycle. He sent out invitations to his friends the animals. They would each rule over a year and their nature would influence the events of that year and the people born in that year. He would decide the order based on the order that they arrived to the party.
Rat and Cat both knew they were prone to sleeping in. So they went to their friend the Ox, who was an early riser, and asked him to make sure they woke on time to go to the party. Ox happily agreed. When the morning came he could not wake Rat or Cat. Since he did not want to be late to the party he carried them on his back, knowing they would be glad to not be left out. On the journey Ox came to a river and began to patiently wade across.
Rat woke up while they were in the middle of the river. He knew his friend Cat was faster than him and Rat very much wanted to be first. Without thinking it through Rat pushed Cat into the river where he woke sputtering as he was carried down stream. And this is why cats are all enemies of rats and why cats hate water.
When Ox arrived at the bank Rat hurried off ahead and became the first to Buddha’s party.
As I mentioned at the top this begins the year of the Goat. Depending on the list you find on the internet it is sometimes called the year of the Goat or the year of the Ram (the Chinese word for goat and sheep is the same). Depending on the geography and climate of a region goats and sheep tend to occupy the same niche. They are useful animals that are easy to care for (at least compared to other live stock). While they are not work animals (like a horse or an ox) they are dependable and consistent. Some of the characteristics associated with the Goat archetype are kindness, creativity, and calmness.
If you have questions about the Lunar New Year, Chinese Zodiac, or would like to schedule a cultural presentation, please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you.
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