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Kung Hei Fat Choi!

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THE YEAR OF THE GREEN/WOOD MONKEY

January 22, 2004 through February 8, 2005

It is the Year 4071 by the Chinese calendar

Chinese calendar dates back centuries before the Julian calendar we use at the present day. It measures time based on the astronomical observations of the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars, and is highly accurate.

The Chinese New Year is the Second New Moon after the Summer Solstice.

If you are born in the Year of the Monkey you are very intelligent, well like by everyone and will have success in any field you choose!

Monkey Years - 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004

What's In Store for the Year of the Monkey...............

A year of sidestepping problems and clever manipulations, backed by intelligence and guile. Short-lived, transitory projects and the open exchange of ideas filters our emotions through an agile and razor sharp intelligence. Using a great sense of humor (and sarcasm) Monkey years, hold out bright prospects of a fascinating future, rich in the unexpected. A year of "transformations." A year to give full rein to your imagination, but also be wary of over-optimism, allowing tolerance of the intolerable. Do not let your garden be over-run with weeds (destructive factions could bring trouble if allowed to propagate). Riots, revolutions and the overthrow of rulers, keep everyone on their toes! Monkey years spin everyone's concept of "normal." Bluffs, tricks, ruses and deceptions abound during Monkey years; Those who enjoy risk and novelty, thrive; Those who prefer predictably and convention, wince.

The peak point in a Wood Monkey year is the Springtime, a period of growth and prosperity. The Wood element represents the first 12 years of life, the time of rapid development, idealism and youthful innocence. Wood element years are prime to begin sizable enterprises, expansions and major cooperation's. Where there is recession, this Monkey year will tend to halt it in it's tracks. Business should shoot up under this years optimistic and cunning influence. The resourcefulness in solving complex dilemmas should be a pleasant surprise.

While each sign repeats every 12 years, the specific combination of Sign (earthly branch) and element (heavenly stem) occur only once every 60 years.

60 years ago, 1944's Wood Monkey brought a climactic year of the second world war, when the threat of disaster brought allied forces together. Cooperation out of necessity.

Southern France invaded Paris liberated Philippines liberated Battle of the Bulge D-Day Battle of the Philippine Seas US Troops land at Anzio Bretton Woods conference establishing post-war development and security

Monkey years have also brought their share of natural disasters, as the high-strung Yang+ Monkey ushers in it's naughty mix of deception and environmental temper-tantrums.

Hurricanes
1992 (water monkey) hurricane ANDREW roars ashore with a Category 5 pounding the SE Florida & Louisiana coast causing $26,500,000,000 in damage.
1992 hurricane INIKI devastates Kauii, Hawaii causing $1,800,000,000 in damages.

Tsunami Events
1992 Nicaragua extensive damage.
1992 Flores Region, Indonesia extreme damage.

Volcanic Activity
1980 MOUNT ST. HELEN'S, Washington, USA erupts At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980 (metal monkey) as an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale collapses the north face of the mountain, causing a massive rock debris avalanche. 230 square miles of forest was destroyed, as a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours.

Spurr, Alaska erupts 1992 (water monkey)
Merapi, Java, Indonesia erupts 1992
Galeras, Columbia erupts 1992
Fernandina, Galapagos erupts 1968 (earth monkey)

2004 Forecasts for Each Earthly Branch

January 22, 2004 - February 8, 2005

Best Year for: Snakes
Very Good Year for: Rats, Dragons
Improved Year for: Goats, Rabbits, Oxen, Monkeys
Complex Year for: Roosters, Horses
Difficult Year for: Tigers, Pigs, Dogs

The Frugal Rat - The "Concealed Charmer"
A much better year ahead in 2004 as the Rat and Monkey are the best of friends. Unstable but dynamic, the Monkey year emboldens Rats and this year's journey may resemble more of a hazardous adventure rather than a picnic. The eclectic Rat's imagination (both positive and negative) runs wild during Monkey years and moderation is critical. All in all, a great year.

The Durable Ox - The "Head Honcho"
A less exasperating year where gains outweigh losses. Oxen appreciate a year devoid of jealous scenes, emotional displays and foolish declarations of love, and Monkeys appreciate the Oxen's stability and reasonable nature. However, "topsy-turvy" never has set well with Ox souls, and the helter-skelter of Monkey years tend to unnerve them. Continue to keep both feet on the floor.

The Noble Tiger - The "Go-Getter"
Much less supple and adaptable than Monkey's, Tigers prefer clear-cut situations. This makes cloaked Monkey years difficult for the forthright Tiger. The Monkeys tricks and guile cause set-backs for Tigers, bringing criticism, and pointing out weaknesses. However, the formidable Tiger combines their proud-bearing with the wizardry of Money year transforming the Tiger into a fearless tightrope walker.

The Detached Rabbit - The "Artful Dodger"
A year of "looking for love in all the wrong places" teaches the lesson of contentment, and that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Discreet Rabbits, so attached to their principles, may feel scandalized by the Monkey's tactics and wiles used to escape difficult situations. Rabbits must be calculating, have continual "presence of mind" and leave nothing to chance this year.

The Unpredictable Dragon - The "Theatrical Visionary"
Whew! Finally a brighter and more prosperous time for robust Dragons. The Monkey, who seeks constant sources of excitement, compliments the Dragon soul bringing confidence, charm and mutual success. While collaboration, and assistance are offered, beware of rash acts, and immoderate pride this year as anything may happen! (both positive and negative)

The Intuitive Snake - The "Learned One"
The Snake and Monkey are soul mates, and Monkey years stimulate the Snake's keen mind and free-flow of ideas. An excellent year for Snakes filled with superb intellectual exchanges, professional alliances, ideas and possibilities. As one of the few intellectual equals, Monkey years fascinate the common-sense Snake. Ability and subtlety are the Snakes major trump cards this year.

The Decisive Horse - The "Happy Hedonist"
A year resembling an extended race-course. The Monkey tricks the Horse into thinking that life with them will be different and seduces the Horse by stroking their ego. Horses are dominated by emotion, passion and intense commitment to projects and causes. Monkey years upset the equilibrium of the Horse with it's about-faces, and unexpected occurrences. Vague distrust and superficiality prevail.

The Creative Goat - The "Good Samaritan"
An extremely restless year of gaiety and fantasy, but events in Monkey years happen too quickly for the Goat. While Goats and Monkeys are essentially good friends, the self-assured Monkey tweaks insecurity in the Goat and tends to leave them feeling left in the background. A high risk of throwing out the baby with the bath water, as Goat souls risk excesses and emotional problems with their immediate family.

The Entertaining Monkey - The "Merry Mercurial"
While a lively year of good times, good friends, and lack of boredom, only rarely are your own Monkey years constructive and capable of permanent development. Monkeys have difficulty staying on a straight and narrow course, tempted to take detours and short-cuts for the pure pleasure of discovery and novelty. However, you do find the year's prevalent upheaval amusing, and will have a strong desire for travel.

The Perfectionist Rooster - The "I can do better" inspirer.
After the initial entertainment and novelty of the year has worn-off, Roosters find Monkey years superficial. The Monkey's taste for socializing and parties, will greatly please the Rooster, but the frank and honest Rooster will not appreciate the Monkeys form of criticism and attitude of superiority and their motto remains "I know better." Sit this one out, and put everything back into order another time.

The Watchful Dog - The "Vanquishing Vigilante."
Dogs have a tendency to complicate matters in Monkey years. Years ruled by the Monkey can bring the culmination of family disturbances, accusations, and losing face. The Dogs reputation may be on the line this year, do not act with haste, but carefully deliberate your options. Even though Dogs resent the carefree attitude and lack of perceived scruples during Monkey years, any vigilante-like rushing into chaos, could bring disastrous results. Take a deep breath and let it be...

The Tolerant Pig - The "Accommodating Pacifist."
Reconciliation and reunion with former loves, as romance takes a more positive course. The Pigs profound honesty and childlike trust is the only thing that can disarm the manipulative instincts of the Monkey year. It is the Pig who will transform this Monkey year, not the other way around. However, the highs are high and the lows are low. The Pig has the last word this year - a karmic reward for their lack of self-seeking and unconditional love.

 

 

THE HISTORY

Chinese New Year 

The Chinese New Year has a great history. In other traditions, by this time in the year, most resolutions - made on December 31 - have been subtly forgotten and placed in a cupboard marked "maybe next year." However, all hope is not lost, as there's a second chance to start afresh with the celebration of Chinese New Year on February 12th.

The Chinese New Year is very similar to the Western one, swathed in traditions and rituals.

The origin of the Chinese New Year is itself centuries old - in fact, too old to actually be traced. It is popularly recognized as the Spring Festival and celebrations last 15 days.

Preparations tend to begin a month from the date of the Chinese New Year (similar to a Western Christmas), when people start buying presents, decoration materials, food and clothing. A huge clean-up gets underway days before the New Year, when Chinese houses are cleaned from top to bottom, to sweep away any traces of bad luck, and doors and windowpanes are given a new coat of paint, usually red. The doors and windows are then decorated with paper cuts and couplets with themes such as happiness, wealth and longevity printed on them.

The eve of the New Year is perhaps the most exciting part of the event, as anticipation creeps in. Here, traditions and rituals are very carefully observed in everything from food to clothing. Dinner is usually a feast of seafood and dumplings, signifying different good wishes. Delicacies include prawns, for liveliness and happiness, dried oysters (or ho xi), for all things good, raw fish salad or yu sheng to bring good luck and prosperity, Fai-hai (Angel Hair), an edible hair-like seaweed to bring prosperity, and dumplings boiled in water (Jiaozi) signifying a long-lost good wish for a family. It's usual to wear something red as this color is meant to ward off evil spirits - but black and white are out, as these are associated with mourning. After dinner, the family sit up for the night playing cards, board games or watching TV programs dedicated to the occasion. At midnight, the sky is lit up by fireworks.

On the day itself, an ancient custom called Hong Bao, meaning Red Packet, takes place. This involves married couples giving children and unmarried adults money in red envelopes. Then the family begins to say greetings from door to door, first to their relatives and then their neighbors. Like the Western saying "let bygones be bygones," at Chinese New Year, grudges are very easily cast aside.

The end of the New Year is marked by the Festival of Lanterns, which is a celebration with singing, dancing and lantern shows.

Although celebrations of the Chinese New Year vary, the underlying message is one of peace and happiness for family members and friends.

 

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