Chinese New Year Zodiac Forecasts

Happy Chinese New Year to all readers!

Chinese Zodiac Forecast are part and parcel of Chinese New Year Festivity.  In the months before and during the first month of Chinese New Year, there are many versions of such forecasts which sought to forecast the luck of all people in this world by dividing them into 12 groups of the Chinese zodiac sign based on the year each person is born in.  Yes, all one needs to check is whether he/she is born in the Year of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog or Pig, and viola, he/she will know her luck for the whole year!

However, we need to know that historically, all such forecasts differ greatly from one forecaster to another.  In fact, as I was doing my usual Chinese New Year visitations to relatives’ home, I overheard my cousin lamenting that the prediction of Fengshui Master A, differed from that Fengshui Master B, both of whom appeared on the first and second day of Chinese New Year TV programs respectively.  Now, does that mean that such Zodiac forecasts are merely hogwash?

First of all, I will agree that it is overly simplistic and generalized to forecast the luck of all people in this world by breaking them down to 12 broad groups.  If one wants to have their luck forecasted, it is much better to use the combined tools of Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) and Ba Zi because they classify people into much many smaller groups than 12 broad groups.

Secondly, using a broad based tool is always saddled by the skill of the user of the tool.  Take for instance, a scenic painting has the sun on the top right, sky on the top left, mountain on the bottom right, tree on the bottom center and river on the bottom left.  If the Fengshui Master has microscopic view, he could be interpreting the painting based on particular sectors of the painting on the left, right, center, top or bottom.  Meaning, one may tell you the painting is that of a mountain while another may tell you it is the painting of the sun and a third Fengshui Master may tell you it is the painting of a river.

Well, are these Fengshui Masters correct?  You can say that technically, they are correct.  But are they telling you the essence of the painting? No!  What a skilled Fengshui Master would have interpreted is that this is a painting of Mountain ABC during sunrise.

So, the next time you read or watch such Chinese New Year Forecast based on the Chinese horoscope reading represented by the 12 Celestial Animals, take it with a pinch of salt!