HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !

Snake, Horse, Ram (sheep, goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar, Rat, Ox.
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

Each year is also designated by one of the 12 Animals For instance, 2005 is Year of Rooster; 2006 is Year of Dog; and 2007 is the Year of Pig. 2008 is the Year of the Rat. This year 2009, is the year of the 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 1 or 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73, 85 or 97 years old.
When 2009 comes, the person is still born in the Year of the Rat.
but he/she is 2,14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74, 86 or 98 yeas old.
Thus, instead of asking the question "How old are you?",
ask the person "In which (animal) year were you born?".


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