Republic of the Philippines - Stamps & Postal History

RP Issues of 2019

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2019, December 13.  Year of the Rat (Chinese New Year)

Litho Offset, Amstar Printing Company, Inc.,  Perf 14

Se-tenant Pairs, Miniature Sheets of 8;  Souvenir Sheets of One

                 

      

 

Se-tenant Pairs - 25,000

 12p  Rat, Close-up

 45p  Rat, Full-body

 

Miniature Sheets of 8 (Four Se-tenant Pairs) With Gold Foil Stamping (6,250)

 

200p - Souvenir Sheets of One - 4,000

 

Graphic Artist:  Rodine C. Teodoro

 

First Day Covers:  Manila

 

     

    


2020 YEAR OF THE RAT (Chinese New Year)

2020 is a year of the Rat, starting from January 25th, 2020 and lasting until February 11th, 2021. It will be a Metal Rat year. In 2021, a year of the Ox will follow.

The Year of the Rat is the first zodiac sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle. According to the Chinese zodiac story, in the competition held by the Jade Emperor to decide the zodiac animals, the quick-witted rat asked the diligent ox to take him on a ride to cross the river and jumped down before the ox crossed the finish line, so the rat won the race and became the first of the zodiac animals.

The 12 zodiac animals are, in order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. A Rat year occurs every 12 years.

The Chinese zodiac is associated with traditional Chinese chronology — a 60-year calendrical cycle, which is the combination of the 12 Earthly Branches (12 terms corresponding to 12 animals, months, and hours) and the 10 Heavenly Stems.

According to this, the Rat represents the Earthly Branch Zi and the midnight hours (11pm–1am). Moreover, in terms of the Chinese Yin and Yang theory, a Rat is Yang.

Therefore, if you were born in January or February in one of the above years, you might be a Rat, or possibly a Pig.

Gold Rat (1960, 2020) is smart, talented, hot-tempered, jealous, with a strong sense of self-awareness.

Men born in a Rat year are very curious so they tend to try their hands at anything and they can deal with tasks skillfully. Due to a lack of courage, as well as good command skills, they are not capable of being leaders. Opportunistic and picky as male Rats are, they do not have broad minds but take a narrow view of things.

Women born in a Rat year are pretty, smart, and lovely. They have quick minds and dexterous hands, and are able to learn anything. They are always considerate of their families and friends.

 

TOPICAL CATEGORIES

 

  •   Chinese New Year

  •  Year of the Rat

  •  Animals 

 

 

 

Articles by Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak

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Issues of 2019