The Chinese New Year Starts today. You’ve probably seen it all over the news, since every year there is a news story on it. I wrote a previous post on the Chinese Year of the Rat which you should check out for more information.

Rat years are better for some Chinese birth signs than others. Here is a quick guideline for who should do well during this year of the Rat, and further down you will find a quick calculator for finding your own Chinese birth Animal, with longer love match and year forecasts in it.

The Year of the Rat is best for those born in:

Rat - 1900 1912 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008
Dragon - 1904 1916 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000
Ox - 1901 1913 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997

The Year of the Rat is good for:

Monkey - 1908 1920 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992
Snake - 1905     1917    1929    1941    1953    1965    1977    1989    2001
Pig - 1911 1923 1935 1947** 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007**

It is a more challenging year for:

Cat - 1903 1915 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999
Rooster - 1909 1921 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005
Horse -1906* 1918 1930 1942 1954 1966* 1978 1990 2002

This is a year of major change which is often difficult for:

Tiger - 1902 1914 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998
Dog - 1910 1922 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006
Goat - 1907 1919 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003

*The year of the Fire Horse. Anyone one born in this year is considered to be so head strong and full of impulse that they are often dangerous and disruptive to the home. It was considered especially bad to be a girl born in this year and is called hinoeuma. In ancient China girl babies born in a Fire Horse year were often drowned, and were considered unmarriageable. In 1966 the abortion rate in China was so high that it was shocking because so many parents did not want to have Fire Horses in their homes. Many other parents simply waited until the following year to register the birth of their child to help the baby avoid the prejudice such Fire Horse children (especially girl children) would receive.

**The year of the Golden Pig. Considered in Chinese Astrology to be the luckiest of all years. The most auspicious time to start a business or other profit making venture. To me this is because of the alignment of Jupiter and Pluto which takes place once every 60 years, and therefore is always present during the year of the Golden Pig. This is a generally lucky influence - but it will ONLY be lucky for you personally if it is making good aspects for YOU.