Meow! Chinese New Year is just round the corner! It's the Year of the Rooster and it's the 4,714th Chinese year! I don't know what lies ahead for this year but hopefully everyone will have a peaceful, safe and happy new year!
Sad to say, there is no Year of the Cat in the Chinese zodiac which prompted me to ask Head Nun why. The ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem and the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. Why didn't the Chinese like cats?
In answer to my question, Head Nun related to me the other day the story of why cats were not included in the Chinese zodiac. It is a popular story and seems to make sense.
Well, according to Chinese folklore, the Jade Emperor (The Emperor in Heaven) ordered that animals be designated as calendar signs and that the twelve which arrived first in the line-up would be selected. At that time, the cat and rat were good friends and neighbours. When they heard the news, the cat asked his friend to wake him up on the morning of the line-up so that they would not be late. The rat promised to do so, however on that morning, he forgot his promise and went ahead without the cat. On the way, he encountered other animals who could run much faster than him and in order not to fall behind, he hitched a ride on the back of an ox and both of them arrived first. But the sneaky rat jumped off the ox in the blink of an eye, thus claiming the first position! The cat was so late that when he arrived, the selection was over! And that's why the cat and rat are enemies up to this day!
So now you know why there is no Year of the Cat and why a rat's a rat! Funnily enough, Head Nun's a Rat but Ah Hwa Khor (the nun with the shifty eyes and sour face) is a Pig!!
So much for cats and the Chinese zodiac. Incidentally (I don't think I've mentioned this before), Head Nun has a pet rooster which she keeps at the back of the temple together with a few hens. He is a really handsome bird with red and orange plumes, a red comb and shining black body. He is without doubt King of the backyard and the hens look upon him with fear and awe. Head Nun had on many occasions stubbornly refused to sell him when approached by poultry dealers from the market, knowing full well that he would end up on someone's dinner table! I have also seen Head Nun talk to him a few times, goodness knows what they say to each other but he seems to understand and cocks his head and flaps his wings every time he sees her. Oh by the way, his name is ........ Bruce Lee.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Sad to say, there is no Year of the Cat in the Chinese zodiac which prompted me to ask Head Nun why. The ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem and the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. Why didn't the Chinese like cats?
In answer to my question, Head Nun related to me the other day the story of why cats were not included in the Chinese zodiac. It is a popular story and seems to make sense.
Well, according to Chinese folklore, the Jade Emperor (The Emperor in Heaven) ordered that animals be designated as calendar signs and that the twelve which arrived first in the line-up would be selected. At that time, the cat and rat were good friends and neighbours. When they heard the news, the cat asked his friend to wake him up on the morning of the line-up so that they would not be late. The rat promised to do so, however on that morning, he forgot his promise and went ahead without the cat. On the way, he encountered other animals who could run much faster than him and in order not to fall behind, he hitched a ride on the back of an ox and both of them arrived first. But the sneaky rat jumped off the ox in the blink of an eye, thus claiming the first position! The cat was so late that when he arrived, the selection was over! And that's why the cat and rat are enemies up to this day!
So now you know why there is no Year of the Cat and why a rat's a rat! Funnily enough, Head Nun's a Rat but Ah Hwa Khor (the nun with the shifty eyes and sour face) is a Pig!!
So much for cats and the Chinese zodiac. Incidentally (I don't think I've mentioned this before), Head Nun has a pet rooster which she keeps at the back of the temple together with a few hens. He is a really handsome bird with red and orange plumes, a red comb and shining black body. He is without doubt King of the backyard and the hens look upon him with fear and awe. Head Nun had on many occasions stubbornly refused to sell him when approached by poultry dealers from the market, knowing full well that he would end up on someone's dinner table! I have also seen Head Nun talk to him a few times, goodness knows what they say to each other but he seems to understand and cocks his head and flaps his wings every time he sees her. Oh by the way, his name is ........ Bruce Lee.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
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