Happy New Year!
The Year of the Ox
2021, there's a lot of pressure on you. 2020 kicked us in the teeth in many ways, especially those of us below the "middle-class" income range. In terms of society we are the Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons of the Brave New World (thanks for the caste system Aldous Huxley!) We carry the labor of society. We see it in the "essential workers" designation of the C-19 Pandemic. From the hospital staff who clean the floors to doctors and nurses to those who stock veggies or cart them in from the agricultural sectors to those who pick up our trash...these are the people who make society function for those engaged in other jobs like software development, politics, or banking (to just name a few.) No one is "more important" than another. Full stop. We ALL have a part to play in society and work is a big part of how we live life.
In Asian philosophy we have 12 animals which represent the basic characteristics of a given year (compared to the months like in Western astrology). Each animal adds to life, none better than another, just different. Each has aspects which could be deemed good or bad depending on your outlook. For example, I tend to hold on to things but I am also quick-witted (if I don't have a snappy comeback, it's because I'm holding my tongue!) The ox is strong, but stubborn. Ox are quiet and conservative as well as persistent and reliable. Ox are valuable to the farm and to humankind.
Ox are related to the Earthly branch and yin, and metal in the the five element cycle (wu xing). 2021 is a Yin Metal Ox year. Those born in this year will be gentle, reliable, and trustworthy. Ox are most compatible with Rats, Snakes, and Roosters and less compatible with Goat, Horse, and Dog.
Ox are good students, but tend to prefer low-key jobs. Yet because of their sense of responsibility can make excellent lawyers, teachers, or doctors. Luck can be found in numbers 1 and 4, blue, green, and yellow, lily of the valley and lucky bamboo. Look to the South for Love. Avoid 3 and 6, red and brown.
Want to know your animal? Click here or see below! (If you’re born in January, chances are your animal is a year earlier. Check a Lunar New Year calendar if you’re unsure.)
Rat 鼠 (shǔ): 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox 牛 (niú): 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger 虎 (hǔ): 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit 兔 (tù): 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon 龙 (lóng): 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake 蛇 (shé): 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse 马 (mǎ): 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Goat 羊 (yang): 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey 猴 (hóu): 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster 鸡 (jī): 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog 狗 (gǒu): 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Pig 猪 (zhū): 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031