Day 7 - Feb 9

According to Chinese scriptures, the goddess with the snake body (size zero?) created humans on day seven from yellow mud. On the previous days she had created Chickens (day 1) dogs (2) sheep (3) pigs (4) cows (5) and horses (6).
She also gave humans sex education on that day so that they might procreate.
Celebrate this in your own way

Before you get too engrossed don't forget to get the Laba Zhou onto the stove ready for tomorrow.
Laba Zhou is a special hot porridge which contains glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, peas and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnuts, walnuts, almond, peanut, dried lotus seeds etc. If you get it going by midnight it will have an attractive smell by the morning. The flavour varies from place to place, in the North, it is a dessert with sugar added; in the South, salt and seasonal vegetables are put in.

Day 6 - Feb 8

If you live in Taiwan you will know this as Good Pig Day and will go to see the big pig competition. In 2007 the winner weighed 2000lb and was sold for 1 million Taiwan dollars (£20,000). It is also customary to have the cess pit cleared today. (Not really relevant if you have Elsan)

You're waiting for a rabbit.

Another Chinese Rabbit Folk Tale
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the Song State, ofChina. When he was working in a field, he saw a rabbit running past him, then it broke its neck on a tree and died. The farmer grabbed the dead rabbit and made a stew. It was delicious.

After that, the farmer didn't want to work on his field anymore. He just sat next to that same tree and waited for a rabbit to smash itself and die.
Unfortunately, there were no more rabbits afterwards and the farmer's field grew nothing but weeds.

The moral of this story  is that nothing can be achieved without either working or paying. Hence the expression You are waiting for a rabbit.

Lunar New Year

Day 5 - Feb 7

God of Wealth Day - so back to work and expect the Lion Dancers to pay you a visit.
Setting off fire crackers will attract customers.

The Rabbit and The Back Pain - An Explanatory Folktale

There was once a rich man who was fond of rabbits and raised them for amusement.

'Look after them carefully. Ah Ji,' he said. 'If any of them dies, it'll be deducted from your pay.' One day Ah Ji accidentally dropped a stick that landed on a rabbit right across its lower back. 'Uh-oh!' he exclaimed. Scared stiff, he quickly hid the rabbit in a bean patch. A couple of days later, the rich man noticed that a rabbit was missing and took Ah Ji roundly to task.
Ah Ji had no choice but to go to the bean patch and look for the rabbit. 'The rabbit is tearing around, ' he said. 'It must have eaten something. Huh? How does an injured rabbit have the energy to run around like that? That's really weird.' Ah Ji tried to grab the rabbit, but it hopped around so much he couldn't. He went home and told his father what had happened. His father had been severely beaten by the rich man a few months earlier. His lower back hurt him so much he couldn't get out of bed. 'I'd like to know what that rabbit ate,' his father said. 'Maybe it'd be good for my back.'
So Ah Ji struck another rabbit across the back and put it in the bean patch to see what would happen. At first, the rabbit couldn't move. It stretched its neck and nibbled the seeds of a yellow plant that clung to a bean stalk. After three or four days, the rabbit was up and about.
'Hey! If the seeds of that plant could heal the rabbit's back, they could have the same effect on people,' his father said. 'Go pick some and cook them into a medicine for me to drink.' The father drank the concoction. A few days later he could get out of bed and move around.
Two months later, he was able to work in the fields. Finally, Ah Ji left the rich man's house and devoted himself to gathering seeds and making them into medicine, which he distributed to people suffering from back pain.


As a result of his story, the herb is called tusizi, or rabbit's thread, in Chinese.

The English name is dodder.

Day 4 - Feb 6

Welcome the God of the Stove back with fireworks and an animal sacrifice in the kitchen.
As heaven is a long way off the God of the Stove usually arrives in the afternoon.

Year of the Rabbit - The Legend of the Jade Rabbit

In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit.
The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead, jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself.
The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

Day 3 - February 5

Red Dog Day (might be calle Hair of the Dog Day by some!)
After two days of eating, drinking and playing games today it is a good day to rest .
This is also the Mice's Wedding Day so you should retire to bed early .
Turning out the light early also slows down their breeding according to old Chinese farmers.
Taking out the rubbins is thought to remove some of the bad spirits which lurk around this time.

More on the Chinese Calendar

Unlike western calendars, the Chinese calendar has names that are repeated every 60 years. Within the 'Stem-Branch' system is shorter cycle of 12 years denoted by animals and 2011 is the year of the Rabbit. Actually, this is the Xīn-măo 辛卯 year. Xīn (Metal) is the eighth of the ten celestial stems and Mao (Rabbit) is the fourth of the twelve terrestrial branches and marks the year of the Rabbit or Hare.
How to calcule when the Chinese New Year starts in 2011
The fact that the date of Chinese New Year varies within about a month is a clue that it's linked to the new moon. A rough, and almost infallible guide is that the date of the Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The winter solstice always falls on December 21st, the next new moon is January 4th, and the second new moon is on February 3rd 2011.
As with most things Chinese it is not quite that simple.....
For example, one problem with any lunar calendar system is that some years there are 13 new moons. The Chinese deal with this by slotting in an extra intercalary month.

My Landmark of the Week

Crownhill Fort

In the 1860s it was decided to protect naval bases such as Plymouth from attack by land as well as by sea. A chain of forts was built, with Crownhill in the key position in the north of the city. It is now one of only two large works of this kind in the country to remain in good condition.

From a distance, the Fort blends with the hilltop, defended not by walls but by steep earth ramparts. These enfold the central parade ground, around which are handsome quarters for up to 300 men. For further protection, the buildings and many of the emplacements for 32 large guns have turf roofs, some restored by us. Outside the ramparts is a deep dry ditch, 30 feet wide at the bottom, which could be covered by protective fire from a chemin de ronde and six three-storey caponiers, reached from inside the fort by long tunnels. Since acquiring the Fort in 1987, we have done major work to grounds, weaponry and buildings, many of which are now let to small businesses. In 1995 the Fort was opened to the public for the first time; and in 1998 it was once again armed with a Moncrieff Disappearing Gun, the only working example in the world. Crownhill fascinates the enthusiast and the novice alike. It is also a remarkably pleasant place to be. The Officers’ Quarters in which you stay face south, the kitchen with a large window and a commanding view of the comings and goings. Above all, you have the free run of this spectacular structure of stone and earth. Sleeps: 8 Beds: T D IV Features Enclosed grounds Open fire Adjacent parking Please Note The Fort is open to the public on specific weekends throughout the summer. It is also open all year round for groups by appointments, corporate and private hire, including weddings, and occupied on a daily basis by a range of small businesses.

We have never stayed here but we were priviledged to visit it and here are a few of my own photographs

Day 2 - Feb 4

Married women should visit their parents today and husbands must accompany them.
It is customary to take a red envelope containing new money for the parents and other relations who will assemble for lunch.
Remember not to drop your chopsticks or to mention FOUR anytime during the new year period. (the Mandarin for FOUR sounds like the word for Death)

What is your Chinese Zodiac Animal?

Rat	1900	1912	1924	1936	1948	1960	1972	1984	1996	2008
Ox	1901	1913	1925	1937	1949	1961	1973	1985	1997	2009
Tiger	1902	1914	1926	1938	1950	1962	1974	1986	1998	2010
Rabbit	1903	1915	1927	1939	1951	1963	1975	1987	1999	2011
Dragon	1904	1916	1928	1940	1952	1964	1976	1988	2000	2012
Snake	1905	1917	1929	1941	1953	1965	1977	1989	2001	2013
Horse	1906	1918	1930	1942	1954	1966	1978	1990	2002	2014
Sheep	1907	1919	1931	1943	1955	1967	1979	1991	2003	2015
Monkey	1908	1920	1932	1944	1956	1968	1980	1992	2004	2016
Rooster	1909	1921	1933	1945	1957	1969	1981	1993	2005	2017
Dog	1910	1922	1934	1946	1958	1970	1982	1994	2006	2018
Pig	1911	1923	1935	1947	1959	1971	1983	1995	2007	2019

If you are a Rabbit
People born under the sign of the rabbit are traditionally thought to be gentle, sensitive, modest, and merciful and have a strong memory.

• They like to communicate with others in a humorous manner.
• They cannot bear dull life, so they are good at creating romantic or interesting situations but they lack meditative abilities and often sink money into ideas that may cause failures in their career.
• People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious.
• They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste.
• Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky.
• They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind.
• Rabbit people seldom lose their temper.
• They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract.
• They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise.

Rabits are compatible with:

Ram, Dog & Boar

Non-Compatible with:

Rooster

Western Counterpart:

Pisces

Famous Rabbits:

Albert Einstein, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jordan, Confucius, Michel Keaton, Jane Seymour, Orson Welles, Neil Simon, John Adams, Arthur Miller, Andy Warhol, George C. Scot, Judy Collins, Peter Falk, Fidel Castro, Roger Moore, Harry Belafonte, Peter Fonda, Helen Hunt, Drew Barrymore, Walter Mondale, Marie Curie, Ingrid Bergman, Josef Stalin, and Brigitte Nielson.

HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

Today – Thursday 3rd February, 2011 - is the first day of the

Lunar New Year Festival for the year of the Rabbit

Those of you who do not espouse Budhism or Taoism may need a few pointers regarding the 15 days of celebration which you are about to undertake.

Day 1 - Feb 3
-It is unlucky for women to use knives today so no food preparation. Meals must therefore consist of leftovers.
-Married women should not visit their family as this will make them poorer.
-Wealth and luck of the household will diminish if sweeping or rubbish disposal takes place today.
-Washing your hair will wash away your luck
-Don't eat congee (rice porridge) for breakfast as this is paupers' fare and you may tempt fate.
-Washing clothes today will offend the God of Water whose birthday it is.
-Eating meat before noon will offend the gods who visit as many of them are vegetarian.

To wish others wel,l try:

Gong xi fa chai which is Congratulations and make a fortune in Mandarin

or Kung hey fat choy which is the Cantonese version and more common in UK.

Tomorrow is (Lunar) New Year's Eve
By New Year’s Eve, you should have done the following:

• Clean the entire home to get rid of all the things that are associated with the old year.
• Put away all brooms and brushes.
• Pay all your debts.
• Resolve differences with family members, friends, neighbors and business associates.
• Buy the following: - red money envelopes
  - oranges and/or tangerines
  - circular candy tray (the tray of togetherness)
  
  - flowers (especially plum blossom, peach blossom, water lily)
  - a new set of clothes and shoes for children, preferably something red or orange.
• Get new paper money from the bank. and put it into the red envelopes. which apparently bestows magical powers on it. The lucky money envelopes are given to children during the New Year period.
  

Gecko International
 My readership over the last month is still fairly international.  I suspect that a fair proportion of the overseas readers find me through a search engine, judging by the posts that are read. For those who are intersted these are the figures:
%    Country
66 - UK
9 -  USA
7 -  Germany
6 -  Netherlands
4  - Australia
2  - Philipines
2  - France
1  - Norway
1  - Hungary
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2  - ROW