Next year is my year in the Chinese zodiac.

[Entropy_Rising]

I'm a rat and the year of the rat is coming around in a few months. My students have told me this means I'm very lucky, but a second source tells me that when any given person reaches his or her year in the Chinese zodiac it's bad luck around the corner. I'm more inclined to believe the second opinion since my students will probably want me to hear nice things. I'm clueless about this, anybody care to enlighten me?

Thank you!

[anonymoose]

This is just superstition. Your luck doesn't really depend on your birth year. So don't worry.

[heifeng]

no no no, this is very important. You better stock up on red socks and underwear otherwise disaster will strike!

[Entropy_Rising]

This is just superstition. Your luck doesn't really depend on your birth year. So don't worry.

Obviously, I'm just curious how this theme is viewed from a traditional cultural perspective.

I know what superstitions are, my cell phone number has two consecutive 4s in it. God forbid.

Hard to be curious around here, yeesh.

[floatingmoon]

I just treated like interesting facts. Not superstitious into it, just fun to know. It's like my interest in mythology, religion history, etc. If you know what I mean. Anyways....

I think every year, there are always some animals signs that are 犯太岁，not sure if that's what you mean by bad luck?

[Lu]

I've heard both too, but the dominant superstition seems to be that when it's your year (你的本年) that means bad luck for you. Unless you make sure you always wear something red, be it socks, underwear, or a red thread around your neck. If your year means good luck for you, wearing red increases that luck. So in any case, wear red and things should be ok.

Happy Western New Year!

[imron]

I was told that it's a year when big things happen. Therefore if something bad happens it will be bad in a big way and if something good happens it will be good in a big way.

[xiaocai]

Last year was mine, and I got dozens of red underwear from my parents, and it can only be given by your parents according to our tradition (or superstition...). I myself don't really take it seriously but still wear them coz they are gift from my parents, as long as it can be properly covered with outfit.

[cdn_in_bj]

Last year was mine, and I got dozens of red underwear from my parents, and it can only be given by your parents according to our tradition (or superstition...)

So I suppose if you were to go out and buy yourself a red thong, that wouldn't count?

[Rrina]

This is interesting. I'd have thought that having your year come up would never be associated with anything negative. So when it's the year for your own sign do you get a special party or something besides red clothes? Is this a big celebration? If so I'll prepare for when my year comes up.

[skylee]

Last year was mine, and I got dozens of red underwear from my parents, and it can only be given by your parents according to our tradition (or superstition...). I myself don't really take it seriously but still wear them coz they are gift from my parents, as long as it can be properly covered with outfit.

A few years ago it was mine and my mother gave me a gold pendant that she took the trouble to buy and told me to wear it. I didn't wear it but carry it in my wallet throughout the year, not because I believed in these things but because my mother gave it to me and it was her wish that I should carry it.

Such a year is described as '本命年' or '犯太歲'.

[xiaocai]

I had exactly the same experience, skylee!

My mother also gave me a talisman she bought from 雍和宫 which had been blessed by one of the 高僧s there along with those read underwear. It came with a necklace and you are supposed to wear the it like a pendant. I'm not saying I didn't like it just because it is superstition, but it felt really weird to have a huge heavy metal piece dangling down from you neck, and I left it in my drawer. My mom was a bit upset when she saw me not wearing it, cause according to the monks it only works when you carry it along with you. So now I keep it in my wallet, as she wishes.

[here2learn]

Ok, I have the BEST and most important experience here! (haha, just kidding really, I'm not even chinese!)

MY YEAR just ENDED! And nothing bad happened, and I didn't wear red every day.

phew!

Glad I don't have to worry about THAT for another 12 years!

Actually, of course some bad things happened, and so did some good things, as usual.

Happy Year of the Rat!

All you rats, don't forget your red underwear!