Calm Down

Photo by Cybergabi.

Ok, I didn’t mean to scare you. The last couple of posts have generate an enormous wave of anxiety-filled questions. I just want to make it clear (Mom, Dad, and Jeremy’s Ma) that everywhere we stay will have a Western toilet. You will be able to sit on the porcelin, just don’t flush the paper. No other rules or troubles. We will bypass the squat toilet and all of your related questions about the procedures and methods. Calm down.

Mom asks:

Why is this the year of the Golden Pig?

Well, you know about the Chinese zodiac, so you understand pig part, but what you might not have known is that each year also has a related element: metal, water, wood, fire, and soil. This year is fire. Here’s a nice chart.

Mom also asks:

If someone was born in January would they be born in the year of the pig or the dog? How do January and February birthdays figure out which Chinese year they were born in?

The new year that begins February 18 uses a lunar calendar. So, just like Easter lands on a different day (of our regular calendar) every year, so will the Chinese New Year. Therefore it’s difficult to determine what Chinese year you were born in if you were a February baby without going back and examining both calendars. Here’s someone who’s done that for you.

Sarah asks:

…they don’t kill & eat pigs in honor of the year of the pig, right?

Um, I’m sure some people eat pork for the new year. Are you picturing some kind of elaborate sacrifice ritual? Or maybe church-picnic-style pig roasting on a spicket? No, I don’t think that happens.

Dad asks:

I read about the painting the ground thing. Kind of odd. How far away is that?

Hm… still looking into this one.

[UPDATE: According to gokunming.com, Fumin County is "about 40 kilometers northwest of Kunming."]