Chinese New Year | Year of the Metal Ox

Year of the Metal Ox – All you need to know

So in 2021 it’s the “Year of the Metal Ox,” which hasn’t happened for 60 years. The Ox represents the first year of the 12-year zodiacal cycle, with 2020 being the “Year of the Metal Rat.

How it is significant to the world? Ohh yeah it is, Friday, 12 February, 2021 celebrated “Chinese New Year,” it is one of the globe’s biggest annual celebrations as a fifth of humanity celebrate with rice cakes and dumplings despite it being a mostly virtual event this year. We all know why…

However, as well as also being called “Spring Festival” it’s also referred to as “Lunar New Year.”

Why? What has this occasion go to do with the Moon? How is Chinese New Year calculated and why is Chinese New Year always on a different date? What Chinese New Year animal are you? And what is a “lunar year” anyway? Here’s all you need to know about it all.

Chinese New Year 2021 starts on the day after the first New Moon that falls between January 21 and February 20 each year—which this year occurred on Thursday, February 11, 2021—and ends on the first full Moon of the lunar calendar two weeks later. This new year begins on February 12, 2021 and ends on January 31, 2022.

The Chinese New Year 2021 animal is the Ox. Each year has an animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac (literally “circle of animals”), which is based on the Moon and has a 12 year cycle. Interestingly, so does the planet Jupiter, which takes about 12 years to orbit the Sun. However, there is also a cycle of five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal and water—which together creates a 60 year cycle. So in 2021 it’s the “Year of the Metal Ox,” which hasn’t happened for 60 years.

Which Chinese New Year animal am I?

Don’t make any assumptions if you’re born in January or February and want to find what Chinese New Year animal you are. It’s no use knowing that, for example, 1976 was the “Year of the Dragon.” It was, but only for those both on or after January 31, 1976. What you need to know is that exact date of Chinese New Year in the year of your birth. For example, anyone born on January 30, 1976 was born in the “Year of the Rabbit,” and anyone after that in the “Year of the Dragon.” calculate what Chinese New Year animal you are.

It’s the final full Moon of the astronomical season of winter in the northern hemisphere. In China the celebrations close with a Lantern Festival.

“Chinese New Year” or “Lunar New Year?” While the former refers to the event in China, the latter—and another term, “Spring festival”—is used to recognise the fact that the event is celebrated all over Asia, not just in China. Lunar New Year is celebrated in Vietnam as Tết, as Losar in Tibet and as Solnal in Korea.