The Abbey Museum invites you to an unforgettable evening exploring the history of the Chinese Almanac – discover it’s influence over astrology and the art of Feng Shui and cash-coin divination.

Your evening begins with entertainment and a delicious charcuterie selection, setting the perfect atmosphere for a night of storytelling and exploration. After your grazing experience, take a twilight wander through the Museum’s galleries, where centuries of history come alive in the glow of the evening.

In this presentation, Dr Wing-Fai Wong focuses on the history of Chinese almanacs, including the parallel use of the lunisolar calendar and the Gregorian calendar in Australia. Discover how Chinese communities celebrated the New Year in Australia – including associated taboos – before China became a republic.

The twelve astrological animals are not originally Chinese; they were adopted around the second century BCE. They were later combined with the Five Elements to align with the Sexagenary Cycle. The coming years, 2026 and 2027, are known as the Years of the Scarlet Horse and the Red Goat. Traditionally, these years are considered particularly inauspicious and associated with the belief in potential cultural or social calamities.

Ticketing Inclusions:
- 40 min talk
- Evening through the museum with exclusive viewing of Reserve Collection artefacts in a temporary display
- Gift
- Cheese and Wine evening

Pricing: $45pp + Booking Fee. (recommended for ages 16yrs+)