The Year of the Water Rabbit
by Hermione Lai According to the Chinese zodiac, 2022 was “characterized by strength, vitality, and growth, underpinned by the dynamism of the tiger.” It was a year designated as yang, the active principle of the universe in ancient Chinese philosophy. As such, in 2022 we all, or at least some of us, felt enthusiasm, positivity, and productivity, but also restlessness and inflexibility. Luckily, the upcoming Year of the Rabbit embodies yin, the passive principle of the universe, “manifesting itself in relaxation, fluidity, quietness, and contemplation.” However, the Year of the Rabbit will not simply be a period for putting your feet up and looking pretty. An astrologer writes, “The rabbit is gentle, quiet, tame, tender, and kind, yet it moves quickly and is very clever.” It’s hardly surprising that a famous Chinese idiom talks about “a crafty rabbit has three burrows.” This basically means that the rabbit has many ideas of adapting to the environment, “and it can move very...