Baseless hoptimism?

The first animal at the finish line was the wily rat, who nipped across before the strong but kindly ox. After that was the brave tiger, who had been blown astray by a river current. And then came the rabbit.

This is the myth of the Chinese zodiacThe term derives from a Greek word for a sculpture of an animal.. According to the story, the Jade Emperor invited all of the animals in the world to take part in a race which included a huge, flowing river just before the finish line.

Twelve species competed: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the rooster, the dog and the pig. Each of them won a year in the zodiac.

Sunday marked the start of the Lunar New Year, one of the most widely known festivals in Chinese culture, and the dawn of the Year of the Rabbit. It is celebrated in many countries across Asia with a feast of traditional cuisine, as children receive red envelopes called Hong Bao (Mandarin) or Lai See (Cantonese) which contain money and should ward off evil spirits.¹

As Chinese mythology characterises rabbits as tranquil and peaceful, many have projected that 2023 is to be a year of respite from the anxieties of war, pandemic and climate disaster.²

Is it wishful thinking? Those who reject the world of astrology, superstition and horoscopesA forecast of someone's future based upon the positions of the stars and planets at the time of their birth. will say so, priding themselves on a more scientific outlook. But it is rarely judiciousWise and showing good judgement. to dismiss ancient wisdom.

"It represents the sum of all human knowledge from antiquityThe ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages. ," claims one researcher who looks at ancient astrological practices. Most human civilisations built their cultures on astrology and the cosmosThe universe, especially when it is understood as an ordered system.. These systems required careful observation and formed the basis of modern science.

Nor should we dismiss the importance of cultural beliefs. In the last Year of the Dragon, 2012, the birth rate in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan spiked by 5%, producing an extra one million babies. Dragons are a particularly desirable zodiac animal, representing power, strength and wealth.

Meanwhile, birth rates tend to dip around the Year of the Goat. It is an important consideration in a country where population plays such a huge role in sustaining economic growth, suggesting that "superstitions" merit more serious attention.

Yes: There is plenty of accuracy to this complex system of ancient wisdom which we can apply to the everyday even now. As with any old belief system, it just needs to be interpreted by the experienced eye, and not taken precisely at face value.

No: Horoscopes and astrology were first thought up many years in the past, and we should keep them there. They do not have any scientific evidence backing them up.

Or... It is not fair to call Chinese astrology "accurate" as such, but that does not mean we should dismiss its wisdom. Astrology has been a hallmark in every successful civilisation so far, and China is one of the strongest countries in the modern world. It merits our thought and attention.