Okay, here’s a link for more than you could want on the Chinese New Year.
The 5 different signs are: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
I stand corrected as there is no “golden” anything.
Sam, every 60 years is special or put it another way none of the 60 year anniversaries are special. Like I said, in modern China, only people really into the Chinese zodiac know this kinda stuff. Enough people are confused about the order of the animals much less the different signs.
I see. Well, my only reference for this being Golden Pig as opposed to just Pig is BBC News (hopefully more reliable than CNN). They were reporting the special significance and thus the designation. Otherwise, I can’t say I’ve ever heard the Golden designation before.
I kinda miss being at home for Chinese New Year, but in a way I’m glad - it always meant a shitload of cooking for the women of the family, while the men sat in the living room and got drunk. Charming.
Of course, I did get lots of money from doing the whole bowing to the elders thing, but I’m probably too old for that now. There was a time I’d make close to 200 dollars just from bowing all day. Good times.
My year, at last.
And in real life, I really was born in the Year of the Pig. I’ve been around the track a few times, you might say. Four, to be exact.
dang, I need to print a retraction. it is ‘golden pig.’ I got laughed at last night at dinner. in chinese it’s ‘gold’ and the english translation is ‘metal’
it is the golden pig year, and it is special. last of the ‘gold’ cycle, and kids born in this year are especially blessed. guess i’ll remember this so next time around i’ll be prepared.
How does the Gold cycle work? I’d not heard of this before. BBC was reporting that the Year of the Golden Pig occurs every 60 years; that would seem to mean not every animal has a Golden year.
Just thought you might find this slight tangent interesting. ArenaNet decided to celebrate the Chinese New year by making an in-game festival: The Canthan New Year Festival. (Cantha is the land off the Factions expansion/campaign/chapter, and is an Asian lands storyline.) including a visit every three hours by the Celestial Pig come to feast, then giving out red gift bags depending on how complete the feast was. It was quite fun, especially the rollerbeetle racing!
OK I give up. … what kind of year of the ox was 1961, and what am I supposed to be like as a result?
I believe 1961 was the Year of the Ox?
Yes, see here:
http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/Ox.html
“People born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people.”
Just curious, Siam Sam – when in 1961 were you born?
Oh, I’m older than THAT. I was just answering the poster who was asking about 1961. 
I was kind of hoping for the ‘metal, wood, water, whatever the hell the 4th is’ answer as well =)
it had some kind if number table thingy to determine what type of year it was, and i have no clue how to use it, nor the math aptitude to be able to use it.
I’m an Ox from 61 as well, but I can’t find the answer readily. Besides, if you’re really interested, you need to have a reading from your birth day and hour (as I understand the exact minute would be nice but the day is split into 12 2-hour segments).
6:40 in the morning. At least that is what my parental units will fess up to it being=)