By P Chong                              Monday, 1 February 2010

Despite its ferociousness in the wild, the tiger really

is one of the most caring & thoughtful zodiac sign

in the Chinese Calendar.

This Gregorian Year of 2010 is Chinese Lunar Year 4708.

The Chinese Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Qin Shi Huang introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac. By its cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.

In China, the Lunar New Year is celebrated as the Spring Festival on a grand scale with traditional fire-crackers, fireworks, dragon dance & lots of “Ang Pows” (Red Packets with Money) for the young & unmarried. The celebration usually lasts for 15 days culminating in “Chap Goh Mei” (The Night of the Full Moon). Chinese are known to be most assiduous in their economic pursuit, never relenting nor relaxing with holiday break from day to day, week to week or month to month. But with Spring Festival, they let down their tools, pack up for home coming & reunion.

Travelling during this peak season is most busy involving millions on the move. Most migrant workers are rushing to their home villages. Others are taking advantage of the long break for long awaited vacation. Most are travelling within national boundaries but with the rising affluence people are travelling abroad for their holidays. With two weeks to go, China is already geared up in preparedness for the holiday rush – the train, the bus & the plane. These days, of course, the more affluent will have their own transport. A staggering 210 millions are expected to travel by rail alone during the 40-day Spring Festival rush! According to CCTV, “over the next 40-days, it´s expected holiday-makers will take an unprecedented 2.54 billion journeys by road, water and air.”

Eating, drinking & merry-making are part & parcel of the Spring Festival. The food is especially good. Dishes not usually on the daily menu are on display with young & old in joyous celebration. I remember full well “love-letters” biscuits being everybody’s favourite, and how we would burn midnight oil baking them, enjoying savouring even the scraps of the goodies. Those were the days!

It’s the noisiest time of the year. Celebration always take on with all the boom & bang. Fire-crackers sound near & far. Teams of “kung-fu” experts will display their skills with the dragon dance and take on challengers with lion dance display. The noise is intended to drive out the evil of the past year and usher in good fortune & luck for the new.

This year Spring Festival falls on Sunday, February 14, 2010 which happens to coincide with Valentine’s Day, making it a doubly auspicious day to celebrate in the West.

If you were born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 or 2010 – you were born under the sign of the tiger. According to the Chinese Zodiac, you are one of the most caring & thoughtful person with the mission to right the wrong & defending children, loved ones & friends against all injustices.

Some of the famous people born under the Tiger Sign are: Emily Bronte, Tom Cruise, Leonardo Di Caprio, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jay Leno, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo & Queen Elizabeth II.

The Year of the Tiger will roar!

Economy will soar!!

It will be a Good Year for ALL !!!

Unfortunately, Tiger Woods will fall short of the benefits.

WISHING ALL MY READERS

A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR!