'Curse' of the sheep Year-Really?

　　[Photo by Cai Meng/China Daily]

10 people tell how being a 'sheep' affects their lives, and whether the Zodiac animal actually brings bad luck.

Chinese legend says that people born in the Year of the Sheep will have a difficult life, because sheep are often eaten by humans. The legend, however, also says that there are exceptions, and that one out of 10 "sheep people" will live an extraordinarily smooth and happy life, compared with others. "Sheep" born in summer are among the exceptions, because there is plenty of grass in the season and sheep have enough to feast on. Those born in the beginning of a lunar year, that is, in February and March of the solar calendar, are also the exceptions, because humans have just killed enough sheep for the Spring Festival, and will leave the rest to live happily until next year. The most unfortunate "sheep" are born at the end of the lunar year, in December or early January, because that's when sheep are killed for meat. However, humans' life paths vary. Below, 10 people tell how being a "sheep" affects their lives. Because Chinese now count their ages according to the solar calendar while the rotation of Zodiac animals follows the lunar calendar, the age of a sheep may not exactly be multiples of 12, the number of zodiac animals.