Olympics-Wear ox pendant to avoid rat clashes, leaders (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) - Astrology expert Raymond Lo has a word of warning for China's Olympic leaders -- they should wear an ox pendant to ward off bad karma at the Olympics.

The Beijing Games open at eight minutes past eight o'clock in the evening on the 8th day of the 8th month in 2008, a time that traditionally offers the perfect combination of good luck and prosperity.

The Olympics are being staged in the Year of the Rat but, according to Chinese animal astrology, that could spell trouble for anyone born in the Year of the Horse.

Lo, a noted exponent in Hong Kong of the ancient art of feng shui, said "The clash between the Rat and the Horse is a serious clash between water and fire.

"For people born in the Year of the Horse, it is recommended that they wear a pendant of an ox which will help to attract away the Rat so as to minimise the influence of the clash."

He pinpointed the birthdays of China's leaders -- President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao were both born in 1942, the Year of the Horse in the 12-year cycle of Chinese animal astrology.

In a telephone interview from Hong Kong, Lo explained: "The traditional belief is that you need an animal to attract away the rat."

AUSPICIOUS DAY

But he was full of optimism for China's big day on the world stage on 8/08/2008. For the number eight is lucky in Chinese as it is pronounced like the word "Fa" which is part of the expression meaning "to get wealthy".

"According to the calendar it is an auspicious day. There is nothing wrong with choosing this date, it still represents a positive energy."

Marriage registration offices in Beijing are predicting that more than 9,000 couples will tie the knot on August 8.

"If you pick a good day, this indicates a smooth beginning to the marriage," Lo said.

But, as China has learnt to its cost in a turbulent 2008, not all is positive energy in the Year of the Rat, which also symbolises the turbulent relationship between earth and water.

China was hit by crippling blizzards at the start of the year, rioting erupted in Tibet which prompted worldwide protests surrounding the Olympic torch relay and then the Sichuan earthquake struck.

Those grim milestones for China had an intriguing symmetry.

The snowstorms struck on 25/01. 2+5+1=8.

The Tibet riots erupted on 14/03. 1+4+3=8.

The earthquake struck on 12/05. 1+2+5=8. That was also 88 days before the start of the Olympics.

"The number eight can be negative as well," Lo warned -- and the worst may not be over.

"You can see water trouble will be stronger in the second half of the year because of these seasonal elements," he said.

"For example the Tsunami took place in December in 2004. Usually water is more powerful in the months after August."

(Editing by Miles Evans)

(For more stories visit our multimedia website "Road to Beijing" at http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics; and see our blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china)

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