My novel The Truth About Rats (and Dogs) talks about rats and about Chinese New Year, so I couldn’t let the start of the Year of the Rat pass without blogging about the occassion. So, Gung Hay Fat Choy! (or Gong Xi Fa Cai!).
People who were born under the sign of the rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996) are considered ambitious and hard-working – like their rodent counter-parts, who are diligent seekers of food. When rats sense food within reach, they will chew through almost anything to get to it. Similarly, when humans with this zodiac sign want something, they will as work as hard as a rat to achieve their goal. Apparently, 2008 will be a good year for rat people. Obstacles and setbacks can be overcome, and success is immanent (although it may be temporary).
I’ve been taking an online art class (cool concept and a lot of fun) with artist Karyn Gartel, and I’m using some of the techniques in the first few class assignments to make some Year of the Rat art, which I’ll post here as soon as it’s done. In the meantime, you can click here for last year’s Chinese New Year post and art or click here for a past rat post.
And here’s my Year of the Rat art:
February 17, 2008 at 10:31 pm |
Here’s what Jean-Pierre, writing from Japan, said about New Year there (his comment was originally posted in January):
Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu! That’s Happy New Year, sort of, in Japanese. If you want to know what the year will bring you it may have been revealed to you in your first dream of the year. That’s one of the beliefs out here.
I’m sure you also know that this is the year of the mouse (in Japan) or rat, in China. The mouse is a sign of prosperity because it is associated with bales of rice, a sign of wealth. The mouse is often also seen together with Diakoku, one of the 7 Lucky Gods, and he is a sort of patron god of business. So I’m looking forward to a prosperous New Year.
Jean-Pierre
Note from Jacquie: I think Japan originally followed a Lunar calendar like China, but now follows a Western one, with New Year falling on January 1.
February 23, 2008 at 2:27 am |
That’s a beautiful piece of art, I love the writing in the background and the coin that the rat is carrying. Lovely.
June 25, 2010 at 8:11 am |
cool picsxxx
June 25, 2010 at 10:10 am |
Thanks, Beth!