Thailand Travel Tips: Guide to Traveling During Your Jinx Year
Almost missed your flight to Thailand? Lost personal items while you are traveling in Bangkok? Well, this year may be your Jinx year! Also known as "ปีชง"! Read on to find out more in our Bangkok travel guide below!
What is a Jinx year?
In Thai-Chinese culture, the term "ปีชง" (pronounced "Pee Chong") or Jinx year in English refers to a year considered unlucky. This belief is rooted in traditional Chinese astrology and has been adapted by Thai people of Chinese descent and have been integrated into various aspects of life among Thai-Chinese communities, influencing their Traditional Thai-Chinese beliefs, rituals, and social practices. The concept of a jinx year is closely linked to the Chinese zodiac system, where each year is associated with one of the twelve animals and five elements which are wood, fire, earth, metal and water, creating a cycle that influences individuals' fortunes based on their birth years. The idea is that certain years bring misfortune to individuals born under specific zodiac signs, and people need to conduct rituals or practices to mitigate the negative effects or unluckiness in their jinx year.
How to find out if this year is your Jinx year
In order to know if this year may be your jinx year, you must find out what your chinese zodiac sign is! The concept of Chinese zodiac signs is similar to the western version of the zodiac signs. However, one of the clear differences is the Cycle Duration where The Chinese zodiac operates on a 12-year cycle, while the Western zodiac follows a 12-month cycle, with each month associated with a constellation.
You can start by quickly entering your birthdate into google, along with the word “Chinese Zodiac sign” and results will quickly come up telling you what zodiac signs you are! The list includes Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. The jinx year will occur every 12 years, at the same year as your zodiac sign, therefore, in order to calculate your jinx year, you can keep adding 12 on to your birthday until you get to the current year! Here is an example:
Find Your Birth Year: Suppose you were born in 1990.
Identify Your Zodiac Sign:
According to the Chinese zodiac chart, 1990 is the Year of the Horse.
Calculate Your Jinx Year:
Your jinx years will occur every 12 years after your birth year. Thus, your jinx years are:
1990 (your birth year)
2002
2014
2026
Since this year is 2024, it is not your jinx year.
Mitigating bad luck
The practice to mitigate the upcoming adversity that your jinx year may bring is called “Kae Chong”. The word “Kae” or “แก้” means to fix, or remedy, making “Kae Chong” means to fix your unluckiness. Thai-Chinese individuals often engage in rituals including visiting temples for blessings, making offerings, and performing specific ceremonies aimed at promoting good fortune and warding off bad luck. The most simple way is to go to a Chinese shrine near you, and pray to the gods of the shrine. One of our most recommended places that is really famous among local people is in Bangkok old town! The shrine is called “San Chao Pho Suea” or ศาลเจ้าพ่อเสือ which is translated to the Tiger God Shrine.
This god is a revered deity in Chinese folklore especially, known for his power to protect, conquer adversaries, and ward off evil forces in all directions. Particularly, those who were born in the Year of the Tiger in Chinese zodiac sign frequently visit this shrine to reinforce their fortune and virtues.
However, there is a process you have to follow in order to worship the Tiger god when praying! The process includes bowing with 18 incense sticks, placing them in six censers, using a pair of red candles, and presenting a pair of betel leaves and areca nuts as offerings. Additionally, for the Tiger God worship ritual, one must purchase an offering set consisting of three-tiered pork, fresh eggs, and sweet sticky rice, which make sense because tigers eat raw meat! So make sure you purchase the offering set outside the shrine, and start the ritual! You can find more information about The Tiger God Shrine and other hidden local places here in our self guided audio tours!
Overall, the shrine is also famous as a must go place for locals who wish success with their businesses, pray for babies, recover from sickness and a fruitful result in their studies.
Conclusion
The concept of ปีชง serves as a fascinating intersection of cultural identity and belief systems among Thai-Chinese communities. It reflects not only the enduring influence of Chinese astrology but also the adaptability of these beliefs within the context of Thai society, creating a unique cultural experience in Bangkok for foreigners. Next time you feel you're having an unlucky year and find yourself in Thailand, don’t forget to visit the Tiger God Shrine to mitigate your bad luck. At the same time, you can witness local rituals and experience the local faith firsthand! Discover more hidden places and Things to do in Bangkok Old Town with our self-guided audio tour here!