Pig (zodiac)
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Hai (亥) is the twelfth sign of the Earthly Branches. Its animal representation is the Boar ( 豬). In Chinese culture, the boar is associated with fertility and virility. To bear children in the year of the boar is considered to be very fortunate, for they will be happy and honest.[1]
In the continuous sexagenary cycle, every twelfth year corresponds to Hai, and is commonly called "the Year of the boar" (豬年). There are five types of boar, named after the Chinese elements. The character 豬, which denotes pigs generally in Chinese, is used in Japanese to refer specifically to wild boars.[2]
[edit] Years and the Five Elements
People born within these date ranges, of the lunar calendar, can be said to have been born in the "year of the Pig," while also bearing the following elemental sign:
- 30 January 1911 - 17 February 1912: Metal Pig
- 16 February 1923 - 4 February 1924: Water Pig
- 4 February 1935 - 23 January 1936: Wood Pig
- 22 January 1947 - 9 February 1948: Fire Pig
- 8 February 1959 - 27 January 1960: Earth Pig
- 27 January 1971 - 14 February 1972: Metal Pig
- 13 February 1983 - 1 February 1984: Water Pig
- 31 January 1995 - 18 February 1996: Wood Pig
- 18 February 2007 - 6 February 2008: Fire Pig
- 5 February 2019 - 24 January 2020: Earth Pig
- 2031 - 2032: Metal Pig
- 2043 - 2044: Water Pig
- 2055 - 2056: Wood Pig
Note, however, that the elements identified in the above table are the elements associated with the relevant Heavenly Stem of that year. The Earthly Branch sign Hai (the sign represented by the Pig) itself is always associated with the element of Water.
[edit] Traditional Pig Attributes/Associations
| Zodiac Location | 12th |
| Ruling hours | 9pm-11pm |
| Direction | North-northwest |
| Season and month | Autumn, November |
| Fixed element | Water |
| Stem | Negative |
| Lunar Month Dates | November 8-December 6 |
| Gemstone | Ruby |
| Color | Black, Royal Purple |
| Roughly equivalent western sign | Scorpio |
| Polarity | Yin |
| Countries |  Philippines,  Armenia,  Lebanon,  Jordan,  Nepal,  Angola |
[edit] References
- ^ For a recent report that this belief is still widely held in China, see Edward Cody, "Oh, to be Born in the Year of the Pig," Washington Post (March 1, 2007).[1]
- ^ The Japanese instead use the character 豚 to refer specifically to the domestic pig. In Chinese, the two characters (豚 and 豬) are not differentiated in this way.
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