The year of the Rooster

• Thousand-dollar bronze roosters become Tet gifts for wealthy Vietnamese
• Vietnamese farmers prepare to sell rooster-shaped trees for Tet
• Phu Van flower village before the Year of Rooster
• Stamps published for Year of the Rooster

The rooster is a common feature in the lives of people all around the world. In Vietnam, the rooster is not only a protein-rich food source, but also one of the most interesting signs on the zodiac.

Close to human life

In Vietnamese traditional life, the rooster is familiar and friendly.

In the countryside, the rooster is considered a perfect alarm. It crows every two hours through the night, reminding people when to sleep and when to wake up for work-especially if they are farmers with their own roosters.

Vietnamese people not only consider the rooster among the most important animals in human life, but also accord its importance in religious settings. It is an indispensable offering for festivals, funeral repasts, or any occasion of worship.

For many generations, the rooster has been used sacredly for worship in the moment between the old and new year. In this special moment, one may prepare an offering of a rooster, flowers, and fruits to worship angels and a family’s past generations and pray for luck for the new year. The rooster’s symbolism, in this case, “is to wake up the sun to shine the earth.”

In fact, the rooster makes an early appearance in traditional culture and literature. It was among one of the most valuable presents of Son Tinh-the legendary mountain king who wived with My Nuong, the Hung King princess in the Vietnamese legend.

In the zodiac, the rooster is a self-righteous sign. In the Vietnamese zodiac, people with the following birth years are roosters: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, and 2017.

Rooster men are believed to be cheeky, which may cause troubles in their lives. If a rooster is provoked, he may not be able to control himself, which could cause bad things to happen.

It is believed that rooster men that can repair this weakness can become extremely successful-naturally, they are good in many fields.

Such people are also highly motivated and hard-working, and usually have successful careers. Roosters also tend to make their careers a priority in their lives.

The rooster also incarnates confidence and even pretention. They are fiery and have a flair for appearance, but they can also be loyal, trustworthy individuals who are honest and direct in their approach.

At work, the rooster is bossy and honest-which does not always work well with others, especially sensitive individuals. Roosters need a partner that can take it direct approach. A rooster man can see through other people’s tough exteriors, and know them for who they really are.

Being stylish is one of the rooster’s top concerns. A rooster man can stand in front of the mirror for a long time to coax out his best look before leaving the house.

The rooster in general represents five characteristics which Vietnamese traditionally believe a respectful man should be good at. These qualities include facilities with literature and material art, bravery, humanity, and trust.

In love, people with the rooster sign match up best with buffalos and snakes, and are complementary to mice and pigs. Roosters are competitive with cats, dragons, and monkeys.

Icon for entertainment and culture

Cockfighting, a popular entertainment with a long history, is organised during traditional festivals throughout Vietnam.

Raising roosters for cockfighting requires a heavy investment of time and labour. Professional trainers choose cockerels carefully, individually prepare their food and drink, bathe them, separate them from hens, and train them in fighting positions.

The owners prepare a two metre-wide ring walled by a 30 centimetre-high bamboo screen. Spectators stand outside the screen. Only the owners of the fighting cocks are allowed to enter the area to care for their animals. A rooster loses if it leaves the ring twice and does not return or it is defeated by its rival.

In a Dong Ho village painting, the image of a rooster symbolises is presented for the prosperity and warmth of the family. The picture of the hen surrounded by chicks is usually on a family’s wall to pray for success and happiness. It reflects a very peaceful image in Vietnamese villages, where a group of chickens run and look for food around haystacks, one of the basic elements of a natural life.

Whatever the rooster is, it is not absent in Vietnamese culture and life. In the new year, the rooster will bring about good luck and happiness for every family.

Rooster fortunes for 2017

If you are a rooster, you should know that this year will be a good year in your life.

If you are a manager or a leader, you will be highly respected. You will have many opportunities this year, which you can motivate to your advantage. You will also be good at learning and training. So if you wish to have more certificates and degrees, go ahead!

However, there is a little star named Thai Tue which can cause your year to go up and down. It is therefore a good idea to have some advice from a fortune teller before you make important decisions.

Rooster should also check in with doctors regularly from the beginning of the year, as this year is believed not to be good for their health.

This year roosters will also have to take care of their relationships with colleagues. The stars say that they could be faced with much competition this year.

Fortune tellers also advise rooster to think twice before making an investment this year. They should avoid giving loans or taking mortgages for big investments.