Today, we ring in the Year of the Sheep. The Year of the sheep also has other names such as the Year of the Goat or Ram. The sheep is the 8th animal in the Chinese zodiac. The other zodiac animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Chinese see the year of their birth sort of like astrology with lucky numbers and colors associated with it. If you were born in 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 or 2015, than you were born in the Year of the Sheep.
Your lucky colors would be brown, red and purple, Your lucky numbers 2 and 7 and lucky flowers the carnation and primrose.
Just as in western astrology, the Chinese zodiac assigns personality traits to people born at particular times. Those born in the Year of the Sheep are supposed to be polite, mild mannered, and shy - kind of like the animals.
Sheep are mild and coexist with humans peacefully and migrate with them on grassland. So they have remarkable endurance. These traits are also associated with people born in the Year of the Sheep. They get along well with people and are also determined. There is an iron will and enterprising spirit under their soft and fluffy exterior.
They also tend to have sensitivity to art and beauty. They lean towards religious faith and enjoy quiet living. They are wise, gentle and compassionate and can be careful businesspersons. They do try to be frugal and women born in this year are willing to take good care of others. But they need to be on guard against pessimism and hesitation. They are kind in heart and often have symmetrical figures and features. Male sheep sometimes look a bit girlish, while the women usually are beautiful, a little plump, and fair skinned.
There are famous people born in the Year of the Sheep. These include Michelangelo, Mark Twain, Thomas Alva Edison, Barbara Walters, Orville Wright, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Chow Yun-Fat, and Zhang Ziyi. In Chinese history there was…Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty 618 – 907), Cao Cao (King of Wei in China’s Three Kingdoms Period 220 - 280), Yue Fei (a patriotic general in China’s South Song Dynasty 1127 - 1279), Empress Dowager Cixi.
Not everyone takes the Chinese zodiac that seriously in Taiwan, but we do enjoy the festivities and want to wish you a happy Year of the Sheep!