Expert: Bill Hajdu - 9/2/2011

Question
Hi Bill--

I have recently gotten obsessed with Chinese Astrology.  I am 2/2/73 (water rat) and I am wondering who is my best match.  Amazingly it turns out all my good friends are monkeys and dragons so I think there is something to this system.  I recently met a fire horse whom I am attracted to but was cowed by the incredibly bad forecast for that match!  He lives far far away anyway.  Any and all info. is of great interest...  Are there "bad" combination couples who get along well or have happy relationships anyway?  I feel so restricted by this system!

best,
Alison

Answer
Hi Alison,

You were born during the year of the Water Rat, month of the Water Ox and day of the Earth Snake.

First let me say i'm happy to say you got the bug; Chinese Astrology is fascinating.

As for the Fire Horse, that is your fatal attraction. As a matter of fact my Rat son has dated a Horse sign lady. I (Pig) myself am attracted to Snake ladies; though, I've never hooked up with one. I think you can have some very good times with a fatal attraction, but I would strongly advise against a long term relationship.

It's true some people can be rather limited given their sign mix. In your case, however, it's not a problem. In addition to the book answer Monkey and Dragon, you are also compatible with people born in the year of the Ox, Snake, Rat and to a lesser extent Pig. By the way, Monkey is better for you than Dragon. You see Dragon conflicts with your Ox, month sign. That can lead to lots of clashes of will and disagreements. Pig is a lesser choice than the other alternatives because it clashes with your Snake, day sign. Also, Rat comes after Ox and Snake because, in spite of compatibility, there tends to be a good deal of one-upmanship between two Rat sign people.

As for bad combinations making it, sure. I'm not a strict determinist. When I discuss compatibility I use percentages. So, let's say you get into one of those bad matches. I'll probably say something like this match has a 34% favorable, compatibility rating, which is significantly below average. Now I look at my task as does a weather forecaster. Let's say she tells you there is a 34% chance of rain tomorrow. That means 34 times out of a hundred there will be rain. If it rains, you're going to get wet, whether the forecast was for 63% or 36% chance of rain!The same thing applies to your 34% relationship. You may have to work harder and make more compromises than a lot of other people, but the match can work. You just have to understand the odds are against you. If you volunteer to swim upstream, it's going to require more effort, and there's always a chance it will fail.

On the other hand, even a "good" match can fail. I might tell you your match is 78% favorable, which is excellent. But you could still end up in the 22% who fail.

Think about surfers. The best ones look like they're doing it effortlessly. That's because they're in harmony with the wave. Those who fight it are a lot more likely to wipe out. There are no guarantees in life, but if you consistently go with the flow more than against it, you're going to be more successful.

If you would like to learn more about relationships, I recommend Shelly Wu's Chinese Sexual Astrology and Susan Levitt's Taoist Astrology. Also, please check out my web site, www.onlinechineseastrology.com. If you would like a detailed analysis of your love life, you can order one at the site for a modest charge. And, if you like the web site, please "like" it on Facebook and tell your friends about it.

Thank you for your question.