I could have asked a friend and neighbor who has a good knowledge of China but instead relied on collected information.
For those of you who like myself have a no -existent to limited knowledge of the Chinese calendar, these few pointers from China Page bring some light on the Chinese New Year subject.
Here they are:
1. By an animal (like a mascot).
2008 was known as the Year of the Rat.
2009 is the Year of the Ox.
There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are repeated every 12 years. More.
2. By its Formal Name (Stem-Branch). 2009 is the Year of Ji Chou.
In the 'Stem-Branch' system, the years are counted in 60-year Cycles, so that the Name of the Year is repeated every 60 years.
2008 is the 9-th year in the current 60-year Cycle.
2009 is the 10-th year in the current 60-year Cycle.
A "Cycle" is analogous to a "century" in the International Calendar system which is 100 years long.
3. 2008 year was Year 4705 in the Chinese Calendar.
[A few Chinese astrological/zodiac websites believe this year should be considered as Year 4706 for zodiac calculations.]
2009 is Year 4706 in the Chinese Calendar."
Or is 2009 Year 4707?
Jaden Hair shares Recipes so you can party like its 4707 (Steamy Kitchen, January 26, 2009)
Celebrations in Hong Kong are tagged as World's Happiest Party I learned thanks to Joyce Hor-Chung Lau of Globespotters. The Happy Ox below (borrowed from the Hong Kong tourist office site) must be the mascot.
They include Fireworks on Tuesday January 27 at 8pm on Victoria Harbour between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui and for horseracing fans and gamblers the Chinese New Year Race Day on January 28 (midday) at Sha Tin Racetrack.
Happy Chinese New Year to those of you who celebrate.
Other January 26 Events around the Globe: January 26th, 2009 is Australia Day