The Year of the Pig, 2007, in the Hsia calendar, is symbolized by two elements – with fire sitting on top of water. According to the cycle of birth and destruction, which governs the inter-relationship between the elements, fire will be conquered by water. Therefore, fire sitting on water is a symbol of conflict and skirmish and this may bring a relatively less peaceful year with more international conflicts and struggles. In recent years, the last time such fire and water elements appeared was in 2002 in the year of the water horse, which was the year immediately after 911 and terrorist attacks became a global threat . The fire standing on top in 2007 is yin fire which is compared to the candle flame. Whilst the yang fire in 2006 symbolizes the sun and represents openness, optimism, warmth, politeness and care, the Yin fire in 2007 symbolizes tension, temperamental emotions, agitations, and illusions. The Yin fire is candle flame, and a spark of fire. There is a common Chinese saying that “A spark of fire can burn down the whole plain”. As such, yin fire can be more damaging and destructive than yang fire. It is anticipated that there will be more international conflicts and disharmony which will even lead to regional warfare, uprising and unrest, or over throwing of the government in certain countries.

The Chinese calendar year goes on 60-year cycle. This means that we have experienced the same year of yin fire on pig in 1947. This was a year when the Second World War is over and the Cold war between USSR and USA began. In 1947 the U.S. President Truman declared his famous doctrine to stem the spread of communism. And the USSR rejected the US plan for UN atomic energy control. So the race to produce nuclear weapon began. In the same year India and Pakistan became independent from British rule and then engaged into a bloody war.

The Chinese character for “Yin fire” is like the shape of the alphabet “T”. One can remember the “T” shape as the mushroom cloud which appears during a nuclear explosion. Indeed, the Yin fire can bring fire disasters and big explosions. In recent history we have found quite disastrous explosions happened on a Yin fire day. The obvious examples are 6th August, 1945, the day when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and 11th September, 2001, the famous 911 terrorist attack on USA. Both these days are Yin fire. The Yin fire symbolizes fire arms, and the deadly weapon AK-47 assault rifle was actually designed in 1947. Exactly 60 years ago, same year of Yin fire on the pig. So it will not be surprising that there will more gun battles, murder with guns, bombing attacks in the year 2007.

The Pig belongs to water element, however, it represents the beginning of winter and is the birth month of wood. As such, the pig symbolizes the germination of a plants, a new life is born. As such, the pig year can bring a new beginning of international relationships and social order, this could bring new regimes with new government in some countries. The pig is also considered as a “Traveling star”. So years of the pig will stimulate more traveling and this will very much benefit tourist industry. However, the Pig is in clash relationship against the snake. This is a clash between water and fire elements and will often bring accidents related to both air and the sea. The snake can also symbolize the train. So traffic accidents related to train, shipping, and airplanes could be more serious in this year.

As the Pig is the animal in clash against the Snake, and forms a configuration called “self penalty with the Pig itself. Therefore people born in years of Snake and the Pig have to be particularly careful in 2007. As it is water clashing against fire, the danger could be associate with water and fire disasters such as traffic accidents in the air or at sea. Therefore, for people born in the year of Snake and Pig, it is recommended that they carry the pendant of a Tiger which will help to attract away the Pig, so as to minimize the negative influence of the clash or penalty. Anyhow, people who are born in the year of Snake will experience a more turbulent year with more movements and traveling, changes. It is suitable to engage in such movements, such as moving house or moving offices. Traveling is also good but one should avoid going straight towards the Northwest direction as it is the direction of the Grand Duke in 2007.

The Five basic elements also represent different parts of our body, fire in general relates to blood circulation and the heart, and yin fire also represents the brain, the eyes and the nerve system. As such, the health problems related to yin fire could be heart disease, inflammation, hyper tension, in serious cases; it could bring about heart attack and stroke, or nervous breakdown, anxiety, depression and insomnia as well as obesity. Therefore in 2007 we should pay more attention to health of the heart as well as mental health. For people who are born in the day of yin fire, it is always advisable to take up more relaxation exercises such as Taichi and yoga in order to reduce tension and stress. It is necessary to take more fresh fruit and vegetables, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega 3 oil, COQ10 etc, to prevent cardiovascular diseases. It is also necessary to pay attention to problem related to eyesight.

The famous people who are born on a day of Yin fire include Bois Yeltsin, Ariel Sharon, David Bowie, Tony Blair, Harrison Ford, Chairman Mao Tse tung and most of these people are known to have suffered stroke or problem of the heart.

In recent years world wide epidemic such as avian flu has been worrying and there is also reason to see such threats could intensify in 2007. In human history the most serious outbreak of epidemic is the Black Death which started in Europe in the year 1347 which is exactly a year of yin fire on the Pig. This epidemic wiped out about one third of the population in Europeand this is estimated to be about 34 million people. . Another signal of such threat to health in 2007 also appears in the feng shui flying stars. In 2007 the star number 2, representing sickness is in the centre. This centre number often reflects the focus of events prevailing in the year. Take for example, in 2005 we have 4 in the centre and the number 4 symbolizes the chicken. So this the year the threat of avian flu began. In 2006 the star 3 in the centre represents conflict and earthquakes, and so we have to assume the 2 in the centre in 2007 will bring more health problems. The best precaution against such health threat is to take a more healthy diet and taking health supplements such as anti-oxidants to improve our immune system.

The economy in the year 2007 showed yin fire on the Heavenly stem. Fire is the symbol of the financial market and yin fire is illusive candle fire. Illusion of a good market can also generate over optimism that will drive up the stock market in the first half of 2007, when the spring and summer months of wood and fire make the candle fire appear stronger. However, yin fire standing on water pig – the terminator of fire, is illusory fire. But the stock market is often driven by illusion of profitability. So it is expected that the economy and the stock market will shot up to very high levels in the months from February till about July. However, investors have to be cautious towards autumn and winter as there will be substantial set back as the fire element will disappear in 2008, the year of the Earth Rat. The situation bears some similarity to the Asian currency crisis that broke out in around August of 1997. 1997 is also a Yin fire year and such illusive fire pushed the stock and property market sky high in first half of 1997 before the collapse came in August. However, in general, we do not expect the setback in second half of 2007 will be as serious as that of 1997. The reason being that there is hidden wood element in the Pig which still provide support to the Yin fire even in winter time.

The strong water of the Pig year favors earth and metal industries, as earth conquers water, so the Pig is a symbol of money to the earth industry, which includes property, mining, hotel, chemicals, insurance… As for metal industries, metal gives birth to water, so the strong water element in the year indicates productivity and strong activity in metal industries – this include machinery, computer, high tech industries, skincare, health business. The Wood industries, which include textile, fashion, books, publications, paper, forestry, furniture is not as strong as previous year, but still remains reasonably prosperous as the yin fire year symbolizes productivity of wood industry.

The less prosperous industries in 2007 will be businesses of water and fire elements. Water industries refers to shipping, communication, drinks…etc. The strong water appearing in the Pig year will bring stronger competition in the water areas and this will very much weaken the profitability. Fire industries refer to finance, stock market, energy, electricity, entertainment, and airline businesses. As fire conquers metal and produces Earth element, so to Fire industry, metal represents money and earth represents productivity. However, in 2007 both metal and earth elements are absent. That is why it is a relatively weak year for the industries related to the fire element.

The property market is symbolized by the earth element. This industry had stronger activities in the past years of monkey and rooster in 2004 and 2005 as the metal elements represent productivity of earth industries. There had been some slowdown in 2006, as the fire ad earth year brought stronger competition and eroded profitability. However, in 2007 the water element of the pig will bring some money luck to the earth industry, despite there will be some setback towards the second half of the year when the stock market is undergoing some adjustments.

With respect to the hi-tech industries sector, as represented by the NASDAQ. I have postulated that this industry is mainly represented by the metal element. As such, the prosperity of hi-tech industry requires the strong appearance of water and wood, which are symbols of productivity and money of the metal industry. In 2007 the water element, meaning activities to hi-tech industries returns. As such, it is anticipated that the year is favorable for hi-tech or internet types of business. But the absence of wood in this year could mean there are more activities without real substantial money gains.

In summary, the industries that will perform well in the year of the Pig will be industries related to earth and metal elements – such as property, hotel, mining, insurance, machinery, engineering, health, computer, and high tech industries. Industries relating to water and fire will not be doing so well. Water industries include shipping, communication, drinks , and fire industries are stock market, finance, energy, electricity, entertainment business. The wood industries – such as textile, publications, fashion, furniture, etc are into a year with some superficial prosperity but not substantial.

In general, the yin fire Pig year, with fire on top conquered by water below, is symbol of more disharmony and struggle before the birth of a new world order. There will be more international conflicts and uprisings and unrest but such events may bring positive changes leading to longer term benefit for the future of humanity and global well-being.

The animal sign which is most unfavorable is the Snake which is in direct clash against the Pig. Such clashes will usually bring about turbulence, movements, accident or changes.. So people born in the year of the Snake will anticipate more traveling , or movements such as changing jobs or moving house. It is necessary to carry the pendant of a Tiger as protection to attract the Pig away. For the Snake people, the clash against the Pig could bring accidents related to the water and fire element, such as explosion, fire disasters, air and sea traffic accidents. For people who are under clash with the year, it is ok to travel more, making changes such as moving house, or change job. However, for people born in the year of the Snake, it is recommended not to travel directly towards the direction of the Grand Duke, which is the northwest direction, and it is also not recommended for them to travel by sea. The other animals signs facing unfavorable positions is the Pig, as when Pig encounters a Pig year will form Self Penalty relationship. . Such self penalties will usually bring irritation and frustrations, such as putting in a lot of effort without any concrete achievements. Also the imbalance of fire and water elements brought about by the Snake and the Pig may bring fire and water diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart burn, inflammation, diabetes, and kidney problems. As such, it is necessary to take heavy dosages of anti-oxidant, omega 3 oil or COQ10 which is good protection against cardiovascular diseases, hyper-tension and inflammation problems.

The animals combining with the Pig year are the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Goat. These animals are into a year of harmony . However, such animal astrology is not totally reliable as the system is not recognized as a formal type of fortune-telling. For more reliable assessment of ones fortune in the year of the Pig, it is recommended that one checks the full Four Pillars of Destiny, which requires full birth data information of the Year, Month, Day and Hour of birth. As the animal signs can appear in all four pillars in a person’s birth data, the clash and penalty relationship with the Pig will not only impact people born in the year of Snake and Pig. Such clash and penalties can also impact any one who has such animals in the birth month, or day or hour.

Some examples of famous people born in the year of the Snake and under clash in 2007 are Tony Blair, Bob Dylan, Ben S. Bernanke, Martha Stewart, J. K. Rowling, Stephen Hawking, and Brooke Shield. There are people who are not born in the year of Snake, but they are also under clash because they are born on the day of Snake, so they will also face a challenging year. Some examples of these people are – George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, Taksin Shinawatra, Kobe Braynt, Angelina Joli, and John Travolta.

For people who are born in the year of the Rat, the Pig year will bring “Flower of Romance” so one can anticipate a more sociable year with more opportunity to develop friendship with the opposite sex. People born in the years of Snake, Rooster, and Ox will see a traveling horse in the year of the Pig and will expect more traveling, movement and changes in their lives.

Feng Shui energies also change from year to year. Therefore, it is necessary to watch for the re-allocation of good and bad energies at the beginning of each year, so that we can take necessary precautions if some bad energy happens to arrive at important locations of our residence or offices. In the year of the Pig, the bad energy called “Five Yellow” – symbolizing obstacles and misfortune, arrives at the Northeast. If your northeast of the house is an important area such as bedroom or entrances, it is recommended that one hangs a metal wind chime there to dissolve this bad energy. The worst months will be in February, August, and November. Another bad star number 2, symbolizing sickness, will arrive in the centre in 2007. The traditional method to dissolve this 2 is to hang a string of six metal coins in the affected area in the Centre of the house The Grand Duke this year is in the Northwest, hence it is not favorable to “move earth” or make substantial construction work in this direction. It is also not recommended for one to sit with back against exact West as you will be sitting against the unfavorable energy called “Three Shars” or “Three Killings”. The bad star 3 is a star of conflict and robbery. This is present in the northwest of the house. It is necessary to put a piece of red paper in the northwest to minimize such a bad influence. Also the bad star 7, representing scandals is in the North, the traditional solution for this bad star 7 is to place 3 or 4 of bamboo plant grown in clear glass vase of water in the North location.