Happy New Year!

February 12, 2002 8:35 AM

Happy New Year! While you're having some Dim Sum and King Cake at your parish Pancake Supper, remember to celebrate the Year of the Black Horse and get those fireworks set off before Lent begins! Oh, my. Now my head is swimming... have to go lie down.
posted by dwivian (8 comments total)

mmmmm, dim sum :) i tried chicken feet for the first time the other day. it's okay if you forget you're sucking on knuckles. kung hey fat choi!
posted by kliuless at 8:55 AM on February 12, 2002

Happy 4699, everybody! Say goodbye to the year of the snake (which "lived up to its reputation -- a time of upheaval, disasters and doom"), and let's hope for peace and prosperity in the year of the horse!

If you know your Chinese sign, here's where to find out what to expect in the coming 12 months.

And don't forget to get the stamp -- it's cool.
posted by varmint at 9:08 AM on February 12, 2002

Father Vivian O'Blivion gives the blessing tonight.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 9:59 AM on February 12, 2002

It's interesting that this is only the second time I've heard it being referred to as year of the "black horse", both times by non-Chinese. In Chinese, we just say year of the horse. Where did this "black horse" business get started?
posted by gyc at 1:52 PM on February 12, 2002

Chinese Fortune Calendar: Why do the Chinese name year 2002 as the Black Horse Year? Chinese calendar uses the Stem-Branch system to count the days, months and years. There are 10 Stems and 12 Branches in the system. Stems are named by the Yin-Yang and Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth). The Stem sequence order is Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water and Yin Water. Branches use the animal names.

The Branch sequence order is Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig. Stem and Branch are used together to form a cycle of 60 counting systems which begin from Wooden Rat and end with Water Pig. You can see the entire sequence from the Chinese New Year's page. From Year 1924 to Year 1983 is a complete cycle. Year 2002 is Yang Water Horse, the 19th of the Stem-Branch in the system. Because Water is equivalent to color Black in the Five-Element system, Year 2002 is also called Black Horse year. In Chinese astrology, Horse contains Fire element and color Red can represent Fire. Since Fire element in the Year 2002, therefore the water is not cold anymore. ...

gyc: Plenty more where that came from ...
posted by allaboutgeorge at 2:13 PM on February 12, 2002

thanks for the info allaboutgeorge, but it is still strange none of the Chinese I talked to knew about the year of the "black" horse.
posted by gyc at 5:13 PM on February 12, 2002

It's also lunar New Year's here in Korea, or course - 'Seh hey bok mani paduseyo' to you all.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:47 PM on February 12, 2002

I have been celebrating all day with my fiancee from Taiwan, and getting $88.88 out of the bank was a bit strange but understandable. Also, I haven't used a knife all day....no need to cut away good fortune.
posted by Benway at 9:16 PM on February 12, 2002