As we welcome the Chinese New Year, we feature today the meaning behind the Year of the Ox.  As the State and Nation face severe financial crises, it stands to reason that the Ox arrives just in time for its trademark endurace and tirelessness in the face of hardship.

2009 is the year of the Ox: unshakably Patient, full of Hard Work, and Tireless.

Ox Personality

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm and modest. Like his animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in his work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.

The Ox needs peace and quiet to work through his/her ideas, and when he/she has set his/her mind on something it is hard for him/her to be convinced otherwise. The Ox has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever he/she does, in spite of a total lack of imagination. He/she can be very stubborn, and difficult to dissuade once he/she decides on something. These people speak little, but are intelligent, and when necessary, they are both articulate and eloquent.

The Ox person is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes him/her nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the Ox person many sleepless nights. These people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. It would be right to mention that people born in the Ox years are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the Ox people are rather introverted and wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. It is important to remember that the ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such person and he/she takes on the worries of the world and tries to find solutions.  

Ox at Work 

Ox people are observant; they have remarkable memories and are good at reporting on absolutely everything they observe. If you ask an Ox person if he/she remembers who were at the party 8 months ago, most likely, he/she will name them one by one to you. As a rule, the Ox people approach work seriously and as long as they are not forced into the public eye they are able to think clearly and plan meticulously. They may not be too fast when it comes to making decisions, but they are a skilled organizers and logical thinkers, and as the years pass their determination is likely to be rewarded. There are no difficulties with accepting authority arises for the ox person as long as he/she knows that the business is established on firm foundations. It is suitable for the Ox to know his/her schedule or timetable and although he/she can rise to challenges and, to some extent, deal with the unpredictable; the Ox would rather be well-informed and work within a fixed framework.  

Some Famous Oxen: Warren Beatty, Jon Bon Jovi, Jeff Bridges, Richard Burton, Barbara Cartland, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Cosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Walt Disney, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Don Johnson, Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, Heather Locklear, Meryl Streep