2017 – The Year of the Rooster

Renee Lehman

(1/2017) The Chinese New Year (also called the Lunar New Year or Chinese Spring Festival), one of the traditional Chinese festivals, is the grandest and the most important festival for Chinese people. It originated during the Shang Dynasty (about 17th - 11th century BCE), and it is an important time for families to get together, similar to Christmas Day for westerners. It is also a time to hope for the return of spring, to welcome prosperity, wealth, and longevity, and a time to remove any negative qi (pronounced "chee") from the past. There is even a tradition prior to the New Year for every family to thoroughly clean the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes of making way for good incoming luck.

Chinese Calendar History

The Chinese calendar was originated by the Yellow Emperor Huang Ti, and has been in use for centuries. The Chinese calendar is called a lunar calendar, but is really a calendar based on the moon and the sun. The Gregorian calendar, which the world uses today (originated 430 years ago) is a solar calendar. (The Chinese Lunar New Year always begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice, in case you were wondering why it’s on a different date every year.)

The Twelve Animals of the Chinese Calendar

The Chinese calendar is made of five, twelve-year cycles. Each of the twelve years of the Chinese calendar is appointed one of the following 12 animal’s names (in this order): rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon (the only mythological animal), snake, horse, goat/sheep, monkey, fowl/rooster, dog, and pig. The animal that rules the year of your birth is said to exercise a major influence over your life, and that year in general. Much of the information used for this article is taken from The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes by Theodora and Laura Lau, 2007. The sign of the Rooster is the tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac, and the animal related to this coming New Year. It is the only bird species in the Chinese zodiac. It is known as the "Dawn Awaker," and is credited with characteristics of punctuality and loyalty.

I Am The Rooster (Lau & Lau, 2007)

The Rooster
I am on hand
to herald in the day,
and to announce its exit.
I thrive by clockwork and precision.
In my unending quest for perfection
all things will be restored to
their rightful place.
I am the exacting taskmaster,
the ever-watchful administrator.
I seek perfect order in my world.
I represent unfailing dedication.

January 28, 2017 through February 15, 2018 is the Year of the Rooster.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been exhausted from the shenanigans of this past Monkey year! Surprise after surprise (both fabulous and panic-laden) swung most of our ways. Following 12 months of the wit and hyperactive Monkey, we are moving out of a pretty confusing time period and entering a rational and constructive time period. The New Year of the Rooster is going to bring fresh challenges requiring quick wit and practical solutions!

Rooster Personality

If you were born in one of the following years, your sign is the Rooster (on or after February 8, 1921; January 26, 1933; February 13, 1945; January 31, 1957; February 17, 1969; February 5, 1981; January 23, 1993; and February 9, 2005). A person born in the year of the Rooster is outwardly, the epitome of self-assurance and aggression. However, at heart s/he can be conservative and old-fashioned. Overall, the Rooster person is a loyal, trustworthy individual who is blunt when it comes to offering his/her opinions. The bluntness stems not from being mean but from being honest; a trait which Roosters expect from others.

Roosters are extremely sociable and prefer being the center of attention. They have a great sense of humor and are quick witted. The male and female Rooster have a tendency to be attractive, and can be vain. They are very concerned about how they look, and spend lots of time and effort to dress well. Just think about how you never see roosters slouching; they strut about with dignity.

Roosters are extremely organized individuals, motivated, and highly independent. Even though Roosters are very independent, they make excellent team leaders because they have a keen eye for bringing people together. They are perfectionists and believe that they are unmatched in both their level of work and diligence. This can cause them to be restless, bossy, and can "hen-peck" you – because of their sharp eye for details.

Famous People born in the Year of the Rooster

• John Glenn, American Astronaut
• Alex Haley, American Writer
• Eric Clapton, Singer and Songwriter
• Goldie Hawn, American Actress
• Steve Martin, American Actor and Comedian
• Katherine Hepburn, American Actress
• Edwin Land, American Scientist and Inventor
• Grover Cleveland, American President
• Daniel Day-Lewis, British Actor
• Pope Paul VI
• King Birendra of Nepal
• Joan Rivers, American Actress and Comedian
• Larry King, American Journalist
• And of course, Foghorn Leghorn!!!!

General Predictions for the Year of the Rooster

The Year of the Rooster will be a powerful one, with no middle of the road when it comes to moving forward. This year, impressions count. You’ll want to look your best and be clear on your intentions concerning love, money, and business. Stick to practical and well-proven paths to ensure success, rather than risky ventures.

During this year we will all have more passion in life, especially regarding work, where we will not hesitate to roll up our sleeves in order to reach our objectives. "Always higher, always going on," is the motto of the Rooster. This will inspire us all. We will be braver than usual, and will not feel defeated by difficulties and adversities.

We will have to maintain our spirit’s flexibility, because under the influence of the very conservative Rooster, we may become inflexible and refuse changing ideas or life strategies, even though they might be inadequate for the future.

Remember: In a Rooster Year, we can reap great rewards by tapping into Rooster traits: loyalty, commitment, hard work, family values, and top-notch appearances!

Quotes to Live By in the Year of the Rooster

• "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." - Winston Churchill
• "Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence." -Colin Powell
• "Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul." - Mark Twain
• "Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters." - Albert Einstein

And finally, something from Foghorn Leghorn: "Now looka, I say looka here."

Here’s to a bird’s – eye view of the Year of Rooster 2017.

Renee Lehman is a licensed acupuncturist and physical therapist with over 25 years of health care experience. Her office is located at 249B York Street in Gettysburg, PA. She can be reached at 717-752-5728.