Happy New Year 4706

Happy Chinese New Year!Today is the first day of the Chinese new year.
By the Chinese Calendar 2009 is year 4706, the Year of the Ox, which is also known by its formal name of Ji Chou. 己丑

Each year is also designated by one of 12 Animals, for instance, 2005 is Year of Rooster; 2006 is Year of Dog; 2007 is the Year of Pig; 2008 is the Year of Rat and 2009 is the Year of Ox.
This system is extremely practical. A child does not have to learn a new answer to the question, "How old are you?" in each new year. Old people often lose track of their age, because they are rarely asked about their present age. Every one just have to remember that he or she was born in the "Year of the Dog" or whatever.

Since 2008 is the Year of the Rat, any one who was born in the Year of the Rat is either 11 or 23, 35, 47, 59, 71, 83 or 95 years old.

2009 is the Year of the Ox, so he/she is either 12 or 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 yeas old.

Thus, instead of asking the question "How old are you?", ask the person "In which (animal) year were you born?"

1998 is the Year of the Tiger
1999 is the Year of the Rabbit
2000 is the Year of the Dragon
2001 is the Year of the Snake
2002 is the Year of the Horse
2003 is the Year of the Ram
2004 is the Year of the Monkey
2005 is the Year of the Rooster
2006 is the Year of the Dog
2007 is the Year of the Boar
2008 is the Year of the Rat
2009 is the Year of the Ox

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1967 the Year of the Ram

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Fu - the Chinese word for 'luck'
Around the Chinese New Year, people often put up a poster with this word on it - upside down! It's the only time when a Chinese word is posted upside down intentionally. Like this:

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