Chinese New Year: Year of the Goat
Year of the Sheep or Goat
Preparations are taking place across Dublin and around the world for the Chinese New Year, which will kick off on the 19th of February. It’s one of the longest festival in the Chinese calendar running through to the 24th of February. Celebrations begin on Chinese New Year’s eve and last through to the end of the month in the Chinese calendar.
Sometimes referred to as the Spring Festival, a centuries old tradition that played a significant role in Chinese myths and legends. The holiday is ingrained in its people’s customs and is one of the most important festivals with annual celebrations taking place in chinatowns are the world.
This year marks the year of the sheep, or goat to some.
The Goat is the eighth sign of a twelve-year cycle of animals (mnemonics for the calendar system) in the Chinese zodiac, which in turn is related to the Chinese calendar and other festival celebrations. But not only that; those born in the year of the goat are said to resemble the traits of the animal, or any other animal as part of the Chinese zodiac.
Years Of The Goat / Sheep | Chinese Calendar
| Start Date | End Date | Heavenly Branch |
|---|---|---|
| 13th February 1907 | 1st February 1908 | Fire Goat |
| 1st February 1931 | 5th February 1932 | Earth Goat |
| 17th February 1919 | 19th February 1392 | Metal Goat |
| 5th February 1943 | 24th January 1944 | Water Goat |
| 24th January 1955 | 11th February 1956 | Wood Goat |
| 9th February 1967 | 22th January 1968 | Fire Goat |
| 28th January 1979 | 15th February 1980 | Earth Goat |
| 15th February 1991 | 3rd February 1992 | Metal Goat |
| 1st February 2003 | 21th February 2004 | Water Goat |
| 19th February 2015 | 7th February 2016 | Wood Goat |
| 6th February 2027 | 25th January 2028 | Fire Goat |
| 24th January 2039 | 11th Feb 2040 | Earth Goat |
| 11th February 2051 | 31 January 2052 | Metal Goat |
What’s your animal in the Chinese zodiac? And do you refer to it as the year of the sheep or the year of the goat? Let us know in the comments below.
Download our Chinese New Year poster / infographic: Year of the Sheep / Goat.