Chinese Zodiac-Year of the Pig

The Year of the Pig (猪年) is one of the twelve animal years in the Chinese zodiac. It is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, and every twelve years the cycle repeats. The Year of the Pig corresponds to the Earthly Branch “Hai” (亥) and is marked by a cycle of 12 years. For example, the year 2019 corresponds to the Year of the Pig, specifically Ji-Hai (己亥) in the Chinese calendar, lasting from February 5, 2019, to January 24, 2020.

Origin and Story of the Pig

The pig has various names in Chinese culture, including “Wu Jin” (乌金), “Hei Mian Lang” (黑面郎), and “Hei Ye” (黑爷). According to historical records, pigs were once called “Wu Jin” (black gold) during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) as a symbol of wealth. An old story from the Tang Dynasty’s “Chaoye Qian Zai” (朝野佥载) mentions that people in Hongzhou (洪州) raised pigs to become rich and referred to pigs as “Wu Jin.” In the “Yunxian Zaji” (云仙杂记), pigs were referred to as “Hei Mian Lang” (black-faced men).

Pig domestication in China dates back to the Neolithic period, where evidence of early pig farming was found at the Hemudu Site (河姆渡) in Yuyiao (余姚), Zhejiang. Pottery pigs discovered at this site show the early stages of pig domestication.

Calculation of the Year of the Pig

To determine the Year of the Pig, divide the Gregorian year by 12 and check if the remainder is 3. If the remainder is 3, it corresponds to the Year of the Pig.

For example:

• 2007 ÷ 12 = 167, remainder 3 — so 2007 was the Year of the Pig.

• Other examples include 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, and so on, repeating every 12 years.

It is important to note that the Chinese lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar are two different systems, and the lunar year generally starts with Li Chun (立春), the first solar term of the Chinese calendar, which is around February 4th or 5th.

The Legend of the Pig

The Pig’s Position in the Zodiac

In the Chinese zodiac, the Pig holds the last position, representing “Hai” (亥) in the twelve Earthly Branches. The Pig Time (猪时) occurs between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM, called the Hai period in the traditional Chinese timekeeping system. The Pig is associated with wealth, happiness, and a peaceful life.

The Story of the “Fat Boy” and His Transformation

There is a popular legend that explains how the pig became the last animal in the Chinese zodiac. The story begins with a wealthy man who had everything—land, money, and a prosperous life—except one thing: he had no children. When he finally had a son in his old age, he celebrated this event with a large feast, inviting friends and relatives.

A fortune teller observed the child, noting his wide forehead, plump face, and large ears, predicting that he would grow up to be a person of great fortune and wealth. The boy grew up pampered, never working or studying, living a life of luxury and indulgence.

However, when the boy’s parents passed away, his wealth dwindled, and his life fell into disarray. He squandered his fortune and eventually died poor and alone. His ghost, unhappy with his fate, went to the King of Hell (阎王), complaining about how he had died despite his predicted great fortune. The King of Hell brought him before the Jade Emperor (玉帝) to explain why a person with such a fortunate fate had ended up in poverty.

The Jade Emperor summoned the Kitchen God (灶神) to explain. The Kitchen God reported that the boy had wasted his life, indulging in luxury and neglecting his duties. The Jade Emperor, furious, decided to punish the boy by turning him into a pig, destined to eat coarse food for the rest of his life.

There was a misunderstanding during the selection of animals for the zodiac, and the celestial officials mistakenly thought that “eating coarse food” meant being an official zodiac animal. Thus, the boy was transformed into a pig and became part of the Chinese zodiac.