Dating

No, this will not be a post-Valentine column. Rather, it will tackle two events that transpired last week.  

The other day, Feb. 19, we celebrated Chinese New Year. Unlike the Gregorian calendar’s fixed Jan. 1 start, the beginning of the Chinese new year varies (at least from a Western perspective). Curious as to how the date is determined, I conducted a quick internet research.

The Chinese calendar is lunisolar which means that it is based on astronomical measurements of the sun’s longitude and observations on the moon’s phases. It is similar to the Jewish calendar where an ordinary year is made up of 12 months with 353–355 days while a leap year comprises 13 months with 383-385 days.  

Together with the 12-year animal zodiac is a 10-year cycle of heavenly stems referring to the five elements of Chinese astrology – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These elements are rotated every two years while a Yin and Yang association alternates every year.  Yin (literally “shady side”) and Yang (literally “sunny side”) is the Taoist concept of two halves which, taken together, form a whole. Examples include night (Yin) and day (Yang), female (Yin) and male (Yang).    

So from the Yang Wooden Horse last year we have moved on to the year of the Yin Wooden Sheep (or goat or ram but more about that later). Next year, it will be the turn of the Yang Fire Monkey. These combinations compose a cycle that repeats itself every 60 years.

In the Western calendar, Chinese New Year will always fall between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. Apparently, there are two rules to follow in determining the date. The first rule is so that it should coincide with the new moon closest to the beginning of Spring in the northern hemisphere. This rule is correct most of the time but can fail if the date falls exactly between two new moons.  This occurred in 1985 and coincidentally, this 2015.

The second rule is that Chinese New Year will fall 11 (sometimes 10 or 12) days earlier than the previous year.  However, if that computation will result in a day outside the Jan. 21 to Feb. 20 range, a leap month will need to be added so that Chinese New Year jumps 19 (sometimes 18) days later.  

In 2014, Chinese New Year fell on Jan. 31.  As stated earlier, this 2015, the first rule cannot be applied as the date falls between two new moons and outside the range. Hence, we have a leap month situation where we need to add 19 days to last year’s Jan. 31 to come up with the Feb. 19 date.

There is also a debate whether the zodiac sign this year is that of a sheep, a goat or something in between like a ram. The Chinese symbol is the “yang” which apparently can refer to any member of the caprinae subfamily. So the goat is a “mountain yang,” sheep is a “soft yang” while a Mongolian gazelle is “yellow yang.” Regardless, Chinese folklorists claim that the sign was chosen for its auspicious characteristics of kindness and benevolence. It is a symbol that represents good fortune and blessings. But to the western mind there is a difference between goats and sheep.  The former are seen as sturdy and strong while the latter are viewed as docile and weak. So finding an “in-between” may not be a bad idea.

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Lent: The day before Thursday, Christians all over the world marked (no pun intended) Ash Wednesday which ushers in the season of Lent.  Just like Chinese New Year, this date is a “movable feast” (or “fast”) depending on Easter Sunday. The latter also follows a lunar schedule and is celebrated on the Sunday that follows the first full moon after March 21. Hence, Easter will always fall between March 22 and April 25.  

Lent lasts until Maundy Thursday.  But if that is the case, then it covers 44 days and not the traditional 40 days that we were taught in elementary school. The explanation for the difference is that the four Sundays during the season should not be counted in the computation.

The term “Lent” is taken from the Teutonic (Germanic) word for springtime. It is supposed to be a time for reflection and conversion which are achieved through fasting, alms giving and prayer. In other words, it can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning. The placing of ashes on one’s forehead last Wednesday reminds us of our beginning and end. I personally like the Filipino translation of Lent which is “hiram”– it teaches us that our lives were just lent to us so we need to make the most out of it.  

Catholics from 18 to 59 are expected to fast (i.e., only one full meal is permitted) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from eating meat during the other Fridays of the season. These acts are supposed to signify acts of sacrifice and self-denial. But what if a person is trying to lose weight or is a pescetarian or vegetarian?  Eating light and healthy meals for them is a way of life.  So sacrifice for them should be the other way around – they should be compelled to eat full meals or meat. Levity aside, in this day and age, the better rule is to encourage believers “to give up something of value or importance” during Lent, Pope Francis suggests that “even more than candy or alcohol, we should fast from indifference towards others.”

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Greetings:  Birth anniversary best wishes to Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto and LG Aircon’s Charlie Borbe.  Today the nation marks the 162nd birth anniversary of one of our greatest painters, Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo, while the Katigbak-Simbahan clan of Batangas will hold a memorial to commemorate the 42nd birth anniversary of Irene Simbahan-Katigbak who passed away in Phnom Penh in April 2012.

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“When we fast from indifference, we begin to feast on love.”   – Christopher Hale

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