Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac Background and Concept

The Chinese animal signs (Chinese Zodiac) are a 12-year cycle used for dating the years. They represent a cyclical concept of time, rather than the Western linear concept of time. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and is constructed in a different fashion than the Western solar calendar. In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February. The Chinese have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year. Many Chinese calendars will print both the solar dates and the Chinese lunar dates.

Legend

According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.

All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.

Check your zodiac and see in what year you were born !!

• The year of the Rat
• The year of the Ox
• The year of the Tiger
• The year of the Rabbit
• The year of the Dragon
• The year of the Snake
• The year of the Horse
• The year of the Goat
• The year of the Monkey
• The year of the Rooster
• The year of the Dog
• The year of the Pig