The Year of the Golden Pig
Written by Scott Findlay
The expression “새해 복 많이 받으세요!” (Good luck in the new year!) takes on a special meaning this Lunar New Year (Seollal) on February 5, 2019, as we enter the Year of the Golden Pig. South Korea uses the Chinese zodiac, which is divided into a 12-year cycle with each of these 12 years being represented by an animal (rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, pig) before the cycle repeats, meaning that the Year of the Pig occurs every 12 years. New acquaintances may inquire what tti (띠, Chinese zodiac sign) you are as an indirect way to find out your age. For example, if you are “yang tti” (양띠, the sheep sign), you may have been born in 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, and so forth. This year, 2019, is the Year of the Pig, the last of the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. This year is an exceptionally auspicious year, as it is not just a regular Year of the Pig but rather the Year of the Golden Pig.
In Korea, the pig represents wealth, abundance, and good fortune. You may have heard that having a dream about a pig means you should run out and by a lottery ticket, as your chances of winning have greatly increased, thanks to this fortunate omen. Pigs are thought to take bad luck away; thus, dreaming of a pig running away from your house could be a foreboding premonition. The pig is commonly associated with money, as you can find shelves full of pig-shaped piggy banks at your nearest Daiso. Businesses are known to open with a ceremony ceremony (gosa, 고사) featuring a pig’s head as an offering on an altar in front of the shop hoping that the good fortune that the pig brings about translates into financial success for the business. Pigs are also associated with abundance due to giving birth to many piglets and providing a lot of meat from the fat of their bodies. In addition, the Chinese character for “home” is a combination of the characters for “house” and “pig.”
Pigs were traditionally viewed as being lazy, greedy, and dirty animals, but their reputation has rebounded somewhat in recent years. Studies have shown that a pig’s intelligence is similar, if not higher, than that of a dog. Some people have learned that pigs can be domesticated and taught tricks. Even the previous misconception of a pig’s hygiene has been re-evaluated. What previously thought was a telltale sign of a pig’s propensity for filth by rolling around in the mud is now viewed differently: as a way for the pig to cool itself on a hot day.
This year, 2019, the Chinese zodiac falls on the “pig” sign (with the previous year of the pig being 2007). Each of the 12 animal signs (지지, “earthly branches”) of the Chinese zodiac, however, combines linearly with one of 10 “heavenly stems” (천간), creating 60 combinations that are cyclic – each animal sign combining with five of the heavenly stems. Each of these five combinations for each zodiac animal is assigned one of the five elements of nature (earth, metal, water, wood, fire). So, this year is an “earth–pig” year according to the sexagenary cycle – used to measure years in China and other parts of East Asia. This year’s element is earth, represented by the color yellow (gold) and making 2019 the Year of the Golden Pig. This occurs once every 60 years (although some astrologers contend that this happens once every 600 years), making this coming year one of especially good fortune.
For those of us who are on the more superstitious side, a higher than expected birth rate is expected in Korea and China for parents to capitalize on this promising year. Those born in the Year of the Pig can expect a healthy and wealthy life. Companies have started to capitalize on this by promising “Golden Pig” products for newborns to help usher them into a life of comfort. Those who are born in the Year of the Pig (2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, etc.) are thought to be loyal, brave, and thoughtful. They have curious minds and are on the more social side, cultivating long-lasting friendships. They also tend to be more artistic and enjoy reading.
Although we cannot all be born in the Year of the Golden Pig, we can still gather good fortune from this coming year. However, with the year about to start with a golden pig just around the corner, the superstitious among us can be encouraged that lady luck will pay them a visit.
The Author
Originally from Canada, Scott Findlay has been living and working in South Korea for the past 15 year. For 11 of those years, he has called Gwangju home. When he’s not working, he spends his free time with his wife, reading, exercising and learning Korean.