Chinese New Year rings in with a Big Yang Theory

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Happy Chinese New Year! The new year rings in with a bang and poses a big Yang theory. This year will be the year of the sheep, or is it the ram. Maybe it’s the goat? It depends on who you talk to

The longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar starts February 18 through 24, in 2015, or the year 4713 in China. If you ask different Asian groups, you will probably get different answers concerning what symbolic animal will represent the year. Some Chinese groups say it is the Year of the Sheep, so do the Taiwanese. The Vietnamese community calls it the Year of the Goat, and Koreans refers to it as the Year of the Ram, as does India. The symbol for the new year is the "yang", which can refer to any member of the caprinae subfamily, so the Big Yang Theory might just be much ado about mutton.

It is believed that the animal which rules the birth year of a person, has a profound influence on his or her personality. So maybe it’s important that we get this right.

Those born in the Year of the Yang (2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931) are thought to be charming, elegant and artistic, and strongly family-oriented. They are thought to be the harbingers of gentleness and peace. They can also throw themselves passionately into what they do, so they have characteristics of both rams and sheep.

In Chinese astrology, goats are described as peace-loving too, and are also kind and popular. With the addition of the wood element, the Goat characteristic is also thought to be helpful and trusting, but also ‘clingy’ and resistant to change. Not too dissimilar from the ram and sheep. Apparently this question is being raised around the globe as Google revealed the results of the searches in trying to solve this dilemma with the majority locking horns over the sheep and the goat.

In order to clear up the confusion Woodlands Online canvassed the Asian community using the Restaurant Guide - Asian, Chinese, Thai & Japanese list.

The Chinese restaurants were in agreement and adamant that it was the Year of the Sheep. The Vietnamese are going with the Year of the Goat. Another restaurant said they’re the same thing, although sheep and goat farmers may beg to differ.

Naming the years after animals comes from an ancient legend. According to the story, Lord Buddha summoned all the animals before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell. As a reward, he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. They are as follows: rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog and pig.

And as if there isn’t already a difference of opinion, the followers of the astrological zodiac calendar have weighed in. Capricorns are vying for the Year of the Goat, and those born under the sign of Aries the Ram are butting heads with them. According to the Big Yang Theory, it is considered auspicious for those whose astrological sign aligns with the Chinese calendar.

Then there are those who say that the centuries old celebration needs to be renamed to make it more politically correct, and call it the “Lunar New Year,” since it’s celebrated by numerous Asian communities and not just the Chinese. The petition with 2,000 signatures may not carry enough weight to offset the population of China, which was approximately 1.4 billion last year.

So even though everyone can’t agree on this year’s symbolism, it is expected that we’ll be able to get along as this year is projected to be one of peace and harmony.