The Year 2K5 Commences: It's now officially the Year of the rooster, "my year."

The Chinese Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Because of cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. This year, it falls on February 9, 2005 - Lunar Year 4703...the year of the Rooster.

The sign of The Rooster indicates a person who is hard-working, confident and unwavering. This means Roosters can really crow about their own accomplishments! Famous people born in this year include Dolly Parton, Katherine Hepburn, Bette Midler, and Rod Stewart.

The Year 2005 (Green Chicken) is the 4702nd Chinese year. The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4702nd year on February 4th, 2005. Also, the Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting systems and the Green Chicken is the 22nd Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since 4700 = (60 *78) + 22, therefore this Green Chicken Year is the 4702nd Chinese Year.

Some web sites say the year 2005 is the 4703rd Chinese year. If you cannot find the explanation, here is a possible answer for you. The Yellow King's inauguration was held in the spring of 2697 B.C. But the calendar of Yellow King used the winter solstice day as the first day of the year. So the first winter solstice was on around December 23rd, 2698 B.C. Today's January 1st means nothing to Yellow King. If we count that extra eight days in 2698 B.C. for a year, then year 2005 is the 4703rd Chinese year.