Chinese people believe that in order to have a balanced life one must have opposites. You need your ups and downs, happiness and sorrow, highs and lows, black and white, male and female, and of course health and sickness, etc.

The symbol for the Yin Yang is a perfect circle, divided by black and white.

In life you have your good and your bad days. If you believe in the Yin Yang, you would know that happiness is the opposite of sadness, and you could not feel one if you did not feel the other. If you really believe in this, then during your down time, you would not drown your sadness by doing things that would harm you, like taking drugs, drinking too much, smoking cigarettes, hurting others. All this is counter productive, it would only make you feel worse. You need to say to yourself, “This is my down and sad period, I must take advantage of this time to read a good book, volunteer, learn something new, help around the house, play a musical instrument, be considerate of others. If you practice this philosophy, you won’t mind your low periods, because you know that only after your low, can you have your high. If you were always high, you would not appreciate it, because you would not know any better. When you are feeling good again you can relish all the things you have accomplished.

The Yin Yang symbol is a perfect circle of black and white. If there were no black there would be no white, if there were no ups, there would be no downs. The circle represents balance; there are no sharp edges for you to fall off. If you follow this philosophy, you will be able to cope even during the worst of times.

Example: I have a friend who phoned to tell me that he had just been told that he had a very serious illness. He was feeling very low and curled up in bed thinking negative thoughts. So I asked him, what was his greatest regret? He answered, “I feel so bad because I have not talked to my father for nearly twelve years.” I told him that I would hang up the phone so that he could call his father immediately. I told him not to be concerned about who was right and who was wrong. Just call up and say, “Let’s get together”.

About an hour later, he called back to tell me that his father would soon be arriving for a visit. My friend’s health is better now and he is grateful that during his low period he had the courage to call his father and make things right.

In Chinese cooking, we also practice the Yin Yang philosophy. In each dish we always think of balance: color, texture, dark and light, soft and crisp, sweet and sour.

Balance in one’s life will help greatly to make a person happy and well adjusted.

After my husband finished his tour in Vietnam, we decided to pass by Kyoto, Japan, to visit EXPO 70. There was a Yin Yang booth, and of course I had to visit it. There were so many interesting things to see and learn, but the one I liked the most was the sculpture of two hands, one black and one white, by a Japanese artist whose name was Yamamoto. They were big enough to sit on. Dick took one of me sitting in one of them. It is my all time favorite photo.

Strings of firecrackers explode in the air and a fierce dragon leaps and weaves from side to side. My ears are pleasantly bombarded with gongs and clashing symbols. It’s that time of year again for best wishes and congratulations, Chinese New Year.

This year it’s the Year of the Ox, and it falls on January 26, 2009. If you are an Ox, you are bright, patient, and inspirational to others. You will make a wonderful parent, and can be quite content to be by yourself. If you are thinking of getting married, think about marrying a Snake or a Cock, and not a Sheep, as this will get you into trouble. Or at least that is what I was told growing up in China.

The Chinese use a lunar calendar with the length of each month determined by the cycles of the moon. Each New Year is given the name of an animal. There are twelve animal symbols on the Chinese zodiac. It is said that a person born under the symbol of a certain animal inherits its trait. Chinese learn about their fortune and future by their animal symbol. Each animal has good and bad traits, and why Chinese people are often unwilling to give you their age.

Chinese families make great preparations for this special occasion. Before the New Year arrives, families settle all their debts, buy new clothes and shoes, make sure all food and dry goods containers are full, and the house is sparkling clean. Special foods are prepared, sometimes a month ahead. Homes are filled with flowers and fruits. Pyramids are made of apples and oranges for good luck, as red and orange are the colors of joy. These colors are everywhere. Chinese characters written on scrolls carry messages of Good Luck, Health, Long Life, and Prosperity.

On the eve of the New Year, Chinese people celebrate at a reunion banquet. Offerings are made to family ancestors. Certain doors and windows are sealed with red good-luck papers. Many sweets made of sticky rice are offered to the kitchen gods. They are so sticky that when the gods arrive in heaven their mouths are stuck together so that they cannot say bad things.

Children can stay up all night and play. Gifts are exchanged, and children and servants are given money in little red envelopes. This is good-luck money. Then there are deafening explosions of firecrackers to scare away evil and lazy spirits.

On New Year’s morning, everything must be perfect. What happens on the first day may decide events for the coming year. Everyone does and says the right things, thinks good thoughts, and speaks only kind words. You hear “Kung Shi Fa Tsai” everywhere. We apologize to people we have offended and make new resolutions for the coming year. At the community carnival, we watch Tai Chi, Chinese boxing, lion dancing, art exhibits, and many other activities. Delicious food is served. Lion dancers move to the beat of giant drums. Gongs and cymbals are loud and fast. The lion twists and turns.

At night there will be a Golden Dragon parade. The fierce, bright-eyed dragon with many legs will lead the parade. The dragon is a sacred animal, a symbol of strength and goodness. Each year, the dragon appears in order to wish everyone peace, prosperity, and good luck. Sometimes the dragon chases a round object. If the object is red, it is the sun; if it is white, it is a big white pearl, which is a symbol of wealth and power. Children carry lanterns of all shapes and sizes. Then there are weapon bearers and musicians, followed by beautiful fireworks and deafening aerial bombs.

What a party! What a New Year! What a full stomach!