New Year’s greetings in Japan are generally not given before January 1, so again this year I am posting this on the morning of December 31 here in the U.S. but after the New Year has already begun in Japan.
The Year of the Ox
In the countries of East Asia, including Japan, 2021 is the Year of the Ox—although in Japan it is more common to represent the year by a cow (牛 ushi) than by an ox. There is a 12-year cycle in the Asian zodiac, each named after an animal. December 31 ends/ended the Year of the Rat.
(The Chinese, or lunar, New Year, which is celebrated not only
in China but also in other Asian countries with strong Chinese influence,
doesn’t begin until February 12 this year.)
If you were born in 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, or 1997 you
were born in the Year of the Ox and the new year would be considered a special
one for you if you lived in East Asia, for it is your ataridoshi, your
“lucky year,” since it is the year of the zodiac animal in which you were born.
Those born in the Year of the Ox/Cow are said to be
“patient, mentally alert and when required to
speak are skillful. They have a gift for inspiring confidence in others. This
allows them to achieve a great deal of success.”
According to a Chinese website, people born in
the Year of the Ox “are honest and earnest. They are low key and never look for
praise or to be the center of attention. This often hides their talent, but
they’ll gain recognition through their hard work.”
This latter statement sounds a lot like June, my wife, who was
born in the Year of the Ox. Marian, our oldest granddaughter, and David, our oldest
grandson, were also born in the Year of the Ox, and I am happy to say that they
both also definitely seem to be honest and earnest people.
The Need to Work Like an Ox
Barring some drastic happening, Joseph R. Biden’s election as President
of the United States will be certified by Congress on January 6 and he will be inaugurated
as the 46th President on January 20.
What challenges await President-elect Biden! Even though he was born
in the Year of the Horse rather than in the Year of the Ox, he will need to exert
all the characteristics of those born in the Year of the Ox; that is, he must
be hardworking, persistent, determined, and diligent.
He will need to “work like an ox” (or like a horse) in
confronting all the challenges facing the nation. I pray that he will have the
physical and mental stamina he needs in the months and years ahead.
And while many of you may not need to work like an ox in the
upcoming new year, I pray that you will be healthy and able to meet successfully
all the personal challenges you will face in 2021.
Happy New Year to each of you—and especially
to you who were born in the Year of the Ox!
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Here are comments from Thinking Friend Eric Dollard in Chicago:
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Leroy, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and June!
"Let's hope that 2021 is a much better year than 2020. A new president should help, but Mr Biden will indeed be facing enormous challenges.
"I was born under the Chinese sign soon to end, the Year of the Rat.
"And I agree completely with your prior blog about Native Americans, who have suffered so much and continue to suffer.
"Above all, let's hope that 2021 is a more peaceful and more just year."
Eric, I have two children born in the Year of the Rat, but just like the ox is more commonly portrayed as a cow in Japan, the rat most often is a cute little mouse. My daughter born in the Year of the Rat, and who lived in Japan for twelve years, has various trinkets etc. of cute mice depicting her year.
DeleteLeroy, very well done. I'm a rabbit so it's not my lucky year.
DeleteThinking Friend Truett Baker in Arizona wrote a few minutes ago:
ReplyDelete"I found your blog about the interest Asian people have in observing the zodiac seasons, very interesting. I'm not sure if this is a religious or cultural matter. If it is religious, do Christians experience a cognitive dissonance with its observance?
Thanks for reading today's new blog post and for writing about it, Truett.
DeleteAs far as I know, the continued use of the zodiac animals for naming the years in Asia is, at least in modern times, a cultural matter and not a religious one. I have never heard of any cognitive dissonance by Christians in Japan.
Wishing you and June the Best possible 2021 and Beyond!
ReplyDeleteThanks also Leroy for your Excellent Blogs and I look forwwad to getting them for many more years to come.
In His and your Service,
John(Tim) Carr
Thanks, John Tim.
DeleteI think I have known you longer than any other of my Thinking Friends, and I much appreciate you regularly reading my blog posts and commenting on them from time to time.
At this point, I plan to continue writing and posting blog posts for at least two more years.
I view the zodiac as an early expression of psychology. Whether measured by twelve years in the east or months in the west, the idea that people have different styles, strengths, and weaknesses is an important insight. Even spreading the suggestion around the calendar encourages different people to explore different parts of their potential, which may well strengthen society as a whole. So, let me enter my "tiger" mindset, and strongly suggest to all that we enjoy the zodiac without taking it too seriously. Otherwise, I may have to conquer you! Happy New Year, everyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Craig--and for apparently indicating that you were born in the Year of the Tiger. I was also born in the Year of the Tiger, so next year (2022) is going to be our year!
DeleteLeading up to the presidential election in November, I prayed every day for "my good friends Joe and Kamala," for endurance, wisdom, and courage. I realized along the way that prayers at Washington National Cathedral are also by first names, candidates and otherwise. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia runoff election have worked so hard--like horses or oxen. We pray for a miracle in the right voter turnout and that their tireless efforts in campaigning diligently and honestly will have paid off. Who would ever have thought little ole GA, Red since 1962, could be so critical.
ReplyDeleteYes, let's pray for our good friends Raphael and Jon and the crucial election on January 5. I will be writing a bit about that pivotal election in my next blog post to be made early on the morning of Jan. 5.
DeleteSo 2020 was the year of the rat. We should have known it wouldn't be a good year.
ReplyDelete(No offense intended for those who were born in the year of the rat.)
Well, in Japan (and perhaps in China) the rat, which is usually depicted as a mouse in Japan, doesn't have the same negative connotations as "rat" in the U.S., but your point is well taken.
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