Is That A Dragon Baby? Zodiac Not Determined By CNY Date

Louise Tan (above), Jamie Kao and Tristan Chen were among the first babies born on Chinese New Year’s Day, widely regarded as the start of a new year in the Chinese zodiac. — ST PHOTOS: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN
By
Judith Tan

Newborns Jamie Kao, Tristan Chen and Louise Tan clinched bragging rights for being the first three Dragon babies born this year. Or did they?

Well, not according to the Wan Nian Li or Ten Thousand Years Calendar. This calendar is an invaluable reference book used by masters, practitioners and students of fengshui, bazi (four pillars of destiny), Chinese zi wei dou shu Astrology (Purple Star), yi jing (I Ching) and Date Selection specialists.

The commonly held belief is that babies born on or after the first day of the Chinese New Year – which fell on Jan 23 this year – take after the zodiac animal of that new year. But social worker Au Hoi Ting, in a letter to The Sunday Times, sought to shed more light on when a Dragon baby is actually a Dragon baby. Miss Au, 29, said: ‘The Wan Nian Li says that the new year begins at the start of spring. This year, it falls on Feb 4.

Background story

Come Spring…

‘A baby’s horoscope is defined by the day of the Spring Festival, and not by Chinese New Year. So babies born on and after Feb 4 are Dragons. Those born before Feb 4 are still Rabbits.’

MISS AU HOI TING, a social worker, shedding light on when a baby born this year is considered a Dragon baby

‘A baby’s horoscope is defined by the day of the Spring Festival, and not by Chinese New Year. So babies born on or after Feb 4 are Dragons. Those born before Feb 4 are still Rabbits.’

Straits Times