Today, 9 February is the beginning of the year 4703, according to the Chinese calendar. This is the year of the chicken, or, more accurately, the wooden rooster. This is the first time since 1945 that the wooden rooster has been the symbol of the Chinese New Year, sharing the rotation among the different animals with the fire rooster, the earthen rooster, the metal rooster and the water rooster. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar tradition and is attributed to the Buddha, who, on his deathbed, called the animals to his bedside to witness his last will and testament. Twelve animals were chosen: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the rooster, the dog and the pig. Each animal was assigned one of the Chinese lunar calendar zodiac signs, giving each of the animals a strong symbolic meaning. To be born in the year of the rooster means that a person is a seducer, is convincing, has a firm forward-looking vision, but is a person that can lose friends if he/she is too demanding and caustic in his/her comments. The Year of the rooster begins today and ends on 21 January 2006.
The festivities will last for two weeks, and many can be seen in the Chinatown in Santo Domingo, this Sunday, 13 February, on Benito Gonzalez Street, between Jose Marti and Duarte Streets. Feng-shui experts recommend placing a statue of the bird in the western part of the house for good fortune.