Wishing You a Happy Belated Chinese New Year

By Elizabeth Chan

By the time this is published, it will probably be way past the annual family gatherings, the explosion of fireworks, and the crackling of firecrackers that Chinese New Year brings about.

Personally, I just pig out at the dining table, sharing a jar of pineapple jam tarts with my mum. We then start complaining about how loud the fireworks are as our neighbours turn our block into a warzone by blasting both the firecrackers and the fireworks. Though we celebrate quietly every year, it isn’t Chinese New Year without the jam tarts.

Although, for most in Auckland, 2023 certainly kicked off to a wet start. While some of our festive spirit for the Lunar New Year may have been dampened, let’s welcome the Year of the Rabbit with this piece.

The Unsung Celebration

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the Chinese zodiacs, merry belated Hokkien New Year to the Hokkiens in Aotearoa! But what exactly is the Hokkien New Year and how is it different from the Chinese New Year, you may ask? The Hokkien New Year takes place nine days after Chinese New Year. While it looks like the Hokkiens were late to the party, there is a reason for this belated celebration.

According to My Penang, among the several Chinese clans, the Hokkiens celebrated their New Year late because they were hiding from the Mongols who mercilessly hunted them during the Song Dynasty. This was because they were seen as a threat to the empire. As a result, many were killed by the Mongols except for one group that hid in a village among the sugarcane plants. By the ninth day, they could not find the remaining Hokkiens and gave up on their pursuit.

When the Hokkiens could finally emerge from hiding on the ninth day, their celebration was not merely a belated New Year’s celebration, but a commemoration of their survival. To give thanks, annually, they would offer a sugarcane to their god as a symbol of harmony.

Western Astrology vs. Chinese Zodiacs

In case you didn’t know, 2023 is the year of the Rabbit. But what does this actually mean? How are Chinese animal zodiacs different from Western astrology? Well, the main difference between the two is how the zodiacs are calculated. For instance, Chinese zodiacs are counted yearly, while Western astrology is calculated every few months. Rather than being distinguished by the elemental signs, there are twelve animals that represent the Chinese zodiacs. How exactly did we end up with animals as zodiacs?

The Story Behind the Animal Zodiacs

Even in ancient times, there was a rat race (pun intended) to be won.

The runners were the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. According to China Highlights, the race was held to create a time measurement for the people, in which there could only be twelve winners. In order to win, they had to cross a river and reach the finish line on the other side.

The Rat and the Ox woke up early for the race. Seeing its chance, the Rat jumped onto the Ox’s back to cross the river. Once they reached the other side, the Rat hopped off and dashed to the feet of the Emperor, taking first place. The Ox then came second place.

The Tiger came third and the Rabbit came fourth because they were fast and highly competitive, but the Tiger was faster.

It turns out that the Jade Emperor had a thing for looks, as the Emperor immediately noticed the Dragon because he was so good-looking and he finished fifth place. The Emperor then predicted that the Dragon’s son would come next and, speak of the devil, the Snake, the Dragon’s adoptive son, came in sixth.

The Horse and the Goat then arrived. They were kind and modest, as they kept allowing each other to go first. Seeing this, the Emperor ranked the Horse seventh and the Goat eighth. Writing this makes me proud to be born in the Year of the Horse.

The Monkey fell way behind but jumped through trees and zigzagged his way, finishing ninth. Following him were the Rooster, the Dog and the Pig.

Why is There No Cat?

There are several variations on why the cat was not included among the animal zodiacs, contrary to the Vietnamese astrology. Some variations of the myth said that the cat was too lazy and overslept on the day of the race. Meanwhile, others said that the cat and the rat were rivals and the rat managed to push the cat into the river. A rather brutal retelling of the tale, considering that the river’s currents were rapid. Hopefully, the cat made it out alive in the latter version.

There is one thing the variations have in common. The Rat finished first place in the race because it seized its opportunity by working smarter, not harder, because it piggy-backed the ox in order to cross the river. Who would have thought that there was a moral to the Chinese astrology?