Huh? It is already the Metal Tiger Year?

This is a hilarious Reuters chat between 2 of our friends based in Hong Kong and Singapore. They are Southeast Asian Chinese banker and trader who manage multi-millions trades. Between them and a mainland Chinese on the side whom the trader consulted, they couldn’t figure why most of Asia is closed for holidays. They have graciously allowed me to post this blog in jest with their names taken out.

(I will post an article on the Chinese Calendar or the (Luni)solar Calendar later to answer their queries.)

15:00:34 TRADER : eh, what tiger is next year
15:00:50 BLUR BANKER : this year
15:01:32 BLUR BANKER : you mean this year right?
15:01:55 TRADER : next year
15:01:59 TRADER : this year was not tiger
15:03:47 BLUR BANKER : we are in the tiger year already
15:03:56 TRADER : u r dreaming
15:03:57 BLUR BANKER : it changed on last thursday
15:04:01 BLUR BANKER : 4th fen
15:04:02 TRADER : no. that was spring
15:04:02 BLUR BANKER : feb
15:04:09 TRADER : not new year
15:04:19 TRADER : seasons always the same, but the lunar calendar changes
15:04:22 BLUR BANKER : 4feb is the change of the year
15:04:25 TRADER : so the lunar year hasn’t changed
15:04:39 BLUR BANKER : ya but the solar is what determines the year change right?
15:04:58 BLUR BANKER : the calculation of the chinese calendar is solar
15:05:07 TRADER : it’s the lunar new year, isn’t it?

15:05:16 BLUR BANKER : but the celebration is lunar
15:05:18 TRADER : otherwise why is it lunar new year
15:05:24 TRADER : sure or not
15:05:28 BLUR BANKER : absolutely
15:05:38 BLUR BANKER : the year changed on 4th feb – last thursday
15:05:39 TRADER : ANYWAY, what tiger
15:05:43 BLUR BANKER : metal
15:05:47 TRADER : prove to me pls
15:06:04 TRADER : coz my chinese friend says that li chun doesn’t dictate the year change
15:06:16 BLUR BANKER : what is li chun?
15:06:45 BLUR BANKER : i am sure lah
15:08:23 TRADER : li chun is the first day of spring
15:08:29 TRADER : GONG XI GONG XI
15:09:31 BLUR BANKER : that’s when ppl celebrate the lunar – but for calculating the thing according to chinese astrology it’s solar
15:10:09 TRADER : what talk u
15:10:15 TRADER : show me proof pls
15:11:01 BLUR BANKER : you ask me what year it is mah – it is geng yin year
15:11:25 BLUR BANKER : and that changed on the 4th feb lah
15:11:50 BLUR BANKER : http://www.13voices.com/happly-solar-new-year-庚寅！
15:11:50 TRADER : what is geng yin year?
15:12:09 BLUR BANKER : geng yin year
15:12:15 BLUR BANKER : geng yin year
15:12:23 TRADER : what is that
15:12:34 BLUR BANKER : it’s like elements lah
15:12:41 BLUR BANKER : the year
15:13:01 BLUR BANKER : chinese calculate based on 4 pillars : Year, Month, Day, Hour
15:13:13 BLUR BANKER : the Year is Geng on top, and Yin on bottom
15:13:22 TRADER : how come u know so much
15:13:38 BLUR BANKER : coz i learn a bit from zoe and vin
15:13:44 TRADER : oh
15:13:56 TRADER : but tiger year is a lunar year, isn’t it?
15:14:15 BLUR BANKER : dunno – they don’t use lunar – don’t ask me why
15:14:31 BLUR BANKER : just accept it that the year changed last thursday already
15:14:42 BLUR BANKER : it’s suppose to be a turbulent year
15:15:22 BLUR BANKER : coz each of the pillars heaven and earth clash
15:15:56 BLUR BANKER : metal clash wood, wood clash earth, metal clash wood, and wood clash earth
15:16:14 BLUR BANKER : and sideways also got clash…clash clash clash
15:18:32 BLUR BANKER : oiii
15:18:42 TRADER : wait wait
15:18:52 BLUR BANKER : what u doing????
15:19:18 TRADER : ‘am going to be off for the next few days (partly because it’s the weekend, but more importantly, it’s the start of the year of the tiger! may the metal tiger bring you and your loved ones good health and great happiness! for those who follow the wrong calendar, have a restful holiday anyway.’
15:19:30 TRADER : just sent this greeting to all my chats lor’
15:19:43 BLUR BANKER : but it’s wrong wor!
15:19:47 BLUR BANKER : where are you going?
15:20:00 BLUR BANKER : it’s not correct
15:20:07 BLUR BANKER : can you pls amend it
15:20:19 TRADER : which one is wrong!??!?!
15:20:35 BLUR BANKER : it’s not the start of the year of the tiger
15:20:43 BLUR BANKER : year of the tiger already started
15:21:28 TRADER : dont believe that still
15:21:36 TRADER : so what is this sunday
15:21:54 BLUR BANKER : it is still the year of the tiger… coz the year last for a whole year till next year feb 3, 2011
15:22:27 TRADER : cant be true lahhhhh
15:23:37 BLUR BANKER : what can I tell you? it is true!
15:23:47 BLUR BANKER : look up a calendar lah
15:28:01 TRADER : it doesn’t make sense to me