The Chinese New Year – 2011 The Year of the Yin Metal Rabbit

Chinese New Year begins on 3rd February this year and 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit (or Hare). Celebrations can last from the new moon on the 3rd until the full moon on the 18th when the Lantern Festival is celebrated. In China, there are usually three days of public holidays and people often take a week off.

To be precise this new year will be the Year of the Yin Metal Rabbit (the last one to occur was in 1951). As well as the cycle of 12 Chinese Year Animal signs, there are a cycle of 5 elements (earth, metal, water, wood and fire in their Yin and Yang forms), so a complete cycle is 60 years.

Metal in Chinese Astrology, amongst other things, relates to the West, to Autumn and to the planet Venus. The colour that represents metal is White but metal is also related to Gold and money. People who like to talk about wealth will say that 2011 is a Golden Rabbit year.

So what does the Rabbit mean? It’s a symbol of tact and diplomacy, the Rabbit being both placid and astute. The Rabbit is associated with good luck, longevity and the accumulation of wealth.

Metal adds a bit of an edge this year and lends more strength, resilience and determination to the symbol.

In Chinese folklore, the Rabbit is often portrayed as the Jade Rabbit or Moon Rabbit – the companion of the moon goddess Chang’e and constantly pounds the elixir of life for her on the moon. If you look at the moon you can make out the shape of the rabbit. In fact the Chinese don’t refer to ‘the man in the moon’, they refer to ‘the rabbit in the moon’.

Interestingly the West and the East share an ancient Hare/Rabbit symbol which has been found in holy places of many religions. The clever design shows three hares each with only one ear, but joined in such a way, they appear to have two ears each.

In the West the Hare is believed to have mystical links to the moon that governs it. The earliest example of this symbol in China dates back to temple caves of the Sui dynasty (6th to 7th centuries).

In Britain a famous example are the Tinner’s Rabbits (the badge of the tin miners of Devon and Cornwall). It’s thought the Tinners guild carved their badge of three hares in a number of West Country churches and you can still see it depicted on the carved wooden bosses of their rooves.

Surprisingly rabbits feature on a few wine labels – one of which I blogged about recently that had been purposefully created for the Chinese New Year (see Is Your Wine Label Letting You Down in China?).

This Australian wine, Katnook Founders Block, has cartoon rabbits on its label in honour of the upcoming Year of the Rabbit. The label was designed by Korean painter Huh Young-man, who created “Shikgaek,” a comic book series about Korean food.

The Boisset family, with its roots in Burgundy, make French Rabbit from grapes sourced in the Languedoc Roussillion.

Rabbit Ridge Winery in Paso Robles, California make a range of wines, including Le Lapin (French for Rabbit).

Rabbit Ranch in Queenstown, New Zealand have a rabbit on their wine labels . . .

as do Rock Rabbit wines from from California’s Central Coast.

Constellation make Jack Rabbit Wine for the on-trade.

I have already spotted wine blogger’s commenting on the ultimate wine for the Year of the Rabbit. It is one of the most sought after wines in the world and is from a tiny vineyard in Pomerol. It is considered by some to be the predecessor of garage wines. Although wines from the Pomerol appellation are not classified, this wine ranks as a First Growth. Have you guessed it yet?

It’s Le Pin! The Chinese love a pun so I hope they work it out!