Chinese New Year falls on the 22nd January 2023 this year and will herald in the Year of the Water Rabbit. The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 animals: rat, ox, tiger rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. If you’re wondering why the cat is missing from the list, it’s because the rat tricked the cat into coming late to the Jade Emperor’s banquet. As a result, the cat missed its spot in the zodiac calendar (interesting right?).

How the zodiac calendar works is that each of the 12 animals who made it gets a turn to represent the year for every 12-year cycle. For example, the Year of the Rabbit includes 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023. Each animal is also associated with one of the five elements on a given year: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

The Water Rabbit is a cosmically harmonious combination of peace, longevity and prosperity. People born in the Year of the Rabbit stand to gain a gentle, kind and pleasant demeanour. Rabbit people are also clever but humble. They are faithful to family and friends. In working teams, rabbit people are brilliant at building relationships.

Water, on the other hand, is a source of life and helps trees or wood to grow. This means even though we can be hopeful for a prosperous 2023 brought by water, it can only be attained if we are successful in bringing balance and mindfulness into our lives. The Rabbit suggests that we should be both skilful and patient in pursuing our goals.

Success may not be just around the corner, but is achievable with consistent hard work. Everything from personal relationships to customers cannot be coaxed, but instead nurtured continuously to build a high level of trust. As we journey into 2023 with these tips, we must remember to show gratitude for every single win no matter how small.

Grab these rabbit wall art to inject the Water Rabbit cosmic vibes into your lives and environment (huat ah!):