There is a new moon today, as I am sure you will have noticed. And since it is the second new moon after the winter solstice, it marks the Chinese New Year, an event which will be celebrated in Chinese communities around the world for several days.
The celebrations for the festival of Yuan Tan, like those of our own Gregorian New Year, have as their theme the sweeping away of any ill-luck associated with the year just gone, and everyone looks forward with anticipation to a fresh start in the days to come.
It is also a time for taking stock: it was believed that every year on this day the minor spirits had to report to the ruler of Heaven, the Jade Emperor, to give an account of the happenings in their areas of responsibility. As a human being, it was better that one's name should not come up for adverse mention at this interview.
The ancient Chinese also had an interesting way of labelling their passing years. Rather than use a number, each year was popularly known by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The 12, like the signs of the more familiar zodiac we associate with horoscopes, rotate in a fixed order.
The cycle of years begins with the Year of the Rat, followed by the years of the Ox, the Tiger, the Hare, the Dragon and the Serpent. The second half of the duodecade begins with the Year of the Horse, and after the Monkey, the Cock, the Dog and the Boar, the Year of the Rat comes around once more.
Each of these names was used only once every 12 years, and so provided a ready reference to the recent past for the illiterate, or for those disinclined to master the numerical complexity of other systems. But the Chinese Year 4696, which begins today, must surely have a special significance for Ireland, bearing in mind our recent economic history: 1998 is the Year of the Tiger.
It is also said, as in the case of horoscopes, that a person takes his or her character from the governing animal of the year of birth, which apparently makes me a monkey. Monkeys, the authorities on these matters tell us, are "fun-loving persons who are always cheerful and energetic." So far so good. But then: "Some say monkeys are opportunistic, guileful and self-centred, and do not care about these faults, because they are indifferent." That, as you may guess, bears no resemblance whatsoever to your Weather Eye correspondent. And even if it did, I would not care.