Saturday, February 7, 2015

2015: the Year of the Sheep

Sheep at a county fair
Are you a sheep? If you are, then 2015 is your year.

Chinese New Year, which is February 19, will honor the sheep. The featured animal in the Chinese zodiac changes every year, operating on a 12-year cycle. 2014 was the Year of the Horse.
 
Chinese New Year, known as Spring Festival, is the biggest holiday of the year in the Middle Kingdom. It's comparable to a Western Christmas celebration, when people return home to spend the holiday with their families. Hundreds of millions of Chinese will travel during this time.

The sheep is among the most popular of the animals in the Chinese zodiac.

Sheep personality traits
 
If you were born in the Year of the Sheep, your personality traits will include being gentle, compassionate, determined and creative. You’ll also have a tendency to be pessimistic and moody, and would rather run away from your problems than stick around and face them.

You are most compatible with people born in the years of the horse, pig and rabbit, and least compatible with those born in the years of the dog, rat and ox,

If you’re superstitious, you should avoid the numbers 6, 7 and 8, as they won’t bring you luck. Numbers 3, 4 and 9 are considered auspicious for sheep.

Celebrities born in past years of the sheep include Michelangelo, Mark Twin, the Tang Emperor Li Shimin, the Empress Dowager Cixi who embezzled funds from the Chinese Navy to build the Marble Boat at Beijing’s Summer Palace, and Chinese actors Chow Yun-Fat and Zhang Ziyi.

Predictions for a sheep's year
 
The year of one’s birth animal usually means that person will have good luck for that year. That might not be the case in 2015 for sheep, according to fortune tellers. No matter how hard they work, sheep shouldn’t expect a promotion or salary raise this year; they will be lucky to get through the year in their job, though some months working will be easier than others,

Fortune tellers also say when it comes to wealth, sheep should be cautious about investments and should reduce expenses to make it easier to make ends meet. Buying a house would not be a lucky move this year. 2915 is not a good year to get married; already married sheep will need to work hard to maintain the relationship with their spouses. To maintain their health, sheep should stay away from sharp objects, exercise regularly and avoid greasy foods, which is good advice regardless of which animal is featured.
 
Are you going to China?
 
If a trip to China is in your travel plans in 2015, be sure to check out my website, Cheryl's China, for tips and suggestions of things to see and do. Please feel free to email me if you have questions about travel in China.