Happy Lunar New Year. (*hic*)
The Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
Because of cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. On the Chinese calendar, 2008 is Lunar Year 4705-4706.
On the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on February 7, 2008 – The Year of the Rat.
If you were born in 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 – you were born under the sign of the rat.
I am a rat and damned proud of it. There is no distinction in China between a rat and a mouse BTW.
Because I am a rat this year, and if I wear red underwear, I will be lucky. I have 4 new pairs, one for each quarter. I should get real lucky.