Looking ahead to the Year of the Rooster 生肖趣谈

I know it’s a tad early, but as we enter the holidayseason I thought I’d look at what the Year of the Rooster might have in storefor us all. You know what we’re like here at China Daily, always trying tobring you the news before it happens

I’ve always been interested in the Chinese Zodiac –actually, it’s something China shares with Vietnam, and as I have a Vietnamesewife (born in the Year of the Tiger, since you ask), that’s doubled myinterest.

As is my usual practice, I held a quick straw pollamongst my Chinese colleagues here in London and asked for one word to describethe attributes of the Rooster. Naturally, I got several words, includingdiligent, leadership, reliability, hardworking, frank and honest.

One of my colleagues was brave enough to admit tohaving been born in the Year of the Rooster, so I turned to the Internet to betold that Roosters can expect to follow the following eclectic occupationpaths: sales person, restaurant owner, athlete, teacher, waiter, journalist andsurgeon.

Guess what – my colleague, in his fifties, hasfollowed all of those occupations except restaurant owner and surgeon. He’s workingon the restaurant bit.

One thing Roosters have to avoid is the colour red,which is considered unlucky – from the point of view of a humble laowai I wouldhave thought it very difficult to avoid the colour red in China. My colleaguewas challenging fate by wearing a red sweater, however.

I am told that the younger generation in China takesthe Zodiac less seriously than, say their parents and grandparents, for whomsuperstition played a major role.

Certainly my Vietnamese brothers and sisters in law takethe Zodiac far less seriously than my dear mother-in-law, who after dueconsideration (I like to think she was just humouring me) decided it was finethat I, born in the Year of the Boar (I refuse to say pig) would be well suitedto her daughter, born in the Year of the Tiger.

We Boars are, I find, compassionate, generous,easy-going, ambitious, earnest, responsible and er, modest. Not sure about thelast one.

Tigers, as my wife will attest, are brave, confident,expansive, open and independent, and she’s certainly an artist and a musician.

My eldest daughter was, to her initial chagrin, bornin the Year of the Rat, but I have so say she’s lived up to her allegedattributes – quick-witted, resourceful, kind, smart  and lovely (I hope you are reading this,Kim).

Daughter two followed four years later and is a DragonLady – and I have to say she’s lived up to her Zodiac description of beingenthusiastic, confident, intelligent (two Masters degrees in five years fromEdinburgh), ambitious, hardworking and straightforward.  (Mai-Anh, I think that’s you)

As for me, I delved a little further and discoveredthere are several sub categories of people born in the Year of the Boar.According to the Zodiac information I have just found, I am a Fire Pig.

This is where it gets really serious – Fire Pigs areambitious (yes), hardworking (yes, well, sometimes) and impatient(definitely).  Just ask any of myjournalist colleagues when they ask what the deadline is on the story I’ve justassigned them. “Yesterday” is my stock reply.

Of course, it’s all a lot of fun, and when we see thevarious decorations put up to greet the Year of the Rooster, whether it’s inBeijing, Ho Chi Minh City, Paris or London, we’ll all raise a glass whilst atthe same time furtively checking the Chinese Zodiac.

I know I will.