(222) Samjae, three ill-fated years
Chinese characters on a door signal the arrival of spring, “ipchun.”
Janet Shin
By Janet Shin
Many people have their fortune read in the New Year to see if good or bad luck is predicted. Whereas Jan. 1 is the solar New Year’s Day and the lunar New Year’s Day falls on Feb. 10 this year, the commencement of a new year by the saju calendar is “ipchun.”
Ipchun is one of 24 seasonal divisions by solar terms and falls on Feb. 4 this year. “Ip” stands for entrance and “chun” means spring. So it literally represents the onset of spring. Likewise there is “ipha,” for the onset of summer, “ipchu,” for fall and “ipdong,” for winter. Among them, ipchun accounts for the most significant division along with “dongji,” the winter solstice, which usually falls on Dec. 21. It is because dongji denotes a great transition and ipchun, the beginning of a year. Consequently, if we are to read New Year’s fortunes, it should be based on ipchun, with a perceptional preparation at dongji.
Charm to eliminate samjae
The true year of the snake, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2013, starts on Feb. 4 according to the saju calendar. Saju practitioners pay special attention to readings of energy conflicts caused by both the past and coming year. For those who have branch clashes and distractions in their saju, I warn them to be alert especially during the periods of dongji and ipchun. I often get calls from clients whining about sudden misfortunes when they feel at ease after Jan. 1.
Most Koreans observe traditional customs to welcome the New Year’s energy on ipchun. People involved in important occupations or affairs, such as launching a big business, conduct a special exorcism by a shaman for good fortune. Ordinary people put charms with “ipchun daegil” written on a piece of paper on their gates, meaning “great luck for the year on ipchun.” This became a feng shui ritual to bless their family.
In the meantime, there are other aspects read by fortune tellers to predict New Year’s fortunes. When combined with folk beliefs, they usually use the terms, such as “gods and devils” to mean either fortune or misfortune.
The term “samjae” means three years of misfortune, based on zodiac birth signs. In the old days, people attributed samjae to the disasters of war, infectious disease and famine. It also implied calamities such as fire, flood and wind. In modern times, it refers to a recession of our activity, constrained circumstances, and unexpected obstacles.
People often say, “Oh my samjae starts from this year, I have to be careful for three years now.” If you know your birth year by zodiac, you can easily figure out in which years you’ll undergo the ill luck.
In 2013, those who born in the year of the pig (1959, 1971, 1983, 1995), the rabbit (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987) and the sheep (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991) will be in samjae. The possible hardships are slumps in business, deadlock in financial circulation, being swindled and distress with diseases. People also try to avoid or postpone important events such as weddings.
Are you interested in learning more about the ancient Chinese
teaching about the “Four Pillars of Destiny”? For further
information, visit Janet’s website at www.fourpillarskorea.
com, contact her at 010-5414-7461 or email
janetshin@hotmail.com. The writer is the author of “Life’s
Secrets.”