What Chinese New Year Animal Are You? How The ‘Year Of The Metal Ox’ Is Dictated By Our Moon’s Orbit

Friday, 12 February, 2021 is “Chinese New Year,” one of the globe’s biggest annual celebrations as a fifth of humanity celebrate with rice cakes and dumplings despite it being a mostly virtual event this year.

However, as well as also being called “Spring Festival” it’s also referred to as “Lunar New Year.”

Why? What has this occasion go to do with the Moon? How is Chinese New Year calculated and why is Chinese New Year always on a different date? What Chinese New Year animal are you? And what is a “lunar year” anyway?  

Here’s everything you need to know about the “Year of the Metal Ox,” which Chinese animal you are, and how astronomy dictates one of the planet’s biggest celebrations. 

When is Chinese New Year in 2021?

The Chinese New Year 2021 date is Friday, February 12. What determines its date? Chinese New Year 2021 starts on the day after the first New Moon that falls between January 21 and February 20 each year—which this year occurred on Thursday, February 11, 2021—and ends on the first full Moon of the lunar calendar two weeks later. This new year begins on February 12, 2021 and ends on January 31, 2022. 

What is the Chinese New Year animal for 2021? 

The Chinese New Year 2021 animal is the Ox. Each year has an animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac (literally “circle of animals”), which is based on the Moon and has a 12 year cycle. Interestingly, so does the planet Jupiter, which takes about 12 years to orbit the Sun. However, there is also a cycle of five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal and water—which together creates a 60 year cycle. So in 2021 it’s the “Year of the Metal Ox,” which hasn’t happened for 60 years. 

The Ox represents the first year of the 12-year zodiacal cycle, with 2020 being the “Year of the Metal Rat.” 

Which Chinese New Year animal am I?

Here’s a great guide to help you calculate what Chinese New Year animal you are.

Don’t make any assumptions if you’re born in January or February and want to find what Chinese New Year animal you are. It’s no use knowing that, for example, 1976 was the “Year of the Dragon.” It was, but only for those both on or after January 31, 1976. What you need to know is that exact date of Chinese New Year in the year of your birth. For example, anyone born on January 30, 1976 was born in the “Year of the Rabbit,” and anyone after that in the “Year of the Dragon.”  

What determines the date of Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is a lunar festival, so if you want to understand how Chinese New Year is calculated you need to look at what the Moon is doing. There was a New Moon on Thursday, February 11, 2021, which explains why New Year is being celebrated the following day, but more important is the length of a “lunar year.” A lunar year is a cycle of 12 orbits of the Moon around the Earth, with each taking 29 days and, in total, 354 days long. So every 354 days there’s a Chinese New Year. 

When will Chinese New Year end? 

Chinese New Year will end with the rise of the Full “Snow Moon,” which will occur on Saturday, February 27, 2021. It’s the final full Moon of the astronomical season of winter in the northern hemisphere. In China the celebrations close with a Lantern Festival. 

‘Chinese New Year’ vs ‘Lunar New Year’

“Chinese New Year” or “Lunar New Year?” While the former refers to the event in China, the latter—and another term, “Spring festival”—is used to recognise the fact that the event is celebrated all over Asia, not just in China. Lunar New Year is celebrated in Vietnam as Tết, as Losar in Tibet and as Solnal in Korea. 

What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Chinese New Year isn’t the only celebration in Asia decided by the Moon. Tuesday, 21 September, 2021 will see Mid-Autumn Festival, a celebration of the Moon and of the harvest it was said—in ancient times—to bring. Held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, Mid-Autumn Festival involves lanterns, moon-gazing and the eating of pastries called mooncakes. So much so that it’s sometimes known as “Mooncake Festival.” However, it’s celebrated all over Asia, where it’s known as tsukimi (Moon-viewing) in Japan and as chuseaok in Korea. The Moon’s roundness is associated with union, family and harmony.

When is the next Chinese New Year? 

In 2022 Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 when it will mark the beginning of the “Year of the Water Tiger.” 

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.