Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Animals of the Chinese Zodiac


When people hear about the Zodiac they think about the traditional cycle of 12 months which incorporates star signs : Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. However there is another zodiac formed by the chinese culture which is a 12 year cycle. Each year is governed by a different animal. Each animal bears unique traits which are passed on to those born under its year. How these different animals were truly chosen to be part of twelve year cycle is not known but there is the popular chinese lore which seeks to explain it. It follows as shown below:

"A long time ago in China, a Jade Emperor decided that there should be a measuring of time. So on his birthday he decided that he would host a race with all the animals. The mission was to cross a fast flowing river and emerge on the banks at the other side. There were 12 spots and only the first 12 animals would earn themselves a place in the zodiac.


All the animals lined up on the river bank waiting for the race to start. The rat and cat were good friends but were worried because they were not good swimmers. Being clever, they asked the strong Ox to carry them across and he agreed. They climbed on his back and the Ox started across the large river. He soon took the lead and the cat and rat became excited. When they had almost reached the other side the rat became greedy and pushed the cat into the river, ran up the Ox's head and jumped onto the bank first of all the animals. The emperor gave him the first place in the zodiac and the second place to the Ox. The tiger came across the river third and earned the third place in the zodiac.


Next to come was the lucky rabbit. The emperor asked him how he got across so quickly and he explained that he never swam across but instead hopped on all the rocks and found a log adrift that carried him all the way to the river bank. He earned the fourth place in the zodiac. Next came the great dragon who swooped down beside the emperor. The emperor was surprised and asked how was it that he didn't place first. He replied that the people of a village were thirsty and so he stopped to make rain for them and on his way to the river bank he had seen a rabbit struggling on a log so he had blown a puff of wind so that the rabbit would reach the bank safely. The dragon earned the fifth place in the zodiac.


Then the emperor heard the sound of hooves and the horse came into view. He was almost at the finish when a snake wriggled off on of his hooves. Startled, he reared back and the snake slithered off towards the finish. The snake earned the sixth place and the poor horse got the seventh place.


Soon after a raft arrived with 3 animals...a sheep, a monkey and a rooster. They explained to the emperor that they worked together to cross the fast river. The rooster found the raft, the sheep cleared away the weeds and the monkey pushed the raft to shore. The sheep earned the eighth place, the monkey the ninth and the rooster the tenth.


Next came the dog. The emperor asked why he came so late when he was one of the best swimmers. The dog replied that the water was so clean that he had to take a bath. He earned the eleventh place in the zodiac. The emperor waited for the last animal to show but it seemed no one was coming. Just as he was about to leave the boar showed up. The emperor wondered hy he took so long to finish. The boar replied that he was hungry so he stopped to eat and then after that he was so full that he fell asleep. The emperor awarded him the last place in the zodiac."


 Years governed by the Rat:
 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
 General Traits:
 Quick-witted, Smart, Appealing, Protective, Instinctive
 Compatable with: Dragons and Monkeys
 Incompatable with: Horses

   Years governed by the Ox:
   1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
   General Traits:
   Obstinate, Genuine, Quick-tempered, Truthful, Friendly
   Compatable with: Snakes and Roosters
   Incompatable with: Sheep

  Years governed by the Tiger:
  1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
  General Traits:
  Courageous, Vain, Hopeful, Resilient, Self-Dependant
  Compatable with: Horses and Dogs
  Incompatable with: Monkeys

 Years governed by the Rabbit:
 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
 General Traits:
 Wise, Considerate, Serene, Obsessive, Keen
 Compatable with: Sheep and Pigs
 Incompatable with: Roosters

Years governed by the Dragon: 
1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988
General Traits:
Innovative, Enterprising, Brave, Passionate, Conceited
Compatable with: Rats and Monkeys
Incompatable with: Dogs
 
  Years governed by the Snake:
  1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1966, 1977, 1989
  General Traits:
  Cunning, Proud, Vicious, Aware, Vain
  Compatable with: Oxen and Roosters
  Incompatable with: Pigs

  Years governed by the Horse:
  1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990
  General Traits:
  Outgoing, Arrogant, Sophisticated, Joyful, Resilient
  Compatable with: Tigers and Dogs
  Incompatable with: Rats

   Years governed by the Sheep:
   1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991
   General Traits:
   Smart, Dependant, Insecure, Artistic, Kind
   Compatable with: Rabbits and Pigs
   Incompatable with: Oxen

Years governed by the Monkey:
1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992
General Traits:
Imaginative, Witty, Curious, Clever, Responsible
Compatable with: Dragons and Rats
Incompatable with: Tigers

  Years governed by the Rooster:
  1921, 1935, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993
  General Traits:
  Romantic, Brave, Proud, Boastful, Motivated
  Compatable with: Oxen and Snakes
  Incompatable with: Rabbits

 Years governed by the Dog:
 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994
 General Traits:
 Compassionate, Anxious, Honest, Reliable, Responsible
 Compatable with: Tigers and Horses
 Incompatable with: Dragons

Years governed by the Boar:
1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995
General Traits:
Hardworking, Helpful, Materialistic, Obstinate, Giving
Compatable with: Sheep and Rabbits
Incompatable with: Snake
This year (2011) is the year of the Rabbit. It is a year to recuperate from the prior year's (2010 - Year of the Tiger) aggressiveness. It is not a year of much excitement or hype. During this year the greatest benefits are reaped by devoting time to family, home, security and diplomacy. The Rabbit helps quiet the nerves and calmly deal with any situations that may arise. The Rabbit encourages us to engage in beautification projects, making sound investments and promote savings as well as enhancing the love in our lives and learning about things that capture our interest. The year of the rabbit will affect each animal sign differently during this year. I suggest that if you are interested in knowing how this year will turn out for you, look up your respective chinese animal sign and delve deeper into the forecast predicted for your sign under the Year of the Rabbit.