UK issues commemorative rooster coins for Chinese New Year
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2017-01/26/content_28057821.htm
Theresa May delivers New Year message of friendship
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2017-01/26/content_28063388.htm
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday sent her wishes through the government’s website and her own Weibo account to those who celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year worldwide, pledging to further strengthen China-UK relations.
May said the Year of the Rooster is set to be particularly important for the relationship between Britain and China, because the starting point for bilateral relations is stronger than ever before.
Recalling the historic state visit of President Xi Jinping in October 2015, she said the two countries are seeing an increasing development of their relations.
"We receive more Chinese investment than any other major European country. We’ve got around 150,000 Chinese students studying here and the number of Chinese tourists visiting has doubled in five years," May said.
In her message, May indicated that she hopes to make another visit to China, following trip to the G20 Summit in Hangzhou last year, which was her first visit outside Europe as prime minister and herfirst meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Because this year marks the 20th anniversaryof Hong Kong’s return to China and the 45th anniversary of ambassadorial relations between the two countries, she hopes both Britain and China will further develop ties in all fields.
"I want us to take this chance to build on all the ties we share – in business, diplomacy, education, tourism and culture – as we forge a new role for Britain, as the most outward-looking, free-trading nation in the world," May said.
Because both the UK and China are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, she said the two countries are working together on the most pressing global issues.
The prime minister also acclaimed the British Chinese community for its enormous contribution to British society.
“The Rooster - the Fire Rooster - represents so many of the characteristics we need to employ in that endeavor: openness, confidence, hard work and leadership," May said, adding “indeed, they are characteristics demonstrated day in, day out by the British Chinese community”.
"As the lanterns are lit and the dumplings are served, let me wish you and your family, wherever you are, a very happy and healthy New Year,” she said, before concluding her message in Chinese: "Xin Nian Kuai Le (Happy New Year)"
Chinese classical concert to welcome Year of the Rooster
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2017-01/26/content_28063546.htm
Zodiac animals get a makeover
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/art/2017-01/24/content_28039444.htm
Huang Yongyu, 93, uses the Lunar New Year as an opportunity to comment on social issues and people's behaviors at an ongoing exhibition of his work. Lin Qi reports.
Chinese artist Huang Yongyu, 93, designed a stamp to mark the Year of the Dog in 2006 after being commissioned by China Post. But Huang, who is known for his sense of humor and a down-to-earth style, fell foul of the authorities after he submitted the illustration of a peeing puppy for the stamp.
The design was rejected by the authorities, who then turned to other designers.
Feeling disappointed, Huang, who raises a dozen dogs in his spacious villa called Wanhe Yuan (The Garden of 10,000 Lotuses) in Beijing's eastern suburbs, then produced 12 paintings, depicting many Chinese idioms about dogs through his works.
A friend who runs a publishing house helped him to publish these paintings in a wall calendar.
Huang also did a painting for the calendar cover and crafted a hand-written message for the flyleaf. He distributed the limited-edition calendars to friends as Lunar New Year gifts.
Since then, he has continued with the tradition every year. He just published his 12th calendar to usher in the Year of the Rooster, which will begin on Jan 28 and end on Feb 15, 2018.
The Year of the Rooster — What It Means
http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/rooster.htm
The Rooster ranks tenth out of the 12 animals in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. 2017 is a year of the Rooster.
What a Year of the Rooster Is
Every 12 years there is a Rooster year, beginning at Chinese New Year. A year of the Rooster always comes after a Monkey year and before a Dog year.
Years of the Rooster include 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and 2029.
2017 Is a Fire Rooster Year — What ”Fire Rooster Year” Means
In Chinese astrology, each zodiac year is not just associated with an animal sign, but also one of five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth.
Both the zodiac sign and the element shape the astrology of the year. For example, 2017 is a Fire Rooster year. Element-sign combinations recur every 60 years.
The following famous fire Roosters will be 60 this zodiac year: Dawn French, Donny Osmond, Martin Luther King III, Stephen Fry, Hans Zimmer, Dolph Lundgren, and Jools Holland.
Both zodiac sign and element are believed to affect one’s personality and destiny. Below are the five types of Roosters:
Type of RoosterYear of Birth Characteristics
Wood Rooster 1945, 2005 Energetic, overconfident, tender, and unstable
Fire Rooster 1957, 2017 Trustworthy, with a strong sense of timekeeping and responsibility at work
Earth Rooster 1909, 1969 Lovely, generous, trustworthy, and popular with their friends
Gold Rooster 1921, 1981 Determined, brave, perseverant, and hardworking
Water Rooster 1933, 1993 Smart, quick-witted, tenderhearted, and compassionate
Chinese Horoscope 2017 – Chinese New Year Of The Rooster 2017
http://astrologyclub.org/chinese-horoscope/2017-year-rooster/