HONG KONG: The Chinese community around the world is preparing to bid farewell to the Year of the Monkey and welcome the Year of the Rooster, which begins on Jan. 28.

The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and features 12 Chinese zodiac signs. They are represented by animals that occur in the following sequence: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Combined with the Chinese five atomic elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth, they form 60 possible combinations so, in fact, 2017 is the Year of the Fire Rooster.

Like Western horoscopes, the Chinese zodiac is believed influence a person's disposition and luck. People who believe in Feng Shui, a Chinese philosophical system used to harmonize people and their environment, arrange th\xj pE8CE@0jKWB"prPH:Hzmay wear special accessories or make changes to their environment in order to repel bad luck.

Although Chinese Christian\xj pE@@eZ"g?P!M%yP?%20to%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Monkey%20and%20welcome%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Rooster,%20which%20begins%20on%20Jan.%2028.%20%20The%20Chinese%20New%20Year%20is%20based%20on%20the%20lunar%20calendar%20and%20features%2012%20Chinese%20zodiac%20signs.%20They%20are%20represented%20by%20animals%20that%20occur%20in%20the%20following%20sequence:%20rat,%20ox,%20tiger,%20rabbit,%20dragon,%20snake,%20horse,%20goat,%20monkey,%20rooster,%20dog%20and%20pig.%20%20Combined%20with%20the%20Chinese%20five%20atomic%20elements:%20metal,%20wood,%20water,%20fire%20and%20earth,%20they%20form%2060%20possible%20combinations%20so,%20in%20fact,%202017%20is%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Fire%20Rooster.%20%20Like%20Western%20horoscopes,%20the%20Chinese%20zodiac%20is%20believed%20influence%20a%20person%27s%20disposition%20and%20luck.%20People%20who%20believe%20in%20Feng%20Shui,%20a%20Chinese%20philosophical%20system%20used%20to%20harmonize%20people%20and%20their%20en%20to%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Monkey%20and%20welcome%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Rooster,%20which%20begins%20on%20Jan.%2028.%20%20The%20Chinese%20New%20Year%20is%20based%20on%20the%20lunar%20calendar%20and%20features%2012%20Chinese%20zodiac%20signs.%20They%20are%20represented%20by%20animals%20that%20occur%20in%20the%20following%20sequence:%20rat,%20ox,%20tiger,%20rabbit,%20dragon,%20snake,%20horse,%20goat,%20monkey,%20rooster,%20dog%20and%20pig.%20%20Combined%20with%20the%20Chinese%20five%20atomic%20elements:%20metal,%20wood,%20water,%20fire%20and%20earth,%20they%20form%2060%20possible%20combinations%20so,%20in%20fact,%202017%20is%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Fire%20Rooster.%20%20Like%20Western%20horoscopes,%20the%20Chinese%20zodiac%20is%20believed%20influence%20a%20person%27s%20disposition%20and%20luck.%20People%20who%20believe%20in%20Feng%20Shui,%20a%20Chinese%20philosophical%20system%20used%20to%20harmonize%20people%20and%20their%20environment,%20arrange%20their%20home%20differently%20according%20to%20their%20zodiac%20sign.%20If%20someone%27s%20year%20and%20element%20combination%20results%20in%20a%20bad%20prediction%20they%20may%20wear%20special%20accessories%20or%20make%20changes%20to%20their%20environment%20in%20order%20to%20repel%20bad%20luck.%20%20Although%20Chinese%20Christians%20do%20not%20practice%20Feng%20Shui%20since%20it%20is%20not%20condoned%20by%20the%20church,%20they%20still%20adopt%20certain%20practices%20that%20they%20regard%20as%20cultural%20traditions%20to%20celebrate%20Chinese%20New%20Year.%20%20For%20example,%20as%20a%20symbol%20to%20drive%20away%20evil%20and%20welcome%20the%20spring%20which%20represents%20life,%20people%20wear%20red%20clothes,%20give%20monetary%20gifts%20in%20red%20envelopes,%20perform%20lion%20or%20dragon%20dances,%20burn%20firecrackers%20and%20greet%20each%20other%20with%20good%20intentions.%20%20Feng%20Shui,%20while%20an%20ancient%20Chinese%20tradition,%20has%20recently%20become%20mixed%20up%20with%20materialism%20and%20modern%20concerns%20allowing%20it%20to%20continue%20to%20be%20relevant%20to%20lives%20of%20many%20Chinese%20people.%20%20Under%20the%20communist%20regime,%20books%20on%20Feng%20Shui%20are%20prohibited%20as%20is%20anything%20the%20regime%20regards%20as%20superstition.%20So,%20people%20from%20mainland%20China%20often%20take%20the%20opportunity%20to%20buy%20fortune-telling%20publications%20when%20they%20visit%20Hong%20Kong." target="_blank">ucanews.com