Last Feb. 18th, in case you haven’t already heard, the Chinese celebrated the coming of their New Year as in the Year of the Pig. Why so late in February - because it is based on the lunar rather than Gregorian calendar. As with every upcoming new year, many Chinese astrologers make new predictions based on the year that you were born, which corresponds to 12 animals. Now, if you are the horoscope following-type, then you will find this interesting because there are certain years wherein it is considered an auspicious time to get married, have children, and so forth. There are even feng shui experts specializing in weddings who help predict when is a great nuptial year for a couple based on their Chinese animal signs. Does August 8, 2008 (i.e., year of the rat) seem like a great date for a wedding? The Chinese certainly think so because the digits “888” is believed to be very lucky number to be born on. Also, isn’t it a coincidence that the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China – giving rise to what is called an “Olympic Wedding Year!”
Where is this all leading to anyways? Well, if you are planning a wedding, and your sign lands on year that is not advisable for marriage, then you may want to reconsider another year. But, that’s not so practical for many. However, many traditional Chinese weigh these forecasts heavily and often rely on a prosperous year to set a wedding date. Whether or not you believe this interesting practice, for those who are having a Chinese wedding ceremony, then following traditions and customs becomes an integral part of the planning process. So, how do you go about doing this especially if you are based in the United States? Well, there is the web and many books dedicated to feng shui for weddings. Here are a few ones that I found:
Lillian Too - Best selling feng shui author known throughout Asia.
Chinese Fortune Calendar
Wild Geese and Tea—An Asian American Wedding Planner
Pictures of A Traditional Ceremony
- notice that the bride doesn’t wear a white gown, but rather a red one.
2 comments:
08/08/08 will be our 34th anniversary and we have always wanted to acknowledge it in a special way. We have spent several years all together in SE Asia over the last 20 years and honor the Chinese meaning too.
Might anyone have a suggestion for what or where we celebrate it?
Thank you.
I think 888 may be even more popular than 777 last year.
Anita
herweddingplanner.com
Post a Comment