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The Ancient Art of Japanese Fortune Telling
HISTORY
Onmyoujitsu (or onmyoudo) is a craft that uses the elements of yin and yang (fire, water, earth, wood, gold) for the purpose of fortune-telling or combating supernatural forces. Originating from China, it was introduced into Japan in the 7th century by Buddhist priests and used extensively in ancient Japan. An onmyouji is thus a person who masters and practises this art. In the Heian Period, the onmyouji was heavily relied upon to protect the emperor and kingdom from misfortune. The most well-known onmyouji was Abeno Seimei who served the Heian emperor in Kyoto from 921 to 1005 AD.
In the modern day, the same art, unchanged throughout the centuries, is practiced by Japanese Fortune Tellers who legally require a license to operate. "Quick readings" (for the lower class and tourists) are available throughout Japan and the practitioners thereof may be found everywhere in railway stations, parks and on streets in the cities.
THE ART
Many of the ancient Japanese looked to the stars, but some were drawn to the Earth, trying to solve riddles and mysteries of math. They did not know that everything was made from hundreds and millions of atoms, but instead thought everything was made up of the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood.
They looked at how these elements could change, and explained how nature worked in those terms.
* Wood goes through a basic change to become fire (flames),
* Fire turns into the earth (ashes),
* Earth makes metals (eg iron and gold) mined from the earth,
* Metal brings water (metal collects dew if outside over night) and
* Water produces wood (wood plants need water to grow).
The scientists did not think of the five elements as DNA, but more like changing things in nature; and that is how they viewed life and nature. Everything in nature is represented by interactions between these five basic elements.
The Productive cycle
Wood feeds Fire, Fire feeds Earth, Earth feeds Metal, Metal feeds Water, and Water feeds Wood.
The Destructive cycle
Metal destroys Wood, Wood destroys Earth, Earth destroys Water, Water destroys Fire, and Fire destroys Metal.
The Controlling cycle
Wood controls Metal, Metal controls Fire, Fire controls Water, Water controls Earth, Earth controls Wood.
The Dissolving cycle
Wood dissolves Water, Water dissolves Metal, Metal dissolves Earth, Earth dissolves Fire, and Fire dissolves Wood.
Human characteristics are grouped correspondingly and thus there are "wooden", "fiery", "earthy", "metallic" and "watery" personality traits.
In nature, all things are viewed by the Japanese as cyclic and therefore, the time of one's birth, the day of the month and the year of birth all have correspondences with these elements. Each of these timings is analysed and a percentage of element derived from them.
The overall personality is then determined by combining the three sets of ratios.
A person thus has an elemental makeup which can consist of any proportions of the five elements and thus, a person born in a 'fortunate time', will have a balanced makeup. If they are however, born at an 'unfortunate" time, they will have a predominance of one or more elements and in the worst cases, a severe predominance of just one element. This will occur if the time, day and year all indicate a high proportion of that element.
This is not to say that this person is "yoked" by their circumstances or doomed in any way, for it is believed that a person's chart is merely representative of the elements towards which they TEND and in all cases, the chart is not meant to indicate restriction, but rather something to be recognised and outgrown or "mastered".
A person having a very pronounced EARTH characteristic, for instance, will be very "grounded" and find it difficult to resonate with or understand others who have different elemental makeups - and also with concepts related to those elements. This person will naturally attract complementary elemental personalities in order to re-establish balance, in the same way as light and darkness, male and female and hot and cold seek each other.
ELEMENTAL PERSONALITIES
(Yin=Female, Yang=Male)
WATER PERSONALITY
Water people either have bubbly personalities or are deep and reflective, with no middle ground. They are receptive, easygoing, philosophical, superficial and passionate.
REN (Yang Water)
Yang water people are willful, adventurous, astute, wise, responsible, adaptable, generous, expressive and emotional. They are romantic, but can be unchaste, organized and well planned, and full of action and unpredictable like the Ocean. They can be unstable, lack courage and be indecisive.
GUI (Yin Water)
Yin water people prefer communicating gently and indirectly. They are intuitive, wise, imaginative, sensitive, patient, adaptable, romantic, introverted, and detail oriented. They are principled and can be susceptible to fear.
Water relates to the media, travel, literature, communications, learning and the arts. Artists, actors, healers, communicators and writers have a lot of water element.
WOOD PERSONALITY
Wood people are extroverts with lots of people around them. They are high-spirited, can easily get into difficulty but can also get out. Full of optimism and youthfulness, they live for pleasure!
JIA (Yang Wood)
Yang wood people are straightforward, self-confident, courageous, bold, positive, progressive and helpful. They are practical, love initiating projects and turning ideas into reality. They can handle lots of pressure, but can be scattered and spread themselves too thin. They can be temperamental, lack skills to adapt to their surroundings and become rigid like a tree trunk.
YI (Yin Wood)
Yin wood people are benevolent, compassionate, idealistic, soaring, happy and alert. In the face of change, they are resilient like bamboo. They dislike restrictions, but are unassertive. They can be too gullible and undisciplined.
Wood relates to nourishment, probing, research, examination, innovation, creation and initiation. Teachers, researchers, investigators inventors and students have a lot of wood element.
FIRE PERSONALITY
Fire people are leaders, motivators, driven, passionate and always look for something new.
BING (Yang Fire)
Yang fire people are charismatic, righteous, quick, gregarious, and brave warriors. They are attractive and love to look gorgeous. They are impassioned with speech but don't have the patience for delving into profound knowledge. They ignite action and leap into things with out thinking. They have a tendency for bad company. They can be arrogant, quick tempered
DING (Yin Fire)
Yin fire people are bright, intelligent idealistic, passionate, and impulsive. They are spontaneous and sensitive polite, obliging. They are more introverted, helped by inner fire, artistic with a large sense of proportion. They can be irritable and be taken advantage of. They can have difficulty finishing things.
Fire relates to entertainment, electricity, sports and fast moving things. Leaders, politicians and sports figures have a lot of fire element.
EARTH PERSONALITY
Earth people are stable, nurturing, and are practical about the realities of a situation. Fairness is a predominant quality. They move slow and make up for it with loyalty and longevity and are prone to worrying about everything under the sun.
WU (Yang Earth)
Generally they are great supporters, conventional and conservative, gentle, pleasing, obsessive regarding details, indecisive, tactful, and dedicated to the public and service. They make great managers, organizers and assistants.
Yang earth people are trustworthy, practical, down to earth, unassuming, stubborn, just and noble. They are great implementers, but can have tunnel vision which hinders seeing complexity. They may lack understanding and become obstinate.
JI (Yin Earth)
They can be great defenders of human rights with an inner strength. Some are fatalistic gamblers and always do things the hard way.
Yin earth people are just and noble, kind, flexible, accommodating, appreciate the goodness in others. They can also be unpredictable, indecisive, procrastinators, stubborn and unyielding. Abrupt change disturbs them.
It relates to real estate insurance, mining, agriculture, chemicals, legacies and the pivot of the day and night. Assistants, organizers, healthcare professionals, parents and caretakers have a lot of earth element.
METAL PERSONALITY
Metal people are good motivators and can succeed at almost any profession. They rally people around goals and meet them. Metal people tend to be loners and withdrawn.
GENG (Yang Metal)
Yang metal people, can be great leaders, dominate and conquer, are constantly active with high ideas, ambitious and egotistical. They hate to lose, are very self critical, strongly materialistic and can be stubborn and overly ambitious.
They are focused, driven, aggressive, and confident. They are always ready to fight for righteousness, justice and truth. They enjoy the limelight, are determined and bold, unpolished, tough, and very particular about reputation. They can turn inward to find solutions to problems and find it hard to communicate their inner feelings.
XIN (Yin Metal)
Yin metal people can be great orators, tactful, elegant and well liked by others. They like to be free, dislike supervision and hate to be ignored. Metal is determination, the ability to manage, be strong yet malleable, gentle yet assertive, cultured, patient, sentimental, too conscious of status and power, snobbish, polite and gentlemanly. They don't care what others say and can be susceptible to sadness, grief and longing.
Metal relates to melting and casting into forms, long-term wealth, turning inward, strength and determination. Managers, military and law enforcement personnel have a lot of metal energy.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
It is important to note that the Yin and Yang polarities do NOT refer to males and females, but to the male and female characteristics of a person. It is common for a male to possess and exhibit female characteristics and vice-versa. These are considered matters of the SOUL rather than of the personality. A female soul inhabiting a male body will thus exhibit YIN traits, even though being a man and conversely, a male soul inhabiting a female body will thus exhibit YANG traits, even though being a woman.
Experienced Japanese Fortune Tellers will draw on other information such as the numerlogical makeup of ones name to further "calibrate" their readings and in extremely in-depth charting, palm and face reading is also combined in order to discern one's fortune to a very high degree of accuracy.
NOTE: The above description of the Art of Japanese fortune telling is only the beginning of the story. In addition to the elements, there are the animal correspondences and these are also taken into account by the most revered and professional of fortune tellers. To describe, in detail, the entire process of chart discernment is beyond the scope of this small article however, a very rough guide to the most basic personal characteristics is shown below: (this type of basic chart is a western derivation and whilst being accurate ONLY for the YEAR aspect of one's birth, would be considered, by itself, so crude in Japan as to be almost useless!)
ANIMAL CORRESPONDENCES
Rat (nezumi)
Born 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924, 1912. People born in the year of the Rat are charming, honest, ambitious, and have a tremendous capacity for pursing a course to its end. They will work hard for their goals. They are easily angered but maintain an outward show of control.
Ox (ushi)
Born 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925, 1913. People born in the year of the Ox are patient, mentally alert and when required to speak are skillful. They have a gift for inspiring confidence in others. This allows them to achieve a great deal of success.
Tiger (tora)
Born 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926, 1914. People born in the year of the Tiger are sensitive, stubborn, short-tempered, courageous, selfish and slightly mean ... yet they are deep thinkers and are capable of great sympathy for those they are close to and love.
Rabbit (usagi)
Born 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927, 1915. People born in the year of the Rabbit are the most fortunate. They are smooth talkers, talented, ambitious, virtuous and reserved. They have exceedingly fine taste and regarded with admiration and trust.
Dragon (tatsu)
Born 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, 1916. People born in the year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered and stubborn. However, they are honest, sensitive, brave and can inspire trust in most anyone. They are the most peculiar of the 12 signs of the Zodiac cycle.
Snake (hebi)
Born 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929, 1917. People born in the year of the Snake are deep thinkers, speak very little and possess tremendous wisdom. They are fortunate in money matters and will always be able to obtain it. They are determined in what they do and hate to fail.
Horse (uma)
Born 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930, 1918, 1906. People born in the year of the Horse are skillful in paying compliments and talk too much. They are skillful with money and handle finances well. They are quick thinkers, wise and talented. Horse people anger easily and are very impatient.
Sheep (hitsuji)
Born 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931, 1919, 1907. People born in the year of the Sheep are elegant, highly accomplished in the arts, passionate about nature. At first glance, they seem to be better off than the people born in other years. They are deeply religious and passionate in whatever they do and believe in.
Monkey (saru)
Born 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932, 1920, 1908. People born in the year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the Zodiac cycle. They are clever and skillful in grand-scale operations and are smart when making financial deals. They are inventive, original and are able to solve the most difficult problems with ease.
Rooster (tori)
Born 2005, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933, 1921, 1909. People born in the year of the Rooster are deep thinkers and are always busy and devoted to their work. They always want to do more than they are able, and if they undertake a task beyond their abilities, they are disappointed. Rooster people have a habit of speaking out directly whenever they have something on their minds.
Dog (inu)
Born 2006, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934, 1922, 1910. People born in the year of the Dog have all the fine qualities of human nature. They have a sense of duty and loyalty, they are extremely honest and always do their best in their relationship with other people. Dog people inspire confidence in others and know how to keep secrets.
Boar (inoshishi)
Born 2007, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923, 1911. People born in the year of the Boar are brave. They have tremendous inner strength which no one can overcome. They display great honesty. They are short-tempered, yet hate to quarrel or have arguments. They are affectionate and kind to their loved ones.
The ANIMALS OF THE HOURS
In Japanese temples and emperors castles, it was and still is customary in some areas to ring a bell every hour (or two) and announce the animal for that period.
* 23:00–01:00: 子 rat
* 01:00–03:00: 丑 ox
* 03:00–05:00: 寅 tiger
* 05:00–07:00: 卯 rabbit
* 07:00–09:00: 辰 dragon
* 09:00–11:00: 巳 snake
* 11:00–13:00: 午 horse
* 13:00–15:00: 未 ram
* 15:00–17:00: 申 monkey
* 17:00–19:00: 酉 rooster
* 19:00–21:00: 戌 dog
* 21:00–23:00: 亥 pig
ANIMAL/ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES
The Yin or Yang is broken down into Five Elements ( Water, Wood, Fire, Metal (Gold), Earth) on top of the cycle of animals. These are modifiers and affect the characteristics of each of the 12 signs. Each element has features that apply to both years and the animals. Each of the 12 animals are governed by an element plus a Yin Yang Direction. Divided into 4 groups
Water
* The North
* Communication
* Intuition
* Sensitivity
'Governs'
Rat, Ox, Monkey
Wood
* The East
* Creativity
* Nurturing
* Growth
'Governs'
Tiger, Hare, Snake
Fire
* The South
* Passion
* Intelligence
* Movement
'Governs'
Dragon, Horse, Goat
Metal gold
* The West
* Useful
* Dependable
* Strong
'Governs'
Pig , Rooster, Dog
Earth
* The Centre
* Balance
* Foundations
* Reliability
Additionally there is Earth which does not govern over any animals and is the central balance of all elements. It can lend qualities to all 12 animals as well.
The elements are also associated with colors. The traditional correspondences are green to Wood, red to Fire, brown to Earth, white to Metal, and black to Water. Some websites denote the years by the color and zodiac sign (as opposed to animal sign and element).
Onmyoujitsu (or onmyoudo) is a craft that uses the elements of yin and yang (fire, water, earth, wood, gold) for the purpose of fortune-telling or combating supernatural forces. Originating from China, it was introduced into Japan in the 7th century by Buddhist priests and used extensively in ancient Japan. An onmyouji is thus a person who masters and practises this art. In the Heian Period, the onmyouji was heavily relied upon to protect the emperor and kingdom from misfortune. The most well-known onmyouji was Abeno Seimei who served the Heian emperor in Kyoto from 921 to 1005 AD.
In the modern day, the same art, unchanged throughout the centuries, is practiced by Japanese Fortune Tellers who legally require a license to operate. "Quick readings" (for the lower class and tourists) are available throughout Japan and the practitioners thereof may be found everywhere in railway stations, parks and on streets in the cities.
THE ART
Many of the ancient Japanese looked to the stars, but some were drawn to the Earth, trying to solve riddles and mysteries of math. They did not know that everything was made from hundreds and millions of atoms, but instead thought everything was made up of the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood.
They looked at how these elements could change, and explained how nature worked in those terms.
* Wood goes through a basic change to become fire (flames),
* Fire turns into the earth (ashes),
* Earth makes metals (eg iron and gold) mined from the earth,
* Metal brings water (metal collects dew if outside over night) and
* Water produces wood (wood plants need water to grow).
The scientists did not think of the five elements as DNA, but more like changing things in nature; and that is how they viewed life and nature. Everything in nature is represented by interactions between these five basic elements.
The Productive cycle
Wood feeds Fire, Fire feeds Earth, Earth feeds Metal, Metal feeds Water, and Water feeds Wood.
The Destructive cycle
Metal destroys Wood, Wood destroys Earth, Earth destroys Water, Water destroys Fire, and Fire destroys Metal.
The Controlling cycle
Wood controls Metal, Metal controls Fire, Fire controls Water, Water controls Earth, Earth controls Wood.
The Dissolving cycle
Wood dissolves Water, Water dissolves Metal, Metal dissolves Earth, Earth dissolves Fire, and Fire dissolves Wood.
Human characteristics are grouped correspondingly and thus there are "wooden", "fiery", "earthy", "metallic" and "watery" personality traits.
In nature, all things are viewed by the Japanese as cyclic and therefore, the time of one's birth, the day of the month and the year of birth all have correspondences with these elements. Each of these timings is analysed and a percentage of element derived from them.
The overall personality is then determined by combining the three sets of ratios.
A person thus has an elemental makeup which can consist of any proportions of the five elements and thus, a person born in a 'fortunate time', will have a balanced makeup. If they are however, born at an 'unfortunate" time, they will have a predominance of one or more elements and in the worst cases, a severe predominance of just one element. This will occur if the time, day and year all indicate a high proportion of that element.
This is not to say that this person is "yoked" by their circumstances or doomed in any way, for it is believed that a person's chart is merely representative of the elements towards which they TEND and in all cases, the chart is not meant to indicate restriction, but rather something to be recognised and outgrown or "mastered".
A person having a very pronounced EARTH characteristic, for instance, will be very "grounded" and find it difficult to resonate with or understand others who have different elemental makeups - and also with concepts related to those elements. This person will naturally attract complementary elemental personalities in order to re-establish balance, in the same way as light and darkness, male and female and hot and cold seek each other.
ELEMENTAL PERSONALITIES
(Yin=Female, Yang=Male)
WATER PERSONALITY
Water people either have bubbly personalities or are deep and reflective, with no middle ground. They are receptive, easygoing, philosophical, superficial and passionate.
REN (Yang Water)
Yang water people are willful, adventurous, astute, wise, responsible, adaptable, generous, expressive and emotional. They are romantic, but can be unchaste, organized and well planned, and full of action and unpredictable like the Ocean. They can be unstable, lack courage and be indecisive.
GUI (Yin Water)
Yin water people prefer communicating gently and indirectly. They are intuitive, wise, imaginative, sensitive, patient, adaptable, romantic, introverted, and detail oriented. They are principled and can be susceptible to fear.
Water relates to the media, travel, literature, communications, learning and the arts. Artists, actors, healers, communicators and writers have a lot of water element.
WOOD PERSONALITY
Wood people are extroverts with lots of people around them. They are high-spirited, can easily get into difficulty but can also get out. Full of optimism and youthfulness, they live for pleasure!
JIA (Yang Wood)
Yang wood people are straightforward, self-confident, courageous, bold, positive, progressive and helpful. They are practical, love initiating projects and turning ideas into reality. They can handle lots of pressure, but can be scattered and spread themselves too thin. They can be temperamental, lack skills to adapt to their surroundings and become rigid like a tree trunk.
YI (Yin Wood)
Yin wood people are benevolent, compassionate, idealistic, soaring, happy and alert. In the face of change, they are resilient like bamboo. They dislike restrictions, but are unassertive. They can be too gullible and undisciplined.
Wood relates to nourishment, probing, research, examination, innovation, creation and initiation. Teachers, researchers, investigators inventors and students have a lot of wood element.
FIRE PERSONALITY
Fire people are leaders, motivators, driven, passionate and always look for something new.
BING (Yang Fire)
Yang fire people are charismatic, righteous, quick, gregarious, and brave warriors. They are attractive and love to look gorgeous. They are impassioned with speech but don't have the patience for delving into profound knowledge. They ignite action and leap into things with out thinking. They have a tendency for bad company. They can be arrogant, quick tempered
DING (Yin Fire)
Yin fire people are bright, intelligent idealistic, passionate, and impulsive. They are spontaneous and sensitive polite, obliging. They are more introverted, helped by inner fire, artistic with a large sense of proportion. They can be irritable and be taken advantage of. They can have difficulty finishing things.
Fire relates to entertainment, electricity, sports and fast moving things. Leaders, politicians and sports figures have a lot of fire element.
EARTH PERSONALITY
Earth people are stable, nurturing, and are practical about the realities of a situation. Fairness is a predominant quality. They move slow and make up for it with loyalty and longevity and are prone to worrying about everything under the sun.
WU (Yang Earth)
Generally they are great supporters, conventional and conservative, gentle, pleasing, obsessive regarding details, indecisive, tactful, and dedicated to the public and service. They make great managers, organizers and assistants.
Yang earth people are trustworthy, practical, down to earth, unassuming, stubborn, just and noble. They are great implementers, but can have tunnel vision which hinders seeing complexity. They may lack understanding and become obstinate.
JI (Yin Earth)
They can be great defenders of human rights with an inner strength. Some are fatalistic gamblers and always do things the hard way.
Yin earth people are just and noble, kind, flexible, accommodating, appreciate the goodness in others. They can also be unpredictable, indecisive, procrastinators, stubborn and unyielding. Abrupt change disturbs them.
It relates to real estate insurance, mining, agriculture, chemicals, legacies and the pivot of the day and night. Assistants, organizers, healthcare professionals, parents and caretakers have a lot of earth element.
METAL PERSONALITY
Metal people are good motivators and can succeed at almost any profession. They rally people around goals and meet them. Metal people tend to be loners and withdrawn.
GENG (Yang Metal)
Yang metal people, can be great leaders, dominate and conquer, are constantly active with high ideas, ambitious and egotistical. They hate to lose, are very self critical, strongly materialistic and can be stubborn and overly ambitious.
They are focused, driven, aggressive, and confident. They are always ready to fight for righteousness, justice and truth. They enjoy the limelight, are determined and bold, unpolished, tough, and very particular about reputation. They can turn inward to find solutions to problems and find it hard to communicate their inner feelings.
XIN (Yin Metal)
Yin metal people can be great orators, tactful, elegant and well liked by others. They like to be free, dislike supervision and hate to be ignored. Metal is determination, the ability to manage, be strong yet malleable, gentle yet assertive, cultured, patient, sentimental, too conscious of status and power, snobbish, polite and gentlemanly. They don't care what others say and can be susceptible to sadness, grief and longing.
Metal relates to melting and casting into forms, long-term wealth, turning inward, strength and determination. Managers, military and law enforcement personnel have a lot of metal energy.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
It is important to note that the Yin and Yang polarities do NOT refer to males and females, but to the male and female characteristics of a person. It is common for a male to possess and exhibit female characteristics and vice-versa. These are considered matters of the SOUL rather than of the personality. A female soul inhabiting a male body will thus exhibit YIN traits, even though being a man and conversely, a male soul inhabiting a female body will thus exhibit YANG traits, even though being a woman.
Experienced Japanese Fortune Tellers will draw on other information such as the numerlogical makeup of ones name to further "calibrate" their readings and in extremely in-depth charting, palm and face reading is also combined in order to discern one's fortune to a very high degree of accuracy.
NOTE: The above description of the Art of Japanese fortune telling is only the beginning of the story. In addition to the elements, there are the animal correspondences and these are also taken into account by the most revered and professional of fortune tellers. To describe, in detail, the entire process of chart discernment is beyond the scope of this small article however, a very rough guide to the most basic personal characteristics is shown below: (this type of basic chart is a western derivation and whilst being accurate ONLY for the YEAR aspect of one's birth, would be considered, by itself, so crude in Japan as to be almost useless!)
ANIMAL CORRESPONDENCES
Rat (nezumi)
Born 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924, 1912. People born in the year of the Rat are charming, honest, ambitious, and have a tremendous capacity for pursing a course to its end. They will work hard for their goals. They are easily angered but maintain an outward show of control.
Ox (ushi)
Born 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925, 1913. People born in the year of the Ox are patient, mentally alert and when required to speak are skillful. They have a gift for inspiring confidence in others. This allows them to achieve a great deal of success.
Tiger (tora)
Born 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926, 1914. People born in the year of the Tiger are sensitive, stubborn, short-tempered, courageous, selfish and slightly mean ... yet they are deep thinkers and are capable of great sympathy for those they are close to and love.
Rabbit (usagi)
Born 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927, 1915. People born in the year of the Rabbit are the most fortunate. They are smooth talkers, talented, ambitious, virtuous and reserved. They have exceedingly fine taste and regarded with admiration and trust.
Dragon (tatsu)
Born 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, 1916. People born in the year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered and stubborn. However, they are honest, sensitive, brave and can inspire trust in most anyone. They are the most peculiar of the 12 signs of the Zodiac cycle.
Snake (hebi)
Born 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929, 1917. People born in the year of the Snake are deep thinkers, speak very little and possess tremendous wisdom. They are fortunate in money matters and will always be able to obtain it. They are determined in what they do and hate to fail.
Horse (uma)
Born 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930, 1918, 1906. People born in the year of the Horse are skillful in paying compliments and talk too much. They are skillful with money and handle finances well. They are quick thinkers, wise and talented. Horse people anger easily and are very impatient.
Sheep (hitsuji)
Born 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931, 1919, 1907. People born in the year of the Sheep are elegant, highly accomplished in the arts, passionate about nature. At first glance, they seem to be better off than the people born in other years. They are deeply religious and passionate in whatever they do and believe in.
Monkey (saru)
Born 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932, 1920, 1908. People born in the year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the Zodiac cycle. They are clever and skillful in grand-scale operations and are smart when making financial deals. They are inventive, original and are able to solve the most difficult problems with ease.
Rooster (tori)
Born 2005, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933, 1921, 1909. People born in the year of the Rooster are deep thinkers and are always busy and devoted to their work. They always want to do more than they are able, and if they undertake a task beyond their abilities, they are disappointed. Rooster people have a habit of speaking out directly whenever they have something on their minds.
Dog (inu)
Born 2006, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934, 1922, 1910. People born in the year of the Dog have all the fine qualities of human nature. They have a sense of duty and loyalty, they are extremely honest and always do their best in their relationship with other people. Dog people inspire confidence in others and know how to keep secrets.
Boar (inoshishi)
Born 2007, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923, 1911. People born in the year of the Boar are brave. They have tremendous inner strength which no one can overcome. They display great honesty. They are short-tempered, yet hate to quarrel or have arguments. They are affectionate and kind to their loved ones.
The ANIMALS OF THE HOURS
In Japanese temples and emperors castles, it was and still is customary in some areas to ring a bell every hour (or two) and announce the animal for that period.
* 23:00–01:00: 子 rat
* 01:00–03:00: 丑 ox
* 03:00–05:00: 寅 tiger
* 05:00–07:00: 卯 rabbit
* 07:00–09:00: 辰 dragon
* 09:00–11:00: 巳 snake
* 11:00–13:00: 午 horse
* 13:00–15:00: 未 ram
* 15:00–17:00: 申 monkey
* 17:00–19:00: 酉 rooster
* 19:00–21:00: 戌 dog
* 21:00–23:00: 亥 pig
ANIMAL/ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES
The Yin or Yang is broken down into Five Elements ( Water, Wood, Fire, Metal (Gold), Earth) on top of the cycle of animals. These are modifiers and affect the characteristics of each of the 12 signs. Each element has features that apply to both years and the animals. Each of the 12 animals are governed by an element plus a Yin Yang Direction. Divided into 4 groups
Water
* The North
* Communication
* Intuition
* Sensitivity
'Governs'
Rat, Ox, Monkey
Wood
* The East
* Creativity
* Nurturing
* Growth
'Governs'
Tiger, Hare, Snake
Fire
* The South
* Passion
* Intelligence
* Movement
'Governs'
Dragon, Horse, Goat
Metal gold
* The West
* Useful
* Dependable
* Strong
'Governs'
Pig , Rooster, Dog
Earth
* The Centre
* Balance
* Foundations
* Reliability
Additionally there is Earth which does not govern over any animals and is the central balance of all elements. It can lend qualities to all 12 animals as well.
The elements are also associated with colors. The traditional correspondences are green to Wood, red to Fire, brown to Earth, white to Metal, and black to Water. Some websites denote the years by the color and zodiac sign (as opposed to animal sign and element).
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Events
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2014 is the Chinese Year of the Horse
February 17, 2026 at 12am to February 5, 2027 at 12am – where & how you choose
Birthdays
Birthdays Today
Birthdays Tomorrow
Important (read & understand)
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Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries had its humble beginnings as an idea of a few artisans and craftsmen who enjoy performing with live steel fighting. As well as a patchwork quilt tent canvas. Most had prior military experience hence the name.
Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries.
Vendertainers that brought many things to a show and are know for helping out where ever they can.
As well as being a place where the older hand made items could be found made by them and enjoyed by all.
We expanded over the years to become well known at what we do. Now we represent over 100 artisans and craftsman that are well known in their venues and some just starting out. Some of their works have been premiered in TV, stage and movies on a regular basis.
Specializing in Medieval, Goth , Stage Film, BDFSM and Practitioner.
Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries a Dept of, Ask For IT was started by artists and former military veterans, and sword fighters, representing over 100 artisans, one who made his living traveling from fair to festival vending medieval wares. The majority of his customers are re-enactors, SCAdians and the like, looking to build their kit with period clothing, feast gear, adornments, etc.
Likewise, it is typical for these history-lovers to peruse the tent (aka mobile store front) and, upon finding something that pleases the eye, ask "Is this period?"
A deceitful query!! This is not a yes or no question. One must have a damn good understanding of European history (at least) from the fall of Rome to the mid-1600's to properly answer. Taking into account, also, the culture in which the querent is dressed is vitally important. You see, though it may be well within medieval period, it would be strange to see a Viking wearing a Caftan...or is it?
After a festival's time of answering weighty questions such as these, I'd sleep like a log! Only a mad man could possibly remember the place and time for each piece of kitchen ware, weaponry, cloth, and chain within a span of 1,000 years!! Surely there must be an easier way, a place where he could post all this knowledge...
Traveling Within The World is meant to be such a place. A place for all of these artists to keep in touch and directly interact with their fellow geeks and re-enactment hobbyists, their clientele.
© 2024 Created by Rev. Allen M. Drago ~ Traveler.
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