Trying Simple Life in Taiwan

The following is about the Chinese ideas of Year of the Rat. As Christians, we do not judge a person by their "sign". Chinese though, do and place lots of thought many times of when to have children. The children know thier "sign" in our family, but we don't emphasize at all. Many times people will ask children what sign are you instead of how old are you, then you can figure out how old they are just  by knowing the sign. Chinese also follow the astrological signs (virgo, pisces, etc.) and place emphasis on that......or blame!!LOL!! So, this is mainly to help you know where any of your Chinese friends ideas come from. Enjoy your social studies lesson for today!**pictures below are done by the author NOT me** oh, all 3 entries are on my homeschool blog as well.....

THE YEAR OF THE RAT, 2008

February 7, 2008 - January 25, 2009 (Earth)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2008 is a Year of the Rat (Earth), which begins on February 7, 2008 and ends on January 25, 2009.  First in the cycle of 12 Animal signs, Rat Year begins the sequence and recurs every twelfth year. It is a time of renewal in so many ways. From New Year to Valentine's Day, to the arrival of spring, may all the blessings and delights of the New Year be yours.

A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal.  This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start.  Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful.  The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find.  People born in an Earth Rat are said to be logical realists, shrewd, charming, ambitious, and inventive.  Of course, the entire horoscope must be considered when making any personality assessment.

In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person.  People born in the Year of Rat are clever and bright, sociable and family-minded.  They have broad interests and strong ability in adapting to the environment and able to react adequately to any changes.

They are gifted in many ways and have an easy going manner.  They are active and pleasant, tactful and fantastic, and are able to grasp opportunities.  They seem to have interests in everything and hope to participate in doing it and usually do it very well.

Following are my Chinese brush paintings to celebrate the Year of the Rat.  Please click the images for more information.

Rat Years

01/31/1900 - 02/18/1901 (Metal), 02/18/1912 - 02/05/1913 (Water), 02/05/1924 - 01/24/1925 (Wood), 01/24/1936 - 02/10/1937 (Fire), 02/10/1948 - 01/28/1949 (Earth), 01/28/1960 - 02/14/1961 (Metal), 02/15/1972 - 02/02/1973 (Water), 02/02/1984 - 02/19/1985 (Wood), 02/19/1996 - 02/06/1997 (Fire), 02/07/2008 - 01/25/2009 (Earth) 

The Sign of the Rat

An opportunist with an eye for a bargain, Rats tend to collect and hoard, but are unwilling to pay too much for anything.  They are devoted to their families, particularly their children.  Quick-witted and passionate, they are capable of deep emotions despite their cool exteriors.  Their nervous energy and ambition may lead them to attempt more tasks than they are able to complete successfully.  Rats are blessed with one of the best intellects going. 

The sign of the Rat is the first one in the cycle giving Rat people exude great leadership qualities and are good at taking the lead.  They don't mind a lot of responsibility and they demonstrate a strong presence that other people respect.  For those with the Rat nature, status and monetary satisfaction are the greatest motivation.

The affect of the sign of the Rat is energetic, and demonstrates enough endurance to fight most any sickness.  Yet, all Rats tend to be tense, full of nervous energy, and prone to stress.  Yoga and meditation would benefit Rats by calming their aggressive natures and helping them manage stress.

Rats make good homemakers who are always willing to do household chores.  Because this is a sign of acquisition, the Rat person's house is presumably bursting with various knick-knacks collected over the years.  Most Rats are cheerful, domesticated individuals who find happiness at home with their family.

The Chinese say others should always listen to the advice of the Rat.  Because of their intellect and observatory powers, Rat people possess prudence and perception.  They can anticipate problems, and are always able to see the big picture.  Status, money, title and recognition are important to the Rat.  They have keen sense of observation that allow them to foresee upcoming business opportunities as well as potential occupational problems.  The Rat makes a better boss than an employee.  Rats work better in flexible situations where they can be freely creative. 

Cunning and thrifty, Rats have a knack with money and are apt to save for rainy days.  When capable, the Rat is a great money saver, and in strapped times he knows how to make something out of nothing or how to make things advantageous for himself.

Generally friendly and sociable, the Rat is one of the extroverts of the 12 Animal signs.  They have a special gift for easing the minds of others.  It is not surprising that Rats have a lot of friends.  To the people they love, Rats can be amazingly charitable, popular and supportive. Although Rats like to be in the driver's seat, they do need partners who can keep up with their active lifestyles.  Rat people are romantic, and are always happier to have someone to share with.

Famous Rat People

Alyssa Milano, Cameron Diaz, Charlotte Bronte, Daryl Hannah, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennie Garth, Kristen Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lucrezia Borgia, Margaret Mitchell, Margot Kidder, Mata Hari, Nancy Wake, Olivia Newton-John, Sinead Cusack, Stevie Nicks, Toni Collette, and Tracy Pollan.