Ngũ Tý - Year of The Rat
The Rat is the first of the repeating 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac.
"Ngu Ty" meaning "Five Rats" is my personal project done on the occasion of the Lunar New Year which is inspired by the 12 zodiac animals and the Five basic elements or Five phases (Earth, Water, Wood, Fire, and Metal) creating the whole world.
According to the concept of Asians, each year will be represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals. And 2020 is the year of the Rat, belonging to the Earth element.
Five Rats in 5 different colors represent the 5 basic elements. Earth is Brown, Metal is Metalic Gold, Water is Black, Wood is Green, and Fire is Red.
This is also the fundamental theory and has been deeply rooted in the way of life and thought for generations of Eastern culture.
Earth symbolizes fertile land and has the main color of yellow-brown.
The image of the Rat representing the year 2020 holding a red cloth is a typical image for Asian New Year's Day.
Metal represent precious metals such as gold and jewelry and have a dominant color of metallic gold.
Gold coins are considered a symbol of abundance and wealth. Sparkling gold coins appear very commonly in images of Asian Tet.
Water symbolizes the flow of water from the river to the vast ocean and has the main color of black.
Brewing is a traditional culture of Asians in general. The wine bottles with red wrapping on the top bring a breath of Asian spring.
Wood represents verdant trees and the main color is green.
One of the most popular fruits on Tet holiday of Asians is tangerine, with the meaning of bringing success and success in the new year.
Fire represents fire and has a characteristic color of red.
The image of fireworks on New Year's Eve is an iconic image and is extremely familiar to everyone. According to the concept of Asians, the sound of firecrackers means to drive away bad luck and welcome a new year of peace and luck.
