In today’s posting, I would like to share with you some specifics about the Year of the Tiger as well as some background to the Asian Zodiac system as a whole. Please note that the East Asian Lunar New Year is more than the Chinese New Year (CNY). It is appropriate to refer Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival) only when referring to the Lunar New Year as celebrated in China. Using CNY to refer to the whole range of cultures observing the Lunar New Year, though, discounts the millions of non-Chinese celebrations of the occasion. These include the Mongolian Tsagaan Sar, Korean Seollal, Japanese Oshogatsu, and Bhutanese and Tibetan Losar and so on. For more on the general holiday of the East Asian Lunar New Year, please see my post
For more on the special impact, beliefs and predictions for the Zodiac animals since 2012, please seem my posts from each year at
- Year of the White Metal Ox 2021: Some Background
- Year of the Metal Rat 2020 (no article that year)
- Year of the Brown Earth Pig 2019: Some Background
- Year of the Brown Earth Dog 2018: Some Background
- Year of the Red Fire Rooster 2017: Some Background
- Year of the Red Fire Monkey 2016: Some Background
- Year of the Green Wood Sheep/Ram/Goat 2015: Some Background
- Year of the Green Wood Horse 2014: Some Background
- Year of the Black Water Snake 2013: Some Background
- Year of the Black Water Dragon 2012: Some Background
- Year of the White Metal Ox 2021 (no article that year)
- Year of the Metal Rat 2020 (no article that year)
- Year of the Brown Earth Pig 2019: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Brown Earth Dog 2018: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Red Fire Rooster 2017: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Red Fire Monkey 2016: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Green Wood Sheep/Ram/Goat 2015: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Green Wood Horse 2014: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Black Water Snake 2013: Business and Political Impact
- Year of the Black Water Dragon 2012: Business Impact
3) Celebrations around the world. Likewise in years past I have listed roughly 250 celebrations, parades and festivals held around the world outside of countries where the majority of the population celebrates the Lunar New Year. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic, these were mostly cancelled both in 2020 and 2021. Before the the pandemic, in the PRC alone, travelers for the Chunyun travel period made roughly 3 billion individual trips, with a dailky high in In 2020, that number had collapsed to roughly 1.5 billion trips -- to be sure still the largest movement of people for a single event that year, but a fraction of what it had been. The chart below from Hu Xuechen (Feb. 18 2021) on CGTN visually brings home the point.
To learn more of how this took shape in earlier years as well as a list of celebrations outside East Asia, here is the 2017 link as an example. for the 2017 list.
The Asian Zodiac Briefly Explained
The Asian Zodiac (or horoscope) associated with the Asian or Chinese Lunar New Year is taken very seriously by those who follow it in their tradition. The significance attributed to the combinations associated with the Asian horoscope affects business decisions, dates selected for important events such as weddings, and many other aspects of daily life. These views are widely shared, with a larger following than any single religion -- Western or Eastern. As a result, these beliefs should be treated with the respect accorded a religious belief (rather than with that of superstition as Western astrology is sometimes treated).
The Lunar Calendar
Because the Asian lunar calendar follows the moon, it seems to move within our solar-based Gregorian calendar. Moreover, the Gregorian calendar does not correspond fully with the Asian lunar calendar. Thus, February 1 marks the beginning of the Asian lunar calendar only this year. Last year in 2021 the Year of the Ox began on February 12. In 2020, the Year of the Rat began on January 25. Similarly, the Lunar New year began February 5 for the Year of the Pig in 2019; on February 16 for the Year of the Dog in 2018, January 28 for the Year of the Rooster in 2017; February 8, 2016 for the Year of the Monkey, and so forth.
The Twelve Animals of the Zodiac
The lunar calendar runs on a cycle of 12 years each represented by an animal. The animals all have a balance of compatibility or incompatibility as represented in their place in the circle of the 12-year cycle. This year is the Year of the Ox, the last and 2nd animal in the cycle.
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The 12 animals in their order are
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Ram/Sheep/Goat
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
Each animal corresponds to a month of the lunar year. The ox, this year's governing animal, corresponds to the 2nd animal in the cycle.
The Five Elements of the Wu Xing Cycle
Additionally, each 12-year cycle of animals runs on an additional cycle corresponding to the Wu Xing cycle of the five traditional Chinese elements. These are
- metal
- fire
- wood
- water
- earth
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| Wu Xing Cycle |
The five elements are in balance with each other, the basis of much of feng shui. For this Lunar New Year, the governing element is Metal.
Combined, each of the five elements combines with each of the 12 animals that forms a 60-year cycle. The current 12-year cycle combines the Tiger with the element of Water.
Each combination in the 60-year cycle has its own attribute, combining the animal of the "earthly branch" with the element of the "heavenly stem." This year the Heavenly stem is "jen" and the Earthly branch is "yin"-- with the "jen yin" year known as the "Tiger Passing Through the Forest." Each 60-year combination is considered highly unique, since -- at 60 years apart, the combination of a person's birth year is at once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Thus the last time we had a "jen yin" was 1962.
Finally, each element is also associated with a color. In the case of water, that color is black.
Thus, this year is the Year of the Black Water Tiger.
Thus, this year is the Year of the Black Water Tiger.
Spiritual Importance of the Asian Horoscope
Many followers of the Asian zodiac have a formal religious belief in the importance of the animal element combinations associated with each year in the 60-year cycle. This is clearly the case for those practicing Taoism.
Taoist Tradition
For Taoists, the New Year is always of religious significance. This because in Taoism, the Lunar New Year's first day is a time when lesser deities or spirits are believed to ascend to the throne of the Jade Emperor (King of Heaven). In Taoist tradition, the 12 animals were in a contest to greet the Jade Emperor; a 13th animal – the cat – was tricked by the rat (about five variations of how exist), which explains why cats have hated rats ever since. A children's version of this story is told in an very pleasant rendition at the Topmarks education site. I encourage you to take a look at this version at  |
| The 12 Zodiac animals in their race |
Buddhist Tradition
The New Year is a religious event as well for a great number of the sects of Buddhism, and most famously for Tibetan and Burmese Buddhists. In Buddhist tradition, the 12 animals were in a race to do honor to Lord Buddha on the eve of his death.
East Asian Folk Beliefs
East Asian folk beliefs are a broad grouping of folk practices that range from deeply-held religious traditions )to popular practices rooted in the local cultures. These practices are widespread, and have a far greater reach than those who claim a specific faith (Taoism or Buddhism) to those who claim a different belief or no belief at all. In Chinese, these have perhaps a dozen names such as "Chinese ethnic religion" or mínjiān zōngjiào (族宗教) or Shenxianism or shénxiān jiào (神仙教). In Mongolian, these practices are known as Tengrism or reverence of Tengri (the Mongolian name for the Jade Emperor). In Korean, the Great Race is included in the Han'guk sinwha or Korean mythological narratives associated with Shindo (신도) ith, followed as folk practices not only by Buddhists and those claiming no religion but even among some Christian groups as a local custom.
The strength of these folk beliefs is often difficult for those in Europe and the Americas to understand. A counterpart to the range of adherence to these folk religions put in the context of Europe and the Americas would be the broad grouping of deeply-held religious beliefs as "Protestant" despite being separate faiths (e.g., Baptist, Unitarian, Methodist) to popular non-Christian but deeply-held semi-religious traditions (e.g., folk religion) practices rooted in the local culture such as Santa Claus, the Christmas Tree, the Easter Bunny, etc.
Additionally, though Confucianism is not technically a religion (but rather a philosophical system), its followers also traditional observe the Lunar New Year to show reverence to their ancestors. Because of this, even Christians and practitioners of other faiths in such countries as as Korea, Bhutan, Mongolia or Vietnam generally celebrate the holiday. The same holds true for those people in cultures with strong Confucian customs who have no religion at all or for those with mixed traditions.
The Role of the Tiger in the Great Race
In all of the traditions, the arrival of the animals was the same in order. In other words, in all traditions, the ox arrived second even though seeming at first to have won the race. Unable to swim across the great river at the end of the race, the rat had promised to guide the near-sighted ox in return for clinging to the ox's back across the torrent. Once safely across, though, the rat never dismounted and instead scampered onto the ox's nose to claim first place. The place order of each zodiac animal in the Great Race is significant. All 13 animals (including the cat who arrived after the race ended) had to pass over land and water to reach the Jade Emperor/Lord Buddha.
The tiger took third place in the Great Race. The tiger actually had been in the lead for most of the race, as might be expected from the bravest and fiercest of the animals. The tiger entered the river nearly at the same time as the ox. Yet, while the tiger shared the ox's great strength, unlike the ox, the tiger soon found that its thick fur coat became water-logged. It was only with great effort that the tiger made it to the far shore, and the current had carried the tiger far downstream from the finishing point.
Exhausted, the tiger persevered, arriving just after the ox (and the rat who had ridden the ox's back). The Jade Emperor commended the tiger for its great effort and recognized the tiger for the position of third animal in the cycle.
Chinese Astrology Not A Particular Accurate Term
The system discussed here is often called Chinese astrology. This is a misnomer for two reasons. First, the holiday is far more widely observed than in just China, especially in Korea, Singapore, Bhutan, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam as well as those from these backgrounds living in other countries.
That said, for all the culturally diverse places in which the Asian New Year is celebrated, the calendar on which it is based does have its origins in China. The first written records of the calendar and the celebration of the New Year date to China’s Shang Dynasty (1766-1050 BC), although traditionally it is believed to date back to the rule of the semi-mythical Yellow Emperor Huang Di around 2600 BC.
A second reason the phrase Chinese astrology is a misnomer is that the system really has nothing to do with constellations as astrology does in the West. It is less a reading of the stars than an interpretation of the importance of the time, date and year in which one is born. To the extent that when one is born matters to Western-style astrology, there is a correspondence. Moreover, there is another similarity as the five elements in the system, in fact, do correspond with the five planets known in ancient China.
Because of these corresponding commonalities with Western astrology, many people call the Asian system’s combinations of animals and elements the lunar or Chinese “horoscope”. This is a bit of a misnomer, however, not only for the reasons just described but because the way in which people view the two “horoscopes” is very different.
The difference here is that many people (although with many exceptions) in Europe, Australia and the Americas consider the Western zodiac horoscope of star signs (Scorpio, Sagittarius, etc.) to be a form of superstition, a game or something believed only partially.
Many people attribute a great deal of significance to the personality traits attributed to the animal associated with the year in which they are born. These are not something that people take lightly.
Each animal has its own traits, and then each animal and element combination has their own subtraits. These are explained later in the blog.
As with all Asian Lunar zodiac animals, Tiger people have both positive and negative attributes.
Positive Tiger Traits
Tiger people (and thus the effects of the Year of the Tiger) are associated with a strong but steady approach. As Master Pun-yin puts it: "The Tiger has the quality of idealism. Flamboyant, passionate, powerful, and egotistical, the dynamic Tiger is usually right in the center of the action. "
Tiger people are famous for trusting their instincts and their confidence in their abilities. Tigers seem to others that they almost innately to know when to take action... but Tiger actually assess the situation before pouncing. Once they act, though, there is no going back for them.
Tiger people are the eternal optimists of the Zodiac. Man-Ho Kwok explains that the strong points of Tiger people are
Compatibility With Other Signs
Poor compatibility.
Tiger people have few natural enemies. Still, Tiger people are at greatest risk with those born in the Year of the Snake and the Monkey. Snake people find favor advance planning and quiet routine, both of which conflict with the Tiger's loud enthusiasm and desire for change. Those signs that are the six years apart in the Zodiac circle are natural antagonists. This is the case with Tiger and Monkey signs. Tiger people see Monkey people as overly subtle, hard to read and caught up in devising schemes. Monkey people see these traits as signs of their astuteness at foreseeing all possibilities-- and this goes against Tiger people's preference for bold moves, which the Monkey see as acting without fully considering the consequences irritating or even dangerous.
High Compatibility
Tiger people are generally most compatible with people born in the Year of the Horse, the Dog and the Pig. Tiger People share the love of the new and the festive with those born in the Year of the Horse. While Dog people are seen as more risk-averse than Tiger people, the two share a strong bond in fighting on behalf of others and together form the most protective team possible in battle or a common fight. Tiger and Pig people are supposed to share a similar balance of independence and friendship, and Tiger people do well with the tendency of Pig people to openly express their admiration of others -- a highly compatible characteristic for the praise-seeking Tiger.
The system discussed here is often called Chinese astrology. This is a misnomer for two reasons. First, the holiday is far more widely observed than in just China, especially in Korea, Singapore, Bhutan, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam as well as those from these backgrounds living in other countries.
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| East Asian lunar zodiac |
A second reason the phrase Chinese astrology is a misnomer is that the system really has nothing to do with constellations as astrology does in the West. It is less a reading of the stars than an interpretation of the importance of the time, date and year in which one is born. To the extent that when one is born matters to Western-style astrology, there is a correspondence. Moreover, there is another similarity as the five elements in the system, in fact, do correspond with the five planets known in ancient China.
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| Tang Dynasty (8th Century), Shaanxi Archaeology Institute, Xian, China |
Because of these corresponding commonalities with Western astrology, many people call the Asian system’s combinations of animals and elements the lunar or Chinese “horoscope”. This is a bit of a misnomer, however, not only for the reasons just described but because the way in which people view the two “horoscopes” is very different.
The difference here is that many people (although with many exceptions) in Europe, Australia and the Americas consider the Western zodiac horoscope of star signs (Scorpio, Sagittarius, etc.) to be a form of superstition, a game or something believed only partially.
This is NOT the case with the Asian lunar horoscope cycle, where people follow their sign very seriously. As a result, the system, though it transcends that of any specific religion, should be treated with the respect accorded religious beliefs. In any case, the point here is that in a cross-cultural and inter-religious sense, the issue of lunar horoscope animal element signs should be treated with respect.
Geomancy, Feng Shui and Zodiac Consultants' Influence
The importance attributed to the predictions of the each animal affects business and political decisions for over one billion people. Among the notable masters, many have an influence among Chinese and other East Asian diaspora communities as well as a growing number of non-Asian adherents. Among the earlier populizers of East Asian zodiac forecasting were book authors such as Man-ho Kwok who published over a dozen books in English on the subject in the 1990s.
As the Internet grew and ties with East Asian business leaders became more intertwined, many other Masters grew in importance outside of East Asia. For example, the Trump organization and Donald Trump himself relied on the guidance of New York-based Master Pun-Yin in the building of Trump Tower. Canadian-based Paul Ng was notable already for a wide range of clients in 66 countries before his appearances on US-based CNN in 2013, US-based Bloomberg TV and Canada's CTV in 2014 made him a recognizable figure thereafter to a wide audience. Likewise Hong Kong-based Grand Master Raymond Lo has had audience's well outside of China also appearing on the BBC, CNN, "Good Morning America" more. He has carried a wide following since his prediction of the fall of the USSR's Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991 and the 2000 NASDAQ collapse.
Personality Traits and Asian Astrological Year
Many people attribute a great deal of significance to the personality traits attributed to the animal associated with the year in which they are born. These are not something that people take lightly.
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| Year of the Tiger sidewalk plate Philadelphia Chinatown |
Each animal has its own traits, and then each animal and element combination has their own subtraits. These are explained later in the blog.
As with all Asian Lunar zodiac animals, Tiger people have both positive and negative attributes.
Positive Tiger Traits
Tiger people (and thus the effects of the Year of the Tiger) are associated with a strong but steady approach. As Master Pun-yin puts it: "The Tiger has the quality of idealism. Flamboyant, passionate, powerful, and egotistical, the dynamic Tiger is usually right in the center of the action. "
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Tiger people are famous for trusting their instincts and their confidence in their abilities. Tigers seem to others that they almost innately to know when to take action... but Tiger actually assess the situation before pouncing. Once they act, though, there is no going back for them.
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| Tiger painted on outside wall of Mountain shrine, Bonggok-sa Temple Chungcheongnam Province, South Korea |
Man-Ho Kwok in his book on Chinese Astrology builds on this, noting that Tiger people:
are excited by new challenges, unusual places, and unexpected events... Your attention is caught by the unpredictable, and while others may be cautious, you are not afraid to explore the potential in unlikely situations. (p. 16).
Tiger people are the eternal optimists of the Zodiac. Man-Ho Kwok explains that the strong points of Tiger people are
Optimism, determination and initiative [and that]... your energetic response to challenge will serve you well in your career. The appeal of work for you is generally in the excitement and the quality, not the profit. (p. 17)
The Year of the Tiger is a year for optimism and taking on challenges. This is a hopeful sign, as Xiaohua Yang, professor and director of the China Business Studies Initiative at the University of San Francisco told USA Today:
"This nicely coincided with hopeful recovery from the pandemic crisis... This actually is quite significant year in terms of the symbol."
Negative Tiger Traits
The negative side of Tiger people is the flip-side of their enthusiasm and self-confidence. As Moon-ho Kwok explains, Tiger people are famously sore losers who
The negative side of Tiger people is the flip-side of their enthusiasm and self-confidence. As Moon-ho Kwok explains, Tiger people are famously sore losers who
do not deal well with failure and are embarrassed when colleagues discover that you have misjudged situations. (p. 17)
Relatedly, Tiger people are the least accepting of authority of all the Zodiac signs. As Fefe Ho and Chloe Chiao explain on ChineseNewYear.net:
Tigers can be very rebellious, often too self-confident to want to coordinate or communicate with others.
This rebelliousness often translates into intransigence and arguing with figures of authority, including parents. The belief that Tiger people will result in disrespectful and argumentative children has very real effects on the birth rates in east Asia. Less people have children in the Year of the Tiger than in the years of any other Zodiac animal sign, as explained by Danique Hutton of the University of Groningen (Netherlands) Faculty of Spatial Science in her article "How zodiac signs influence birth rates in Asia"(March 5, 2019), writing:
we actually see a decline in fertility rate in the year of the tiger in countries such as Taiwan and Singapore. It is believed that anyone that is born under this sign does not respect authority and is therefore likely to get in trouble. Especially in Asia where the culture is very collective, this is not a desirable trait.
As Hutton's chart (above) shows two of the three of the last Tiger Years, showed the greatest decline in fertility in Hong Kong. As Ralph Jennings explained, Hong Kong was still the third lowest birth rate in the world in 2010 with an increase of only 1.07%. The bottom two lowest birth rates were also in East Asia with the lowest birth rate in the world that year, at 0.90% in Taiwan and 0.92% in Macau.
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| Tang Dynasty Tiger, China 6th-8th Century Royal Ontario Museum Toronto, Canada |
Poor compatibility.
Tiger people have few natural enemies. Still, Tiger people are at greatest risk with those born in the Year of the Snake and the Monkey. Snake people find favor advance planning and quiet routine, both of which conflict with the Tiger's loud enthusiasm and desire for change. Those signs that are the six years apart in the Zodiac circle are natural antagonists. This is the case with Tiger and Monkey signs. Tiger people see Monkey people as overly subtle, hard to read and caught up in devising schemes. Monkey people see these traits as signs of their astuteness at foreseeing all possibilities-- and this goes against Tiger people's preference for bold moves, which the Monkey see as acting without fully considering the consequences irritating or even dangerous.
High Compatibility
Tiger people are generally most compatible with people born in the Year of the Horse, the Dog and the Pig. Tiger People share the love of the new and the festive with those born in the Year of the Horse. While Dog people are seen as more risk-averse than Tiger people, the two share a strong bond in fighting on behalf of others and together form the most protective team possible in battle or a common fight. Tiger and Pig people are supposed to share a similar balance of independence and friendship, and Tiger people do well with the tendency of Pig people to openly express their admiration of others -- a highly compatible characteristic for the praise-seeking Tiger.
Famous Tiger People
Tiger People's Drive and Need for Recognition result in their disproportionate number in the fields of acting and music
Famous Tiger People Acting
- Amy Adams (Italian-born US actress, winner of two Golden Globes and nominee for six Academy Awards and seven BAFTAs)
- Mahershala Ali (US actor and winner of two Academy Award Oscars, three SAG Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award)
- Christian Bale (Welsh actor winner of two Golden Globes and an Academy Award as well as several nominations for both, and well-known for his version of Batman)
- Mel Brooks comedian, actor, screenwriter, television writer (Get Smart!), director and producer, a member of the 16 EGOT (Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, Tony Award winners) list
- John Candy, Canadian comic actor and SNL cast member
- Steve Carrell, US Golden-Globe comic actor known for his leading role in the television series The Office as well as his comic movies and more serious roles such as his Oscar-nominated roles in Foxcatcher, The Big Short, and Little Miss Sunshine
- Emilia Clarke, English actress best-known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, for which she received four Emmy Primetime Award Nominations
- Olivia Colman, British Golden Globe and Academy Award winning actress
- Bradley Cooper, US actor with six Golden Globe, eight Academy Award Oscar and one Tony Award nominations as well as two Grammy Award wins
- Tom Cruise, US actor among the highest-grossing stars of all time, famed fr his role in action films as well as serious films that have earned him three Academy Award and three Golden Globe nominations
- Penelope Cruz, Spanish Academy Award and BAFTA winning actress
- Leonardo DiCaprio, US actor and film producer, winner of three Golden Globes, a BAFTA and an Academy Award Oscar
- Emilio Estevez, US actor, director and screenwriter
- Elle Fanning, US actress who started as a child actress and grew into a respected film career as an adult; at 21 (in 2019) she became the youngest person to serve as judge at the Cannes Film Festival
- Ralph Fiennes, British Shakespearean actor with a notable film career as well
- Jodie Foster, US actress, filmmaker and producer with two Academy Award Oscars, three BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards
- Megan Fox, US actress who grew to fame through her role in the Transformer franchise movies
- Whoopi Goldberg, actress, comedian and a member of the 16 EGOT (Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, Tony Award winners) list
- Kit Harrington, English Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor best-known for his role as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones
- Paris Intarakomalyasut, Thai singer and actor known for his role in the mystery series In Family We Trust
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Hong Kong actor and singer, seven time of Hong Kong Film Festival winner, three-time Golden Horse (Taiwan) Film Festival winner, and winner once each of a Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Award
- Rebecca Lim, Singaporean actress who has won awards across Asia for her roles in film and television
- Jasper Liu, Taiwanese actor and electronic post-rock musician and former male model, whose roles in More Than Blue, Before We Get Married, Pleasantly Surprised and Triad Princess has made him one of East Asia's best-known pop icons
- Marilyn Monroe, top-billed actress of her day and continuing pop cultural icon
- Demi Moore, US actress at one time the highest paid in history (in 1996)
- Bill Murray, 2016 Mark Twain Award Recipient and Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning US actor
- Randall Park, Korean-American actor and screenplay writer with over 120 IMDB credits, but probably best-known worldwide as FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the Marvel cinematic universe and for his leading role in the Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe (which he co-wrote)
- Linh Dan Pham, Vietnamese-born French actress who debuted in the 1992 Academy Award Oscar-winning Indochine
- Joaquin Phoenix, Academy Award Oscar, BAFTA, Grammy and Golden Globe winning Puerto Rican-born actor and animal rights activist
- Martin Short (Canadian American actor and SNL cast member)
- Wesley Snipes (US actor and martial artist)
- Hilary Swank (US actress, winner of 2 Academy Award Oscars and 2 Golden Globes for Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby)
- Dylan Wang, (Chinese actor, star of television series Meteor Garden)
- Michelle Yeoh (Malaysian actress and martial artist best-known for her leading role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and the rom-com Crazy Rich Asians)
Famous Tiger People -- Talk Show Hosts
- Craig Ferguson, host of the Late, Late Show 2005-14
- Jay Leno, host of the Today Show 1992-2009, and 2014 recipient of the Mark Twain Award of American Humor
- Jon Stewart, host of Daily Show 1999-2015, winner of 22 Emmy Awards and 2022 recipient of the Mark Twain Award of American Humor
Famous Tiger People -- Singers and Musicians
- Paula Abdul , US singer who topped the Billboard 100 chart six times and 2-time Emmy Award winning choreographer and American Idol
- Jon Batiste US jazz performer, Creative Director of the National Museum of Jazz, bank leader of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and composer whose (co-authored) musical score for the animated film Soul won a BAFTA, Golden Global and Academy Award Oscar
- Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest of all classical composers
- Chuck Berry, US singer, songwriter and guitarist considered as among rock and roll's pioneering figures
- Jon Bon Jovi, US singer, songwriter and guitarist
- Tony Bennett, US singer with over 50 million records sold worldwide, winner of 19 Grammy Awards (including a lifetime achievement award), two Primetime Emmy Awards
- Garth Brooks, US country/pop singer with over 170 million records won and winner of 17 American Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and 2020 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
- Campino, German-British lead singer of the German punk band Die Toten Hosen
- John Coltrane, US saxophonist, composer, band leader jazz music pioneer
- Miles Davis, US trumpeter, composer, band leader jazz music pioneer
- Drake, Canadian rapper, singer and actor whose 2021 album Certified Lover Boy set the record for most Billboard Top Ten songs (nine in all) from a single album, recipient of four Grammy and six American Music Awards
- Peter Frampton (British rock singer and guitarist)
- Peter Gabriel (British rock singer and drummer, winner of six Grammy Awards whose "Sledgehammer" was ranked the most popular MTV Video of all time, and human rights activist awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates' "Man of Peace" Award in 2006
- Lady Gaga, US singer, songwriter and actress and whose song "Shallow" (2018) was the first ever by a female artist to win an Academy Award Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Grammy Award in the same year
- Sumi Jo, generally considered South Korea's greatest opera singer
- Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Shawn Mendes, Canadian singer and songwriter
- Niccolò Paganini, Genoan composer and considered the most talented violinist of the 19th century
- Hillel Slovak, Israeli-born founding guitarist of Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Stevie Wonder, US singer, songwriter, record producer with the most Grammy Award wins (25) by a single artist; pioneer across such diverse genres as Motown, R&B, soul, funk, gospel blues, jazz and pop, recipient of the 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom
Famous Tiger People -- Business Leaders
- Sir Richard Branson, British entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Group
- Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish entrepreneur and founder of IKEA
- Kate Spade, US entrepreneur and fashion designer
- Ted Turner, US entrepreneur and philanthropist, founder of CNN and TBS and donator of a $1 billion gift to the United Nations, Co-Found of the Nuclear Threat Initiative
- Cornelius Vanderbilt, US entrepreneur, shipping and railroad magnate, and philanthropist
- Zig Ziglar, US motivational speaker, author and sales person
Famous Tiger People -- Authors
- Leila Abouzeid, Moroccan author of Year of the Elephant
- Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, Indian poet and essayist, generally considered the greatest modern writer in his native language Malayalam
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, British poet
- Robert Bly, US poet and essayist
- Agatha Christie, British master of the murder mystery
- Dario Fo, Italian playwright, winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Literature
- Allen Ginsberg, US beat poet
- Harper Lee, US author of To Kill A Mockingbird
- John Stuart Mill, British author, economist and social reformer
- Noah Webster, US lexicographer and author of the first American English dictionary
- William Wordsworth, English Romantic poet
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Isabella de' Medici
- Stephen Alito, US Supreme Court Associate Justice
- Maha Bandula, Burmese national hero famed for his resistance to British conquest
- Stephen Breyer , US Supreme Court Associate Justice
- Fidel Castro, Dictator of Cuba
- Necmettin Erbakan, Prime Minister of Turkey, 1996-97
- Vicente Guerrero, 2nd President of Mexico and hero of the Mexican War of Independence
- King Hamad al-Khalifa, current King of Bahrain
- Hattori Hanzō, legendary 16th century ninja in service to Tokagaw Ieyasu)
- Ollanta Humala President of Paraguay (2011-16)
- Jiang Zemin President of People's Republic of China (1993-2003)
- Benito Juárez, Mexican reformist and 26th President of Mexico
- Nicolás Maduro, current President of Venezuela
- Steven Mnuchin , US Secretary of Treasury (2017-21)
- Narendra Modi, current Prime Minister of India
- James Monroe, US Founding Father, revolutionary and 5th US President (1817-25)
- Efraín Ríos Montt, Dictator of Guatemala (1982-83)
- Maximilien Robespierre, French Revolutionary leader
- Martin Van Buren, 8th US President (1837-1841)
Whatever your outcome for the year, Happy Year of the Black Metal Tiger!
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| Bunnies and tiger painted on outside side wall of Front Temple, Sesimsa Temple, Chungcheongnam Province, South Korea |
Clip Art Sources:
Year of the Tiger opening: https://www.gograph.com/clipart/year-of-the-tiger-chinese-new-year-2022-gg141006932.html
The 12 Animals of the Zodiac: http://creatingyourvelocity.com/www.knowledge2work.com/wp-includes/css/12-chinese-zodiac-animals-i13.gif
Wu Xing Cycle: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Wuxing_en.svg/220px-Wuxing_en.svg.png
Yin Yang animation: http://www.eharrishome.com/Kungfu.html
The 12 Zodiac animals in their race: http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/firefoxthief/zodiaccolor.jpg'
Year of the Tiger sidewalk plate, Philadelphia Chinatown: Own photograph
East Asian Lunar Zodiac: http://www.china-family-adventure.com/chinese-zodiac.html
The 12 Zodiac animals in their race: http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/firefoxthief/zodiaccolor.jpg'
Year of the Tiger sidewalk plate, Philadelphia Chinatown: Own photograph
Tang Dynasty Tiger, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tiger,_China,_Tang_dynasty_or_earlier,_6th-8th_century,_white_marble_-_Royal_Ontario_Museum_-_DSC03552.JPG
Bunnies and tiger painted on outside side wall of Front Temple, Sesimsa Temple, Chungcheongnam Province, South Korea: Own photograph
Want to Learn More
For more on the Asian Zodiac and Astrology in General, please see:
Richard Craze, Handbook of Chinese Astrology, Lorenz Books, 2013.
Man-ho Kwok, Chinese Astrology: Forecast Your Future from Your Chinese Horoscope, Tuttle Publishing, 1997.
Theodora Lau and Laura Lau, The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes (7th edition), Collins Reference, 2010.
Susan Levitt and Jean Tang, Taoist Astrology: A Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition, Destiny Books, 1997.
David W. Pankenier, Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Neil Somerville, Your Chinese Horoscope for Each and Every Year, Harper Thomsons, 2017.
Ruth Q. Sun and Norma Sun, Asian Animal Zodiac, Tuttle Publishing, 2012.
Xiaochun Sun, "Crossing the Boundaries Between Heaven and Man: Astronomy in Ancient China," in Astronomy Across Cultures, ed. Helaine Selin and adv. ed. Sun Xiaochun: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000.
David Twicken, Five Element Chinese Astrology Made Easy, iUniverse, 2000.
Derek Walters, The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology, Watkins Publishing, 2005.
Suzanne White, The New Chinese Astrology, Thomas Dunne Books, 2015.
Charles Alfred Speed Williams. Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs (2000), New York: Castle Books.
Shelly Wu, Chinese Astrology: Exploring the Eastern Zodiac, New Page Books, 2005.
Shelly Wu, The Definitive Book of Chinese Astrology, Weiser, 2010.
Zhongzian Wu, The 12 Chinese Animals: Create Harmony in your Daily Life through Ancient Chinese Wisdom, Singing Dragon Press, 2010.
Zhongzian Wu and Karin Taylor Wu, Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: The Heart of Chinese Wisdome Traditions, Singing Dragon Press, 2016.
Master Pun-Yin, "Chinese Zodiac," https://www.punyin.com/feng-shui/chinese-zodiac/index.html
Ho-Peng Yoke, Chinese Mathematical Astrology: Reaching Out to the Stars, Routledge, 2003. This is the pre-eminent book on the mathematical science of Asian lunar horoscope calculations. It is downloadable at http://www.ebook3000.com/Chinese-Mathematical-Astrology--Reaching-out-for-the-stars--Needham-Research-Institute-Series-_130932.html
For general popular websites on Asian Astrology and the Zodiac, please see:
China Voc.com "Zodiac" http://www.chinavoc.com/zodiac/index.asp
Chinese Fortune Calendar http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/5EBasic.htm
Chinese Horoscope-e.com, "Basic Chinese Horoscope," http://chinesehoroscop-e.com/index.html
Malaysia Site, "Chinese New Year," http://www.malaysiasite.nl/newyear.htm
Online Chinese Astrology http://www.onlinechineseastrology.com/
Topmarks Education, "Zodiac Story, Chinese New Year." http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ZodiacStory.aspx
"Your Chinese Astrology": https://www.yourchineseastrology.com/