Year of the Dog!
The dog seen above is probably not common to most, but it is Chinese depiction of the animal for whom the Chinese name a whole year in their calendar. There are 12 animals that are used by the Chinese including the rat, ox, snake, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, pig and the dog.
We understand how the dog has become such a vital and integral part of our lives, but it was a such a key component to the lives of the Chinese and the development of their culture and calendar, that we can truly understand the importance of this animal in Chinese history. While the years in the U.S. are dated in a linear fashion that start with the birth of Christ, the Chinese dating method is cyclical. This means that something is repeated time after time into a developed pattern. There are 12 animals used, as mentioned above, so every 12 years, many persons will be born in the year of the dog.
It is said that those born in the year of the dog, which include the years of 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, and 2006 possess the best traits of human nature. These traits include a deep sense of loyalty, honesty and the ability to inspire the confidence of others. Think about the traits that we love about our dogs. Aren’t they extremely similar? They are devotedly loyal. They are always honest, as dogs don’t know how to lie and they make us feel great and inspire confidence all the time with their unconditional love.
However, no one is perfect, so it is said that people born in the year of the dog also will be a bit selfish and can be standoffish. They are also known to be stubborn and eccentric. Now think about those dogs….yes I have owned a dog who was stubborn to a fault and his eccentricity could be found in some of the many rituals he had with his food. For example, he would never eat unless someone was home. If we were all out, and arrived home together, he would greet us with joy and then go and enjoy his meal that had gone untouched since everone’s departure.
So if you were born in the Year of the Dog, consider yourself lucky. You are the best of the bunch and even though you can be a bit self-centered you share your year of birth with an animal that most people love, treasure and cherish.
Much of this information was found in the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. For more great information about San Francisco, go to http://www.about-sanfranciscoca.com/
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