Good morning Netizens...

Yesterday morning, I wrote a brief overview of the Chinese New Year which has already begun in China today. Perhaps I didn't state it fully, but there are several versions of how the animals of Chinese astrology came to be, but today, here is yet another, perhaps more-popular version from the Associated Press, which involves the Buddha.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jan/26/hardworking-ox-will-have-his-year-beginning-today/

There are several variations of how this came to be, but nearly all include a feast or celebration, some suggesting that it was because Buddha was about to die and invited all the animals in the kingdom to come celebrate his departure. In my rather obscure library, I have a set of books which predate World War II which include, among others, a series of tales of the Chinese zodiac. Imagine my surprise after reading several of these fanciful tales, I encountered the story of the tale of the ox here: http://www.ibiblio.org/chinesehistory/contents/08fea/c06s05.htm#Tales%20of%20the%20Chinese%20Zodiac:%20Ox

Of course, those of you who “survived” the 60's no doubt will remember when one of the fundmental books of Chinese literature, the I Ching (http://flytrapinteractive.com/~complimentary/iching/) saw a sudden rise in popularity. Some say it never died.

Did you ever read the I Ching? Now that is an interesting question for a Monday morning.

Dave

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