Know It All

The Chinese New Year is celebrated on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. Winter Solstice was on Dec. 21, 2004. This year, there was a new moon on Jan. 10 and last night, on Feb. 8.

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Winter Solstice is when the earth is at its point of orbit farthest from the sun. It is the day of the year with the least hours of sunlight, and the first day of winter. In Chinese, the Winter Solstice is called dong zhi, meaning winter's arrival.

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Today begins the Year of the Rooster, according to the Chinese calendar. People born in the year of the rooster are hard-working, decisive and not afraid to speak their minds.

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It is believed that a rooster crows to mark his territory. The bird crows early in the morning because those are the hours the bird is most active.

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The Chinese calendar names each year after an animal cyclically every 12 years. Do you know the 12 animals represented in the Chinese calendar? See answer at end.

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Acupuncture originated in China over 5,000 years ago.

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The population of Hong Kong is 6.8 million people.

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China produces the most rice in the world. The people of China consume the most rice in the world.

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Soy sauce is commonly found in American kitchens. More people have soy sauce than have salsa, coffee or milk.

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MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a chemical that acts as a flavor enhancer, often added to Chinese food. MSG gives some people headaches.

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During the Middle Ages in China, aristocrats used chopsticks made of silver. It was believed that the silver sticks would turn black if they if they came into contact with poison, therefore warning the consumer if they were eating poisoned food.

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Silver has no reaction to arsenic or cyanide. But silver does change color when it comes into contact with hydrogen sulfide. Onions, garlic and rotten eggs release hydrogen sulfide.

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In China, the image of two dragons looking away from each other is a symbol for eternity.

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Some Chinese emperors kept panda bears as pets. It was believed that pandas had magical powers that warded off evil spirits.

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Over 300 species of bamboo grows in China.

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The Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, was the last native Chinese dynasty to rule the empire.

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The Great Wall of China was completed during the Ming Dynasty. Construction of the wall began in seventh century BC, during the Chou Dynasty. It was added to and renovated over the years. During the Ming Dynasty, there was a major renovation of the wall. Watchtowers and cannons were added.

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Covering a 24-block area, San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in North America.

Answer: The 12 animals are rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. Chinese folklore says that Buddha invited all the animals on earth to visit him on New Years Day. However, only 12 animals attended. Buddha honored those animals by awarding each a year of its own.

Know It All is compiled by Kerry McArdle. It runs in the weekend and Wednesday editions of the Daily Journal. Know any trivia or facts you would like to share? E-mail kerry@smdailyjournal.com or fax 344-5290