2019 The year of the pig

Chinese New Year is coming up. As of Feb. 5, it is the Year of the Pig. But what does this mean?

The pig is the twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals that occur in the Chinese zodiac with respect to the Chinese calendar. In the continuous sixty-year cycle, every twelfth year corresponds to hai and is commonly called the Year of the Pig. There are five types of pigs, named after the Chinese elements. In order, they are: metal, water, wood, fire and earth.

The Chinese zodiac legend

According to legend, the pig was the last to arrive when the Jade Emperor summoned the great assembly. Other sources say that Buddha called for a grand gathering as he was about to leave the earth. The pig was the last to enter.

Legend has it that just as the emperor was about to finish it, a grunt and squeal was heard from a small pig. The term "lazy pig" comes here because the pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast and then fell asleep. After the nap, the animal continued the race and was named the twelfth and last animal of the zodiac cycle.

Other sources say that given his very sturdy form, he was just too slow a swimmer, and so he couldn't do anything against the other animals.

Types

The animal’s natural element is water. It is therefore often associated with emotions and intuition. However, given that, along with the elements (referred to as the “heavenly stem”), the zodiac (also known as the “earthly branch”) also follows a cycle, each of the elements influences the characteristics of the corresponding earthly branch.

However, the pig is yin and so only the negative aspects of the elements can be attached to it, so only 5 types of pigs are found in the zodiac. They are the following:

• The Wood Pig
• The fire pig
• The earth pig
• The metal pig
• The water pig

The years of the pig

People born during this period can be said to have been born in the “Year of the Pig,” while bearing the following elemental sign:

Start date End date Celestial Branch
February 4, 1935 January 23, 1936 Wood
January 22, 1947 February 9, 1948 Fire
8 February 1959 27 January 1960 Earth
January 27, 1971 February 14, 1972 Metal
13 February 1983 1 February 1984 Water
January 31, 1995 February 18, 1996 Wood
February 18, 2007 February 6, 2008 Fire
5 February 2019 24 January 2020 Earth
January 23, 2031 February 10, 2032 Metal
February 10, 2043 January 29, 2044 Water

Because the Chinese zodiac follows the Lunar calendar, it does not coincide with the Gregorian calendar years or months. So people born on Feb. 9, 1899, still belong to the previous zodiac (i.e., Dog), while those born on Jan. 31, 1900, already belong to the next zodiac (i.e., Rat).