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DARE I SAY IT
UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 6, 2020
Exploring the symbolism around Lunar New Year
M
y name is Tiffany, and I am a wood rat. I am not one of our endangered little Key Largo rodents, but, according to Chinese astrology and philosophy and by virtue of my birth year TIFFANY and season, my “element” is wood and I was born in DUONG the year of the rat. Tiff Duong is selfThe lunar new year is made mermaid marked by the first new who loves all moon of the lunar calthings cheesy (romantic and dairy) endar and typically falls and thrives in the in late January or early 3 am hour. She February. This day is combelieves in leaving monly known as Chinese it all on the field and has never met New Year (Chun Jie), but is a (mis)adventure also celebrated in Vietnam she didn’t love. (tết), Korea (Seollal), Tibet (Losar), and other Asian countries. This year, tết fell on Saturday, Jan. 25 and denoted the first day of spring. My family hails from Vietnam, where tết celebrations last from that first new moon until the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later. During this time, people visit ancestors’ graves, give children lucky red envelopes filled with money, light firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, and refuse to sweep in case it sweeps away all of their good luck. I am the first person in my family to be born and raised in the U.S, so growing up, some of these old traditions sounded like superstitious Asian wives’ tales. Nevertheless, I followed them anyway; I didn’t want to tempt fate in case she really is an old Chinese sage. So, what does this upcoming Year of the Metal Rat mean for me, the wood rat? “Not good. It might be a very bad year for you,” my mom warned me over the phone. According to Asian astrology and philosophy, each person’s destiny is determined by a complex mix of their date and time of birth,
zodiac sign (birth year), and where the major planets and celestial bodies (sun, moon, comets, etc.) were when he or she was born. A person’s birth year determines his/her zodiac sign. The 12 zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. In Vietnam, Rabbit is replaced by Cat. This cycle is part of how my mom and others like her forecast what the lunar new year will bring. The other cycle at play has to do with the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The belief is that the world changes according to how these five elements interact with each other -- generating and overcoming, yin and yang. The five generating interactions promote development: metal carries water (buckets, pipes); water nourishes wood; wood fuels fire; fire forms earth/ash; earth produces metal. Such element pairs imply good luck and success. The five overcoming interactions control development or create destruction: metal penetrates wood (chopping, ax, sawing); wood separates earth (tree roots); earth absorbs water; water quenches fire; fire melts metal. These interactions bring bad luck and destruction. The interplay of the zodiac and the element cycles means a metal rat year like 2020 only comes around every 60 years. And the present-day alignment (or misalignment) of all these different philosophies determines each person’s fortune for the upcoming year. So, my mom cautions me that it might be a rough year for me. 2020 is my zodiac year, or năm tuổi in Vietnamese, she tells me. “Remember your dad died in his năm tuổi, your grandma died in her năm tuổi, and your aunt lost all her money in her năm tuổi,” she warns. “So be very careful next year.” Whoa. I hear you, mom. A person’s zodiac year is any year when his/her zodiac animal sign cycles back. This happens every 12 years because it is a 12-
My 95-year-old grandpa with red envelopes for all his grandchildren on lunar new year. Traditionally elders exchange the lucky envelopes for good wishes from children. TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly
year, 12-animal cycle. According to Chinese astrology, people in their zodiac year offend Tai Sui, the God of Age and incur his wrath and bad luck. Therefore, believers take extra care every 12th year of their lives when their zodiac animal cycles back around. As if my offending zodiac year wasn’t enough, I am also a wood rat living in a metal rat’s year. Metal cuts wood in an overcoming interaction, and so, according to traditional thinking, the metallic element of this upcoming year could wreak havoc upon my woody essence. So what’s a wood rat gal to do to combat all this bad luck? Well, I can wear red and jade, as both are meant to bring good fortune. I can rearrange myself and my home to face away from Ways to bring good Tai Sui and avoid his curse. luck to yourself in the And, I can invest in a water Lunar New Year: fountain or fish tank to • Wear red because enhance my good luck it’s lucky and can drive because water nourishes away bad luck or evil wood, so its presence will spirits. Red underwear bolster my wood element. is particularly highly recI don’t know if I’ve ommended but must really pissed off the God be bought for you by of Age and will need extra someone else. luck this year, but I assure • Wear jade to ward you that on the 25th, I off bad luck . was wearing red, driving • Face away from south away from Tai Sui, Tai Sui, or the God of and going for a swim in a Age: Tai Sui changes southern-facing sea. Wish his position every cycle. me good luck! In 2020, he is facing due North (0 °), so face yourself, your bed, and your desk away from him due South (180°) for better luck.`