算命大師預測奧巴馬等名人虎年運程
It's the Year of the Tiger, but Chinese fortune tellers say it'll be a rough patch for the world's most famous one: disgraced golfer Tiger Woods.
Other predictions: trying times for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, turmoil in the financial markets, spikes in fire-related natural disasters and a crucial period for US President Barack Obama.
Under the school of feng shui - the traditional Chinese practice of predicting fortunes through dates and classical Chinese texts - the new lunar year starting Sunday is associated with the natural elements of metal, wood, thunder and fire. Metal is a symbol of righteous action - like waging war. Thunder and fire symbolize volatility, while wood feeds the fire.
It's a recipe for geopolitical tensions and drastic market movements, feng shui experts say.
"People will try to take on the strong and help the weak. They will try to help their fellow brothers. They will help friends who are being bullied. This year will be more violent," Hong Kong feng shui adviser Raymond Lo said, noting that the previous Year of the Tiger associated with metal was 1950 - the year the Korean War broke out.
The Chinese zodiac operates on a rotation of 12 different signs, or animals. People who are entering a year whose sign is the same as their birth year's are considered "in clash" and may have bad luck, according to feng shui belief. But while Chinese fortune tellers give tigers a conservative outlook this year, the zodiac sign that causes the most serious conflict this year is the monkey.
The most notable monkey in world politics is Ban. The South Korean "will face a lot of trouble this year," Lo said. Other famous monkeys include Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, NBA star Yao Ming, singers Diana Ross, Celine Dion and actors Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas, Owen Wilson and Daniel Craig.
The world's best-known "tiger" - American golfer Tiger Woods - actually isn't a tiger nor a monkey, according to the lunar calendar. Born December 30, 1975, the 14-time major winner is a rabbit.
But Woods' birth date is associated with metal, which clashes with the presence of metal in the coming lunar year. So after admitting to cheating on his wife and taking an indefinite leave from golf in December, the 34-year-old can expect more personal trouble this year, predictions say.
"His long-term fortune is on the decline," Lo said.
As for Obama, there are differing interpretations. The American president's birthday is August 4, 1961, making him an ox. According to Lo, the tiger is a lucky "nobleman" for people born in years ending in the digit "1" and Obama's birth date is associated with the natural element of earth, which is complementary with metal because minerals come from the earth.
"He will shine with flying colors," Lo said, adding that the American leader will become more aggressive in pushing his agenda. "His foreign policy may be tougher."
雖然今年是中國的農曆虎年，但算命大師們說，今年對於全世界最著名的“老虎”——名譽掃地的高爾夫名將“老虎”伍茲來說卻不會太好過。
算命大師們還預測：聯合國祕書長潘基文今年將面臨巨大考驗，金融市場將繼續動盪，與火有關的自然災害將會發生，美國總統貝拉克•奧巴馬將進入執政關鍵期。
今年的農曆新年將從本週日開始。根據風水學（通過日期和中國古書預測運程的中國傳統文化），中國的農曆年與金、木、雷、火等自然元素相關聯。金象徵着正義行動，例如發動戰爭；雷和火象徵着易變性，而木則助長火勢。
風水大師們說，這些正好構成了地緣政治的緊張局勢和金融市場的動盪起伏。
香港風水大師盧恆立說：“在這一年中，人們會抑強扶弱、幫助同胞和受欺凌的朋友。這一年將更加暴力。”他指出，上一個金虎年是1950年，當年爆發了朝鮮戰爭。
中國的黃道十二宮12生肖一輪迴。根據風水觀，如果人們遇到本命年，則會被認爲“流年不利”，可能會交黴運。但今年中國的風水師們對肖虎者的運程預測比較保守，卻稱在虎年最犯衝的是肖猴者。
潘基文是世界政壇最著名的肖猴者。盧恆立說，這位韓國人“今年會面臨很多麻煩。”其他屬猴的名人包括伊朗總統馬哈茂德•艾哈邁迪內賈德、NBA球星姚明、歌星黛安娜•羅斯、席琳•迪翁和演員伊麗莎白•泰勒、湯姆•漢克斯、邁克爾•道格拉斯、歐文•威爾遜和丹尼爾•克雷格。
根據農曆，全世界最著名的“老虎”——美國高爾夫名將“老虎”伍茲——其實既不屬虎也不屬猴。這位出生於1975年12月30日的14次大滿貫得主屬兔。
不過伍茲的生日與金相連，恰好與即將到來的農曆年的金相撞。去年12月，伍茲承認背叛妻子並宣佈無限期離開高爾夫，所以此後便有人預測，這位34歲的高爾夫球手今年恐怕會有更多的私生活麻煩。
盧大師說，“他的長期運勢呈下降趨勢。”
風水大師們對於美國總統奧巴馬虎年運程的看法各不相同。奧巴馬的出生日期是1961年8月4日，肖牛。根據盧恆立的說法，出生年份以數字1結尾的人在虎年會有“貴人”相助，而且奧巴馬的出生日期與自然元素土相關，土與金互補，因爲土生金。
盧大師說：“今年他會大放異彩。”並稱這位美國總統今年在推進政治議程方面會更加強勢，“他的外交政策可能會更強硬。”
Vocabulary:
rough patch: 難關，困難時期
take on: to oppose in competition 同……較量
zodiac: the imaginary area in the sky in which the sun, moon and planets appear to lie, and which has been divided into twelve equal parts each with a special name and symbol 黃道帶（天球上的十二個等份區，各有其名稱和符號，日、月、行星分佈其中）
with flying colors:出色地
