All you need to know about the Year of the Rabbit
The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the transition of the Chinese zodiac sign from one animal to the next. 2023 sees in the Year of the Rabbit, which begins on January 22. In Chinese culture, the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious.
Are you a rabbit?
Click on your birth date for your Chinese zodiac animal
Birth Years: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Rats are self-starters who have extraordinarily strong communication skills. They love being involved in their community and are both detail-oriented and artistic. They are also sensitive and intuitive, risk-averse, and tend to be quite organised.
In addition, Rats are resourceful, skilled, versatile, friendly, intelligent and charming. They are sensitive to the emotions of others but also stubborn. Financially, they like to save and can be stingy.
Birth Years: 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Hard workers at heart, intelligent and trustworthy, Oxes have no problem stepping up and taking responsibility, but they never seek flattery or to be the centre of attention. This often hides their talent, but they will get recognition eventually. They're honest and sincere, generally quiet, and not the most expressive emotionally.
Birth Years: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Tigers are go-getters who are loyal and fans of luxury. They pride themselves on being free-thinking and come off as downright fearless. Fighters for justice and with high self-esteem, Tigers tend to make formidable leaders. They love a good challenge and adventure in life. They rarely feel tired. Sometimes, however, they make cheeky decisions and are difficult to control.
Birth Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Rabbits are sincere in everything they do, only asking that others treat them the same way. To those who don't know them personally, the Rabbit's kindness can make them appear soft and weak. In truth, the calm personality of the Rabbit hides its confidence and strength.
Birth Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Dragons are natural leaders, self-sufficient, outgoing, fierce and combative. They are also known for their loyalty to family and friends, and they adore adventure and romance. Although they may seem lazy at times, Dragons are quickly motivated by anything that interests them.
Birth Years: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Snakes have the best intuition and deep and complex minds, and if they love, they love with all their hearts. They are also humorous and sophisticated, but do not like to talk or think about small, everyday problems.
Birth Years: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Horses are free spirits who need space to be themselves. They are full of energy, sometimes too much. Studious and athletic, they are strong believers in chasing dreams. Instead of wealth and fame, happiness is what motivates them.
Birth Years: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Goats make new friends effortlessly and tend to be incredibly perceptive and nurturing. They're peacemakers who prefer not to rock the boat, being patient, polite and persuasive. Their most notable feature is that they persevere in the face of any difficulty. They are strong and resilient, although their gentleness can be deceptive.
Birth Years: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Monkeys have no trouble starting a conversation with just about anyone. They crack people up with their light, engaging sense of humour, and love being in the spotlight.
Their most defining trait is their intelligence. As children, they win prizes and praise from teachers. As adults, they gain professional recognition and make great leaders. Due to this, they can be arrogant. They're often disrespectful and self-centred when making decisions. They are awfully competitive, which is both positive and negative.
Birth Years: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Roosters are complex people who seem strong, but deep down, they need validation from loved ones. They are serious in their jobs and are direct and decisive in their actions. They are perfectionists and will directly criticise what they consider inappropriate.
Birth Years: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Dogs are family- and service-oriented, direct, trustworthy, and unselfish. Despite how they act, they are worried and anxious inside. However, they won't let this stop them. Once they decide on something, no one can stop them.
Possessing a great sense of loyalty and sincerity, Dogs will do everything possible for the person they care about the most.
Birth Years: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
Although they are not spendthrifts, Pigs allow themselves to enjoy life. They love entertainment and indulgences. They are somewhat materialistic, but this motivates them to work hard. They are energetic and always enthusiastic, even for boring jobs. Given the opportunity, they will take positions of power and status.
The Five Elements Theory
The Five Elements Theory is a Chinese philosophy used to outline the relationships of everything in the universe between which interactions can occur. The five elements - wood, fire, earth, metal and water - are believed to be the fundamental elements of all these things.
The cycle of the five elements runs in a specific order and can be remembered by noting the different processes of creation and destruction that precede or succeed them.
The creating (generative) interactions are:
The Five Elements Theory asserts that the world changes according to the five elements generating or overcoming relationships. Generating and overcoming are the complementary processes - the yin and yang - of The Five Elements Theory.
Generating processes promote development, while overcoming processes control development. By promoting and restraining, systems are harmonised and balance is maintained.
Every year is associated with an element. To figure out which element is associated with your birth year, take the last number of your birth year. For example, 2023 is the water element, so those born in that year are Water Rabbits.
| Last number of birth year | 0 or 1 | 2 or 3 | 4 or 5 | 6 or 7 | 8 or 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Element associated | Metal | Water | Wood | Fire | Earth |
| Last number of birth year | Element associated |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Metal |
| 2 or 3 | Water |
| 4 or 5 | Wood |
| 6 or 7 | Fire |
| 8 or 9 | Earth |
Using the Five Elements Theory to boost good luck
Rats - add water in the north
The water element favours people born in the Year of the Rat
financially. They should place a water tank containing
goldfish in the north part of their office, and fortune will
find its way to them.
Oxes - add fire
Oxes can only make a great fortune with the help of a strong
fire element. They should place some ceramic pieces (ceramics
are made using heat from fire) in their offices or bedrooms to
bring them good luck.
Tigers - add earth
The earth element favours Tigers, who should add something
prominent representing the earth, for example a potted plant,
to their life. It's better if it is a plant that abundantly
bears fruit, which generates profit from all sides.
Rabbits - add earth in the northeast
Rabbits need the earth element in their life - but out of
sight. Rabbits should hide a jade item northeast of their
bedrooms to bring good luck. It is believed that jade, buried
in the earth for thousands of years, is the essence of heaven
and earth.
Dragons - add water in the northwest
Dragons should put a basin of clear water with a handful of
soil in the northwest part of their bedrooms, and then place
several lotus flowers in the basin, to bring them good luck.
Snakes - add metal in the west
West is the ideal direction for Snakes, while it is believed
that wearing gold and silver ornaments (which are influenced
by the metal element) will bring food and clothes, even if
they do not make a huge fortune.
Horses - add metal in the northwest
Horses should place a bronze toad in the northwest part of
their bedrooms.
Goats - add wood in the north
Goats should place a mahogany box on the north side of their
offices, with an object related to their professions inside
(for example, a chef can put a ladle in the box).
Monkeys - add wood in the west
Monkeys should put a plant in the western part of their
houses. It is better if the plant is taller than the person.
Roosters - add wood
Roosters should put some grass seeds in a dark red enamelled
container. The seeds in the non-metal container offer
limitless possibilities, which will bring Roosters great
fortune.
Dogs - add wood
Those born in the Year of the Dog should avoid the water and
earth elements if they want fortune and luck. They should
place some peach tree branches in their offices; however, they
should not plant them in water or soil.
Pigs - add fire
Pigs need the fire element to bring them good fortune this
year and should put a set of ceramic pieces in their living
rooms.
Lunar New Year calendar 2023
Lunar New Year celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, from Lunar New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. In mainland China, the first seven days - from January 21 to 27 in 2023 - are public holidays.
Celebrities born in the Year of the Rabbit
Famous fictional rabbits
Facts about Lunar New Year
A quarter of the global population celebrates it
More than 2 billion of the world’s 8 billion population
will celebrate Lunar New Year in 2023. Countries that have public
holidays during Lunar New Year include China, Indonesia, the
Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, North Korea,
Singapore and Brunei.
8 billion red envelopes
It wouldn’t be Lunar New Year without the tradition of
giving red envelopes to children and single, young relatives.
Every year, about 8 billion red envelopes are given within Chinese
families worldwide. Each envelope contains an even denomination of
cash or chocolate coins, which both symbolise good fortune and
wealth for the new year.
Kung Hei Fat Choi
It is the most common greeting in Hong Kong during Lunar
New Year. Kung Hei means congratulations, while Fat Choi means
making a fortune. It is said that the phrase originated in the
Guangdong region during the Self-Strengthening Movement
(1861–1895), Chinese workers wished their foreign bosses
prosperity during the New Year and thus achieve a greater share of
the profits in the next term.
Lunar New Year taboos
Chinese people traditionally believe that a good (or bad) start to a year will affect the whole year and there are many things you should not do. Some of these taboos will only last for the first few days of the festival (such as getting your hair cut or washing your clothes or hair), while others run until the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. They include:
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