2013-01-01, 19:18
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Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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Year of the Snake
According to the Eastern Zodiac, this year is the Year of ths Snake. You might have noticed plenty of snakes slithering around.
However, even within the greater Eastern Zodiac system, there are separate views, based on the three major cultures of East Asia. Shall we look at them? White Snake (Japan): The White Snake is a symbol of good fortune, for they represent Benzaiten's messengers. Benzaiten (弁才天, 弁財天) was originally a Hindu river goddess named Sarasvatī. She was introduced to Japan via China in the seventh century, and over the years she became associated with a Japanese kami called Ugajin (宇賀神), who was the kami of water, agriculture and good fortune. He was usually depicted as a white snake with the head of an old man. Thus Hindu goddess and Shinto god merged to become Benzaiten, a (mostly) Buddhist goddess of everything that flows – music, art, poetry, water, fertility, fecundity, wealth. Nowadays she's usually portrayed as a woman playing a biwa (a short-necked fretted lute), but you can often spot snakes in the drawing or on the statue. Her temples are always near water, and she remains a major inspiration for artists, a powerful agricultural deity and the only woman among Japan's seven gods of good fortune. Black Snake (Korea): The Eastern Sexagenary Cycle uses the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches to create a 60-year cycle. Within the Korean version, the Ten Heavenly Stems are color coded like this: Gap/Eul (Blue), Beyong/Jeong (Red), Mu/Gi (Yellow), Gyeong/Shin (White), Im/Gye (Black). Given that this year is Gye-Sa, it would be the Year of the Black Snake. As a side note, Koreans considers the year of Gye-Sa as an year of great change and revolutions, since it is "the meeting of the water of Gye and the Fire of Sa", as in forming a hot spring water. Water Snake (China): In the Sinosphere, the system is basically the same as the Korean one, but instead of a focus on color there is the focus on the Five Elements, Wu Xing. The Ten Heavenly Stems are divided into into the Five Elements and then sub-classified into the Yang and Yin. Gui/Gwai is "Yin Water" in the Sinosphere, so given that this year is Guisi/Gwaizi, it would be the Year of the "Yin Water Snake". Such is the way of East Asia looks upon 2013. While similar, perspectives are also quite different. Whatever your view, I hope that 2013 proves to be an fruitful year for you. May you live in interesting times. |
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2013-01-01, 20:00
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Nyaaan~~
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
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Did someone talk about Snake vs. Dragon?
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2013-01-01, 20:07
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We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Redgrave City
Age: 35
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Quote:
 He's really just sleeping
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2013-01-01, 21:18
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思想工作
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Vereinigte Staaten
Age: 31
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*sigh*
I thought 2012 would be more productive for me than 2011, but I can't say I have much hope for '13 given how things actually turned out. Anyways, nice to know about the variations in tradition regarding the zodiac. I'll keep my eyes out for revolutions. 
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2013-01-01, 22:44
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NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Quote:
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2013-01-01, 22:57
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~AD~
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Quote:
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2013-01-02, 01:29
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癸亥 (guǐhài)
 Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ
Age: 40
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Year of the uncompatibility for me. according to the Chinese animals thingy,
i'm suppose to get along with Cat/rabbit (shy) and sheep (pervert). the snake (poisonus...i guess) will probably eat me (boar - noble & chiverous). *runs for dear life* i already have like 3 fire breathing dragons (successful, lots of friends) in my family. i dont need another snake to go around and eat me as well.
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Last edited by Xefi; 2013-01-02 at 01:43. |
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2013-01-02, 05:13
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NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Quote:
The previous year is not a good year for dragons - the existence of water dragon means Fire and Earth elements have to suffer - Fire will be quenched while Earth has to take up responsibilities. Being in the year of the Snake, the Water Snake could mean that the Earth dragons (born in 1988-1989) will have to fight unpleasant responsibilities, which is a pain because their main emotion is "love" and it is not in their spectrum to "fight", while Fire elements will be under the control of the Water snake, and may be incredibly unpleasant because a snake is known to be slithery and backstabbing. And if one is to take into account Bazi, it becomes even more confusing. That I will have to ask one of my "uncles" whose hobby is astrology.
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2013-01-02, 05:27
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NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Quote:
Remember, the only way a snake can eat a dragon is only when the dragon is asleep. Keep yourself sharp, and nobody will dare to eat you. Those who can challenge you and defeat you in a straight up fight will only make you stronger (Tigers are fiercer, Horses are stronger, Monkeys are smarter, and Mice.....are always faster).
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2013-01-02, 07:22
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We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Redgrave City
Age: 35
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Nope, scratch that, did my own research and I'm the same as you an Earth Dragon... =_= 
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Last edited by Chaos2Frozen; 2013-01-02 at 07:36. |
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