The China Post
Date: January 24, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

A Year of the Rooster lantern is displayed at the Nantou Lantern, Sand Sculpture Art and Dinosaurs Show, which opened Saturday night, Jan. 21. The county government has readied over 10,000 free chicken lanterns for visitors. (CNA)

TAIPEI, Taiwan — 2017 is the year of rooster, lasting from the first day of Lunar New Year on Jan. 28, 2017 until Feb. 15, 2018.

But the rooster, which comes between the monkey and the dog in the Chinese zodiac calendar, had a hard time making it into the 12-year cycle.

According to ancient folklore, long ago, the Jade Emperor — the supreme deity of Taoism — set out to select 12 animals to be his guards.

But the combative King Rooster was initially ruled out for failing to make a significant contribution to mankind — a key standard set by the Emperor.   [FULL STORY]