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Astrology expert Susie Cox delves into the Chinese zodiac and what this year, a fiery rooster year, means.

“Welcome to the Fire Rooster year in Chinese astrology! The Western astrological New Year starts on the first day of Spring, or March 21st each year. Chinese astrology uses the lunar calendar to begin their new year, which starts at sunset after the second New Moon from the Winter Solstice in China. Therefore, it begins at a different date each year and in 2017 that day is January 28th.

“The Chinese zodiac has twelve animals, or signs, and 2017 will be the year of the intimidating Fire Rooster. Fasten your seatbelts, folks, because this is going to be a very wild year! 2017 will take on the personality of the new sign and everyone gets a chance to act out this style, for one year. The personality of the Rooster is arrogant, extremely confident, prone to large, overly-ambitious and unrealistic plans or wild goose chases. The colorful and charismatic Rooster likes to display his authority and trouble could occur due to his dominant approach. The Rooster’s dramatic style can trigger off petty clashes. Just think of his presence and visibility in the barnyard. The Fire Rooster likes to be in charge and lets everyone know it!

“This excerpt is out of Theodora Lau’s book, The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes, 1989, and she states it better than I can. “Politics will adhere to hard-line policies. The diplomatic scene will be dominated by philosophical orators who rave a lot about nothing. Governments will be found flexing their muscles at each other, but just for show. There may be no real confrontations. It is just that everyone will be too occupied with himself/herself to hear or care what the other person is saying. The self-conscious influence of the Rooster will cause us to take offense at the smallest slight. We will tend to be terribly ostentatious about the splendid image we think we project. Dissensions and debates on all fronts will signify the Rooster’s penchant for argumentative exercises and will not be likely to do permanent damage to anyone when taken in the right context…. He is not cut out to be a diplomat since situations requiring tact, delicacy and discretion will cramp his style…. An outstanding performer, the Rooster shines when he is the center of attraction. Tremendously imposing as a personality, he will pursue any career than exposes him to the public eye.”

“Remember, folks, this isn’t just talking about any individual person, it describes the personality of the entire year that everyone will feel, and act out to a certain extent.

“Western astrology has only four elements (fire, earth, air and water), compared to Eastern astrology that uses five elements. The Chinese five elements are metal, water, wood, fire and earth. The Chinese astrology system differs from Western astrology with their 60-year system. Here is how it works: Each year the signs change but the element remains for two consecutive years. For example, last year was the Fire Monkey, which changes to the Fire Rooster in 2017. So, this year, only the sign changes and it keeps the same element of fire. If you multiply the 5 elements times the 12 signs, it equals 60. 5 x 12 = 60. So, when you reach 60 years old, the Chinese astrology is the same as when you were born.

“Now, let’s overlay the fire element on the volatile Rooster. Of all the elements, fire is the most unpredictable and unstable. With fire fueling the Rooster, his authoritarian capacity will be greatly enhanced. He operates independently and can also be temperamental, dramatic and overly nervous. Singly focused on his success, he can display leadership abilities. Although the defiant Fire Rooster will keep fanatically to his own views and will pursue his own fact-finding missions. His fire element will be rigid and unaffected by opinions of those around him. The Rooster can be inflexible in work compromises and will scrutinize people, holding his own standards. “If things do not measure up to his expectations, he could assume the role of an Inquisitor or cause major upheavals.”

“Looking at this extreme year, it would behoove us all to stay calm and make deliberate plans. Try not to be prone to over-exaggeration or risky situations. But I want to put a different spin on this year of the Fire Rooster. This particular Chinese sign can easily energize your personal power. It will be a good wake up call for us all. This is not a year to be passive and just let things happen. Take charge of what you can. Find your voice and crow like a strong Rooster!” — Susie Cox

Explore more features from the Lunar New Year Issue, past and present.

占星学专家Susie Cox对中国的十二生肖有着深入的研究,来看看她对今年这个火热的公鸡年的解读吧。

“欢迎来到中国占星术的火公鸡年!西方占星术的新年开始于春天的第一天,或每年的3月21日。而中国占星术则使用农历来开始他们新的一年,即中国冬至日起的第二个新月之后的日落。因此,每一年它的开始日期会有所不同,而今年新年是1月28日。

“中国的十二生肖里有十二种动物或符号,2017年将是令人望而生畏的火公鸡的一年。朋友们,请系紧安全带,因为这将是非常狂野的一年!2017年将被赋予新的符号个性,并且在一整年中,每个人都有可能表现出这一风格。公鸡的个性是傲慢的、极度自信,倾向于很远大、野心勃勃和不切实际的计划或去做一些徒劳无功的事。多彩的、富有魅力的公鸡喜欢炫耀他的权威,而它这种喜欢支配他人的行为方式也常常会招来麻烦。公鸡引人注目的行事风格也可能会引发一些轻微的冲突。为什么?只需想想他在仓院的存在感和受关注度,你就能明白了。火公鸡喜欢掌控一切的感觉,并让所有人都知道!

“以下这段话摘录自Theodora Lau的书,1989年出版的《中国星座手册》,我相信她表述得比我更清楚。“政治将坚持走强硬路线。外交场合中将充斥着各类‘哲学演说者’,他们通常表现得狂热又投入,但实际上所表达的内容都是空洞而毫无成效。人们会发现各国政府都在尽其所能地展示自己国家的力量,但其实,都只是逢场作秀罢了。实际上,发生真正对抗的概率很小。因为每个人都在忙于处理自己的事,而根本没有时间去关心其他人在说些什么。公鸡强烈的自我意识会影响我们变得易怒的,甚至介怀一些特别微小的冒犯。同时,我们热衷于去炫耀我们自认为所展现出来的高大形象。在各种领域发生的纠纷和争论,都表明了公鸡他争强好胜的个性;但只要在适当的情境下,这些(纠纷和争论)并不会产生长久、持续性的危害。很显然,公鸡并不适合成为一名外交官;因为世故、圆滑和谨慎的场合,会钳制住他的个性。而作为一个杰出的表演家,只有当他成为众人关注的焦点时,公鸡才会表现得愈发出众。因此,受他这一最突出的个性使然,公鸡将会从事任何能让自己在公众面前曝光的职业。

“伙伴们,请记住,我们现在谈论的并不是个别现象,而更像是从一个宏观的角度,去描述每一个人在接下来这一整年的时间里会感受到的、自己在个性特质上的变化,而这些变化,都在一定程度上被表现出来。

“与只有四个元素(火、土、气和水)的西方占星学相比,东方(中国)占星术使用了五个元素, 它们分别是金、水、木、火和土。中国的占星术系统与西方不同,它是60年制的。它的工作原理如下:符号每年都会改变,但元素连续两年保持不变。例如,去年是火猴,在2017年则变为火公鸡。因此,今年,只有符号改变,而火元素保持不变。 如果将5个元素乘以12个符号,就等于60(5 x 12 = 60)。也就是说,当你60岁时,那一年的符号和元素,和你出生时的是完全相同的。

“现在,我们就将火元素赋予变化无常的公鸡。在所有的元素中,火是最不可预测和最不稳定的。当被赋予火时,公鸡专制的个性也被放大。他总是独立地采取行动,但也可能会是喜怒无常、引人注目和过分神经质的。他总是极度专注、渴求成功,时常展现出优秀的领导能力,虽然很多时候,目中无人的他会狂热地坚持自己的观点、并追求自己所认为正确的目标。他身上的火元素是顽固的、不受周围其他人的意见的影响。在工作中遇到需要妥协的事务时,他是固执己见的,他会坚持自己的标准并以此来审查他人。“如果事情没有达到他的预期,他会化身审判员的角色、甚至大发雷霆。”

“对于这极端化的一年,我们所有人都应该保持冷静,深思熟虑并制定计划。尽量不要作出过分夸张或危险的举动。但同时,我也想从另一个角度、来说一说这个火公鸡年。其实,这个特殊的中国符号也是能很好地激发每一个个体的个人力量的。这就像给我们所有人都注射了一剂强而有力的兴奋剂。对,这不应该是一个被动的、等待事情发生的一年,而是主动承担、并努力去做好所有你力所能及的事。找到专属于你的天地,和强壮的公鸡一样一鸣惊人吧!” Susie Cox

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