The Legend of Buddha and 12 Animals. Origin of the eastern horoscope. Eastern horoscope compatibility by year of birth
Like many other aspects of culture, the Japanese horoscope (junishi) was borrowed from China approximately 1200 - 1300 years ago. However, some believe that Empress Suiko developed this system in 604, but this is not a widely held point of view.
The Japanese have not changed the animals participating in the Chinese cycle (although they have a Rabbit instead of a Cat, a Boar instead of a Pig, a Sheep instead of a Goat, an Ox instead of an Ox (Buffalo), but changes have been made to the interpretation of each animal, which allows us to talk about the Japanese horoscope as a separate a system for describing a person’s character depending on the year of his birth.
In Japan, many people believe that the year a person was born influences his character to a certain extent, and even choose a mate in accordance with the recommendations of astrologers. On the other hand, often asking about a person's sign is just a polite way to find out his age, so it is not surprising that many women prefer to avoid a direct answer.
The Jikkan system, which also came to Japan from China, is directly related to the Junishi horoscope. We are talking about five energies or elements that exist in the world and make up a cycle in which Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Iron, Iron generates Water, Water generates Wood, wood generates Fire.
In the Jikkan system, each element has a “junior” and a “senior” aspect, thus, in combination with the 12 Junishi animals, a sixty-year cycle is formed, known as ETO. Now in Japan they no longer give it credit of great importance. The only impact of ETO on modern society, perhaps, is that a person’s sixtieth birthday is celebrated as the completion of the first life cycle and the beginning of the second.
The Japanese horoscope, like the Chinese, is associated with animals. But if you hear the words “fiery”, “metallic”, “blue” in the characteristics of the year, then we are talking about the Chinese horoscope. Their cycle consists of five elements - wood, fire, earth, metal, water, and each element is characterized by color - green, red, ocher, white, blue/black, respectively. Moreover, each element takes 2 years - one was considered Yin (-), the other - Yang (+). Only 10 years. And under eastern horoscope we understand the unification of Chinese and Japanese. It consists of 120 years (12 x 5 x 2).
There are many Chinese legends explaining the origin of the symbols of the eastern horoscope, of which, in terms of popularity, only two can be distinguished.
First legend, the most common in China reads as follows.
One day, Buddha invited to his birthday (celebration of the new year, feast, day of Buddha’s departure from this world - depending on the interpretation) all the animals that wanted to come.
12 animals came: it was a cold time, and to get to Buddha, it was necessary to swim across a wide river. The Buddha gave each animal one year of stewardship on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Rat came first - she got the first year of the 12-year cycle.
True, eyewitnesses of this remarkable swim claim that the Buffalo was the first to reach the opposite shore, and the Rat, who did not want to get wet in the cold water, asked the Buffalo to carry her on his back, and he agreed out of the kindness of his heart. While the Buffalo was shaking itself off in order to appear before the Buddha in decent form, the Rat, jumping off his back, quickly ran forward, and was first in line for the supposed shortage. She was rewarded for her efficiency and ability to take advantage of circumstances. Some of the spectators later swore that it was not a Rat, but a small but smart Mouse, and that she did not ask to ride on the Buffalo’s back, but rode like a “hare.” The buffalo did not notice her and was quite surprised to find himself second in line.
Tiger, who was in his third year, was slightly behind Buffalo.
Fans, captivated by the competition between Buffalo and Tiger (they have been competing with each other ever since then), did not properly consider who came fourth -
Cat, Hare or Rabbit. Over the years, it is impossible to establish the truth, and various eastern peoples still have different interpretations regarding the owner of the fourth year.
The fifth was Dragon.
The sixth was the Snake.
Seventh - Horse.
Then a strip of fog began to flow along the river, and again it was unclear who was the eighth - the Goat (or the Sheep, according to the Japanese horoscope).
Ninth in line was the Monkey. Only after making sure that the event was safe did she enter the water.
The tenth to come was the Rooster, who was delayed because he had been telling his large family for a long time and in detail how they should live in his absence.
The Dog galloped up eleventh. In the morning she had a lot of household chores to do, and, having barely managed to cope with them, she rushed into the water, heated. They say she coughed for a long time.
And finally, the last to appear was the Boar (according to other sources, he sent the Pig instead). He was not in a hurry: he is not ambitious, not picky, and in life he usually gets everything that is left to him after the nosy ones. Buddha gave him the last remaining year, but the best one: the year of the Pig is characterized by abundance and tranquility. Thus, an excellent character trait was awarded - the ability to resist temptation, to pull the blanket over oneself.
According to the second legend The Jade Emperor from heaven sent his servant to earth to bring twelve of the most beautiful animals from earth to reward them.
The servant went down to earth and was the first to see the Rat and invited her to the king. The audience with the king was scheduled for six o'clock in the morning. The rat was delighted and immediately ran to preen himself before meeting the king. After wandering around the land, the servant decided that the emperor would like a Buffalo, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster and Dog.
The servant now has to choose the last animal. Traveling across the earth, he had heard a lot about the beauty of the Cat, so he searched for it for a very long time. Not finding the Cat anywhere, the servant asked the Rat to convey the invitation to the Cat. The Rat found the Cat and conveyed the invitation. But the Cat was lazy and liked to sleep, so he asked the Rat to wake him up. The Rat at first agreed, but when she ran into her hole and began to comb her hair and preen, she realized that the Cat was much more beautiful and would definitely outshine her in the eyes of the king. The Rat couldn’t stand this, so she didn’t wake up the Cat in the morning.
At six in the morning the next day, all the invited animals gathered at the king’s house, except for the Cat, who was still sleeping soundly. All the animals prepared themselves to please the king. The Rat became the most cunning and inventive. She climbed onto the Buffalo's back and began to play the pipe, thereby conquering the king and causing a storm of delight in him. For this, the king awarded her first place. I gave the second place to the Buffalo for his kindness, the third to the Tiger, the fourth to the Rabbit for his beautiful fur coat, the fifth to the Dragon for his unusual appearance, the sixth to the Snake for wisdom, the seventh to the Horse, the eighth to the Sheep, the ninth to the Monkey for dexterity, the tenth to the rooster and the tenth to the Dog. - eleventh.
Then they noticed that the last twelfth animal, the Cat, was not there. The servant had to return to earth and urgently look for the last symbol of the year. The Pig was the first to catch his eye, and he invited her. Meanwhile, the Cat woke up and discovered that he had overslept, and the Rat did not wake him up. The cat ran as fast as he could into the palace. Meanwhile, the servant with the Pig came to the palace and the king saw the ugly Pig and gave her the last twelfth place.
Zodiac signs that are popular in our country are not at all as popular in China. If you ask an ordinary Chinese what their zodiac sign is, they will answer you with difficulty. However, in China, horoscopes are popular, but not European, but Eastern.
What is eastern or chinese horoscope, we'll figure it out below.
The legend of the origin of the Chinese horoscope
Legends and myths occupy important role V Chinese culture for thousands of years. The origin of the Chinese horoscope is also rooted in Chinese mythology.
There are two main legends that explain where the 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig) representing the Chinese horoscope came from, as well as their sequence.
First legend tells how the Buddha invited all the animals to take part in a competition: they had to swim across a cold, wide river, and the prize was a place in one of the 12 months of the Chinese zodiac calendar. The first 12 animals to cross the river took their place in the order in which they reached the Buddha.
The first animal to reach the finish line, according to legend, was a rat. It may seem strange that, of all the participants in the competition, such a small animal became the winner.
The legend explains that the rat's intelligence helped him win. Jumping onto the back of the best swimmer - the bull, she, having reached the shore, jumped off his back and managed to complete the race faster than the bull.
The next second, a bull appeared and took second place among the animals listed in the Chinese horoscope.
The tiger was also strong, so he came third.
The rabbit came fourth. Some eastern peoples had a cat as their fourth animal. Until today no consensus on this score.
The dragon reached the finish line fifth.
Hiding in the horse's hoof, the snake crossed the river, and when it got ashore, it scared the horse and took sixth place.
The horse came in seventh.
The goat, monkey and rooster, helping each other, reached the shore and took their places in the calendar.
The dog decided that taking a swim was more important to her than taking a place on the calendar, so she only came in eleventh.
The last one to appear was the pig. According to legend, she ate and rested half the way, but, nevertheless, took her rightful place among other animals.
According to second legend, The Jade Emperor (according to some versions, it was Buddha) invited all the animals to the holiday. Some sources say that it was a celebration of his birthday, others - the New Year, and thirdly - the day of his death.
Of all the animals, only 12 came and in the order in which they came, the animals received their places in the Chinese zodiac calendar as a gift.
But no matter how legends describe the origins of the Chinese horoscope, it has continued to amaze and entertain people all over the world for thousands of years.
Chinese horoscope signs
The basis of the Chinese zodiac calendar is the 12 animals, which represent a repeating 12-year cycle.
Below are the characteristics that are attributed to people born in the year of each animal:
Rat
Those born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the rat are quick-witted, intelligent, sociable, charming and cunning. They taste great and are good friends, generous and loyal to others. People of this sign are motivated by money, can be greedy, are always curious and strive for knowledge. Compatibility: with dragon and monkey.
Bull
Another strong sign of the Chinese horoscope is the ox. He is a consistent, committed and detail oriented leader. Oxen are also hardworking, stubborn, serious and reserved, but can feel lonely and insecure. They feel comfortable around friends and family, and are reliable protectors and strong companions. Compatibility: with a snake or rooster.
Tiger
Those born under the sign of the Chinese horoscope - tiger: are authoritative, cold-blooded, possessing leadership qualities, at the same time very charming and very seductive. They are driven, brave, warm-hearted, moody, intense and ready to pounce at any moment. Compatibility: with a horse or dog.
Rabbit
Those born under the Chinese horoscope sign of the rabbit: love to be surrounded by family and friends. They are compassionate, sincere, prefer to avoid conflict and sometimes seem too simple. Attentive to detail and practical. Rabbits love home and love to spend time indoors. Compatibility: with a goat or pig.
Dragon
Those born under this strong sign are the dragon: energetic and sincere, charming, selfish and lucky in love. They are natural leaders, good at giving orders and doing what they need to do to stay on top. Compatibility: with monkey and rat.
Snake
Those born under the Chinese horoscope sign are the snake: attractive, sociable, charming, good analysts, love money, but at the same time generous. They are also introverted, insecure, envious, can even be slightly dangerous, smart, they rely on intuition, hardworking and intelligent. Compatibility: with a rooster or bull.
Horse
Those born under the Chinese horoscope sign - horse: love freedom. They are energetic, independent, wise with money, and love to travel. They are wonderful seducers, witty, impatient, and often selfish. Compatibility: with a dog or a tiger.
Goat
Those born under the Chinese horoscope sign - Goat: love privacy in their thoughts. These are creative people, thinkers, wanderers, they are disorganized, easily excitable, unsure of themselves, and can be restless. They need love, support and comfort. It is also very important for them appearance. Compatibility: with pig or rabbit.
Monkey
Those born under the sign of the monkey: they love to live for their own pleasure. They are energetic, cheerful, good listeners, but lack self-control. They are cunning, ironic, resourceful, smart, and first of all think about themselves and not about others. They are heartthrobs, not prone to long-term relationships, and can be immoral. Compatibility: with a rat or a dragon.
Rooster
Those born under the Chinese zodiac sign are the Rooster: practical, resourceful, observant, good analysts, but impractical. They are straightforward, trusting, honest, perfectionists, neat and conservative. Compatibility: with a bull or snake.
Dog
Those born under the sign of the dog: loyal, faithful, honest, distrustful, afraid of offending another person. They are temperamental, prone to mood swings, categorical and sensitive. Dogs are successful in business, but they may have trouble finding partners. Compatibility: with a tiger or horse.
Pig
Those who were born under the sign of the Chinese horoscope are the pig: people are very nice, well-mannered and with good taste. They are perfectionists who like good things without being perceived as snobs. They love to help others and are good companions, but if anyone gets in their way, then watch out! They are intelligent, smart, always in search of new knowledge, and picky about making acquaintances. Compatibility: with rabbit or goat.
Compatibility according to the Chinese horoscope
Animals representing the Chinese horoscope are always depicted in a circle. It is believed that signs located opposite each other are complete opposites and therefore are not compatible.
Also, all signs of the Chinese horoscope are divided into four groups, corresponding to four types of temperament. It is believed that people born under the signs of the same group can more easily find a common language.
- Rat, Dragon, Monkey– energetic, open, active signs.
- Bull, Snake, Rooster– hardworking, purposeful, self-confident signs.
- Tiger, Horse, Dog– decisive, strong-willed, friendly signs.
- Rabbit, Goat, Pig– responsive, sensitive, creative signs.
Inner Animal and Secret Animal of the Chinese Zodiac
In addition to the animal representing the year of birth, there are also the so-called inner and secret animals in the Chinese horoscope.
According to the year of our birth, we can easily determine which of the 12 animals we were born under. But in reality, our inner and secret animals will tell us who we really are and our future.
The 12 signs of the Chinese horoscope are associated with the year of birth of a person, and these signs repeat in a circle every 12 years.
The internal and secret animals are associated with the person’s month of birth (of which there are also 12) and with the hour of birth (all daily time can be divided into 12, with each period lasting 2 hours), respectively. Taken together, the 12 zodiac signs, 5 elements, 12 birth months and 12 time periods of birth make up 8640 different personal combinations!
Simply put, the animal that represents your birth year determines your “outer” side.
The animal that represents your birth month determines your “inner” state—the person you would like to be.
The animal that represents your time of birth defines your “secret” side - who you really are, but carefully hide it from the outside world.
When you look at the Chinese horoscope, you determine that you were born, for example, under the sign of the goat. But in reality, your nature is characterized not only by this one sign, but by a combination of 3 different Chinese zodiac animals! To truly understand who you are, you need to consider the combination of qualities of these 3 animals. And this combination will help determine your uniqueness.
The table below shows the zodiac animals and their corresponding time periods:
What characterizes the inner animal?
As mentioned above, your inner animal, according to the Chinese horoscope, represents the type of person you think you would like to be. Additionally, your inner animal helps determine which other zodiac animals you are not compatible with.
What characterizes a secret animal?
The secret animal is believed to be the most accurate representation of a person, as the animal is determined by the lowest denominator: the hour of the person's birth.
The Chinese horoscope is based on astrology, so those 2 hours of time coincide with the position of the sun in the sky; not your local time. So-called solar time is not the same as daylight saving time or Greenwich Mean Time, so make sure you calculate your birth time correctly, otherwise you may get your secret animal wrong.
Next time you use the Chinese horoscope to predict your future, remember that most information will be based on your inner and secret zodiac animals!
Elements of the Chinese horoscope
Much of Chinese philosophy is based on the characteristics of the five basic elements or elements and their interaction with each other. It is believed that everything on earth is made up of these five elements.
The Five Elements have been a part of Chinese culture almost from the beginning. Interestingly, few people outside of Asia understand the importance of the five elements, and especially how each of them relates to the Chinese horoscope.
The five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water are associated with the five major planets solar system: Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and Mercury, respectively.
These five elements represent natural phenomena, which have a generative and destructive influence on each other. For example, wood creates fire, water creates wood, water destroys fire, fire destroys metal, etc.
The five elements: metal, wood, fire, water and earth influence the twelve animals of the Chinese horoscope, giving them different characteristics.
- Metal– color: white; season: autumn; main qualities: willpower, determination, straightforwardness, intelligence.
- Tree– color: green (blue); season: spring; main qualities: kindness, responsiveness, individualism, pessimism, well-developed imagination.
- Fire– color: red; season summer; main qualities: passion, energy, persistence, emotionality.
- Water– color: black; season: winter; main qualities: flexibility, determination, sociability, calmness, intuition.
- Earth– color: yellow (brown); time of year: all year; main qualities: practicality, endurance, prudence, reliability, conservatism, morality.
The interaction of the 12-year cycle defined by the zodiac animals with the five elements actually creates 60 different combinations.
Yin and Yang in the Chinese horoscope
Hieroglyph Yin and Yang in the Chinese horoscope
Another important concept in Chinese philosophy is Yin and Yang: two opposites, two principles that complement each other or a balance that can be traced in all phenomena of our life, such as day and night, femininity and masculinity, etc.
The concepts of Yin and Yang influence the five elements of the Chinese horoscope, attributing to them certain characteristics. Each of the elements can exist in both states. Zodiac animals are found in only one of the forms: Yin or Yang.
Yin represents the feminine, passive principle, and Yang is the masculine, active principle.
Thus, even years: Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Goat, Rooster, Pig are under the auspices of the feminine principle Yin.
And odd years, such as Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Dog, are under the auspices of the Yang masculine principle.
Chinese horoscope by year
If you don't know your Chinese horoscope sign, to determine it, find your birth year in the table below. But be careful and keep in mind that the New Year in China does not begin as usual here - on January 1st.
New Year in China is celebrated on some date between January 21 and February 20, which is determined by lunar calendar. Accordingly, the change of sign also occurs according to the lunar calendar.
| Rat | Bull | Tiger | Rabbit | Dragon | Snake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1948 10.02 (Earth) |
1949 29.01 (Earth) |
1950 17.02 (metal) |
1951 06.02 (metal) |
1952 27.01 (water) |
1953 14.02 (water) |
|
1960 28.01 (metal) |
1961 15.02 (metal) |
1962 05.02 (water) |
1963 25.01 (water) |
1964 13.02 (tree) |
1965 02.02 (tree) |
|
1972 15.02 (water) |
1973 03.02 (water) |
1974 23.01 (tree) |
1975 11.02 (tree) |
1976 31.01 (fire) |
1977 18.02 (fire) |
|
1984 02.02 (tree) |
1985 20.02 (tree) |
1986 09.02 (fire) |
1987 29.01 (fire) |
1988 17.02 (Earth) |
1989 06.02 (Earth) |
|
1996 19.02 (fire) |
1997 07.02 (fire) |
1998 28.01 (Earth) |
1999 16.02 (Earth) |
2000 05.02 (metal) |
2001 24.02 (metal) |
|
2008 07.02 (Earth) |
2009 26.01 (Earth) |
2010 14.02 (metal) |
2011 03.02 (metal) |
2012 23.01 (water) |
2013 10.02 (water) |
|
2020 25.01 (metal) |
2021 12.02 (metal) |
2022 01.02 (water) |
2023 22.01 (water) |
2024 10.02 (tree) |
2025 29.01 (tree) |
| Horse | Goat | Monkey | Rooster | Dog | Pig |
|
1954 03.02 (tree) |
1955 24.01 (tree) |
1956 12.02 (fire) |
1957 31.01 (fire) |
1958 18.02 (Earth) |
1959 08.02 (Earth) |
|
1966 21.01 (fire) |
1967 09.02 (fire) |
1968 30.01 (Earth) |
1969 17.02 (Earth) |
1970 06.02 (metal) |
1971 27.01 (metal) |
|
1978 07.02 (Earth) |
1979 28.01 (Earth) |
1980 16.02 (metal) |
1981 05.02 (metal) |
1982 25.01 (water) |
1983 13.02 (water) |
|
1990 27.01 (metal) |
1991 15.02 (metal) |
1992 04.02 (water) |
1993 23.01 (water) |
1994 10.02 (tree) |
1995 31.01 (tree) |
|
2002 12.02 (water) |
2003 01.02 (water) |
2004 22.01 (tree) |
2005 09.02 (tree) |
2006 29.01 (fire) |
2007 18.02 (fire) |
|
2014 31.01 (tree) |
2015 19.02 (tree) |
2016 08.02 (fire) |
2017 28.01 (fire) |
2018 16.02 (Earth) |
2019 05.02 (Earth) |
|
2026 17.02 (fire) |
2027 06.02 (fire) |
2028 26.01 (Earth) |
2029 13.02 (Earth) |
2030 03.02 (metal) |
2031 23.01 (metal) |
The Chinese believe that the year of birth does not represent a person's age, but rather their position in the 60-year cycle. The characteristics personified by the zodiac animals, as well as the influence of the five elements and the Yin and Yang elements, collectively determine “good” and “bad” periods, “good” and “bad luck,” and other details of life.
Thus, the Chinese horoscope serves as a powerful tool for determining one's own destiny.
2019 is the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese calendar. In 2019, the Year of the Pig will begin on February 5 (Chinese Lunar New Year) and will last until January 24, 2020.
12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac (Eastern zodiac) is based on a 12-year lunar cycle, with each year represented by a specific animal. It is believed that the sign of the zodiac animal influences the character of each person. The traditional order of the zodiac animals is: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Who are you according to your zodiac sign?
The Chinese zodiac (whale, "Sheng xiao") literally translates to "to resemble birth." It is determined by the lunar calendar - with the onset of the Chinese New Year, the zodiac year begins.
Every year Chinese New Year occurs on different dates, between January 21 and February 20. That's why, if you were born in January or February, then be especially careful when determining your zodiac animal.
Our special calculator will help you determine who you are based on your Chinese zodiac sign! Enter your date of birth and find out the sign of your zodiac animal!
Horoscope zodiac signs by year
| Animal | Year |
|---|---|
| Year of the Rat - 鼠年 (子) | 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924 |
| Year of the Ox - 牛年 (丑) | 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925 |
| Year of the Tiger - 虎年 (寅) | 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926 |
| Year of the Rabbit - 兔年 (卯) | 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927 |
| Year of the Dragon - 龙年 (辰) | 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928 |
| Year of the Snake - 蛇年 (巳) | 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929 |
| Year of the Horse - 马年 (午) | 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930 |
| Year of the Goat - 羊年 (未) | 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931 |
| Year of the Monkey - 猴年 (申) | 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932 |
| Year of the Rooster - 鸡年 (酉) | 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933 |
| Year of the Dog - 狗年 (戌) | 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934 |
| Year of the Pig - 猪年 (亥) | 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935 |
Determine your zodiac sign
Enter your date of birth and find out who you are by zodiac sign
Chinese eastern calendar:
Your Sign:
- Lucky numbers:
- Lucky colors:
Chinese zodiac compatibility in love
What will bring good luck in the year of your animal?
In China there is the concept of "Benmingnian" - this is the so-called Year of Destiny, i.e. the zodiac animal in whose year you were born. In 2018, Benmingnian in people, born in the year of the Dog.
The Chinese are traditionally very sensitive to the Benmingnian offensive. This is a very special year for everyone and its arrival is awaited with joy and impatience.
However, in China they believe that those people whose year has arrived are insulting the great deity of time, Tai-Sui, and may face trials. Therefore, the Year of Destiny is considered a time of unexpected changes and anxieties here.
Find out How to keep good luck in your year (Benmingnian) and about the traditions of modern China.
Zodiac signs - why these 12 animals?
The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac were not chosen by chance. These were animals either closely related to everyday life Ancient China, or those that, according to Chinese beliefs, brought good luck.
Ox, horse, goat, rooster, pig and dog are the six animals traditionally kept in Chinese household. A famous saying in China says: "Six animals in the house means prosperity". This is why these six animals were chosen.
The other six - rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake and monkey - are animals much loved in Chinese culture.
Zodiac signs - why in this order?
12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac presented in a certain order according to the teachings of Yin and Yang.
The Yin and Yang of animals is determined by the number of their claws (paws, hooves). Even is pure for Yin and odd is pure for Yang. The animals in the zodiac are arranged in an alternating Yin-Yang order.
Animals usually have the same number of toes on their front and hind feet. However, the rat has four toes on its front paws and five on its hind paws. As they say in China: "Things are valued by their rarity". Therefore, the Rat comes first among the 12 animals of the zodiac. This unique animal combines both odd Yang and even Yin traits:
4+5=9, where Yang is dominant and therefore the rats are ultimately classified as odd (Yang).
Symbolic meaning of the 12 zodiac signs
In Ancient China, each zodiac animal was endowed with a certain symbolic meaning- a sign. 12 animals were divided into 6 pairs in such a way that the characteristics of one animal in the pair were opposite to those of the other animal from this pair. This is how harmony was achieved - Yin and Yang.
The order of the zodiac animals is presumably not chosen by chance: in China it is customary to start with the most important, and then put all the other signs in descending order. Just as in the beginning there is always a strong, dominant beginning of Yang, and then Yin gives harmony.
| Animal of the Zodiac | Sign | Proverb |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Wisdom | Wisdom without hard work leads to mediocrity. |
| Bull | Hard work | Hard work without wisdom leads to meaninglessness. |
| Tiger | Bravery | Bravery without caution leads to recklessness. |
| Rabbit | Caution | Caution without courage leads to cowardice. |
| Dragon | Strength | Strength without flexibility leads to destruction. |
| Snake | Flexibility | Flexibility without strength leads to infringement. |
| Horse | Striving forward | Striving forward without unity leads to loneliness. |
| Goat | Unity | Unity without striving forward leads to stagnation. |
| Monkey | Changeability | Changeability without constancy leads to stupidity. |
| Rooster | Constancy | Constancy without changeability leads to stiffness. |
| Dog | Loyalty | Loyalty without a smile leads to rejection. |
| Pig | Friendliness | Friendliness without loyalty leads to immorality. |
Time was determined by the Chinese zodiac
Everyone knows that in the Chinese zodiac every year is associated with a certain animal, but not everyone knows that in Chinese culture there are also 12 zodiac signs used to indicate time.
In ancient times, before the invention of clocks, the earthly branches (the cyclic signs of the duodecimal cycle of the Chinese zodiac) were used to indicate time in China. For convenience, we resorted to the names of the 12 animals of the zodiac, allocating 2 hours for each sign.
According to Chinese astrology, the character and life of a person is determined to a greater extent not by the year, but precisely by the hour of birth. And these data are widely used in the analysis of personality type and fate.
| Rat | Bull | Tiger | Rabbit | Dragon | Snake | Horse | Goat | Monkey | Rooster | Dog | Pig |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
23:00- 01:00 |
01:00- 03:00 |
03:00- 05:00 |
05:00- 07:00 |
07:00- 09:00 |
09:00- 11:00 |
11:00- 13:00 |
13:00- 15:00 |
15:00- 17:00 |
17:00- 19:00 |
19:00- 21:00 |
21:00- 23:00 |
Legend of the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
We'll talk about how Jade Emperor- the lord of heaven - decided to choose 12 animals so that they would guard his peace.
Once upon a time, Buddha invited all the animals who wanted to come to him. Of course, after such an inaccurate indication, not as many animals came to him as they should have. The fact is that it was quite cold, and in order to get to the Buddha’s abode one would have to cross a very wide river. But everyone who came was not disappointed with their decision.
The fact is that for each of those who came, Buddha prepared a year of reign as a gift. The time of government was distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, the first to receive such an honor was the Rat. It was she who received the first year of the twelve-year cycle. She was rewarded for her ability to use circumstances wisely and simply for her efficiency. Bull was a little late. And the Tiger was just a little behind. Therefore, a heated argument took place between these two powerful animals, ending in a serious competition. I must say. That to this day this competition has not ended.
People of the Tiger and Ox sign still find points for disputes and confrontation in everything. One way or another, the competition was won by the Bull, who received a second year. The Tiger had to be content with the third year. But bad luck, Buddha, who was closely watching the fight, could not determine exactly who came fourth - the Rabbit, the Hare or the Cat. Therefore, they were all allocated a fourth year to rule, which they had to somehow divide among themselves.
The fifth was the Dragon, the sixth was the Snake. Then came the Horse, who received the seventh year. But then the misunderstanding began again. The fact is that a thick strip of fog descended from the river, blocking the view of the Buddha. Therefore, he could not know for sure who came eighth - Ram, Sheep or Goat. Therefore, the experiment with the Rabbit, Cat and Hare was simply repeated. The ninth year went to the Monkey, who came out early, but was afraid to get into cold water, preferring to let the others go ahead and wait until it gets a little warmer. When she realized that she was no longer in danger of freezing, he went into the water.
The tenth to arrive was the Rooster, who had to explain for quite a long time to his entire large family about who would have to do what while he was gone. The unfortunate Dog, who spent a lot of time on household chores, only came running eleventh. Moreover, after she rushed into the water, not having cooled down after a long run, she completely forgot how to talk and began only to bark, her throat getting very cold.
And finally, the Boar came twelfth. He was not at all in a hurry to distribute. The fact is that he was never distinguished by either fastidiousness or ambition. He was quite content with what was left after those more crafty than him. He got it from Buddha last year. However, this last year promised to be calm and characterized by abundance. Thus, the Buddha decided to reward the bearer of a wonderful character trait - the ability to not pull the blanket on oneself.
We all know that there is some kind of eastern horoscope in which some animal is responsible for each year. But the history of the emergence of the Eastern horoscope is hardly familiar to anyone. But HoroscopeGuru will tell you what's what! Read on.
Chinese folklore, as you know, is incredibly rich in all sorts of exotic legends. They explain to us where every phenomenon and thing in this world came from. Of course, there are stories about the emergence of this very Eastern horoscope:
The history of the Eastern horoscope - the first legend
The most popular legend says that on his birthday, Buddha invited all the animals who wanted to attend. In general, I had a party! But not simple. It wasn't that easy to get there! First we had to cross a huge, almost icy river. So to speak, entry is only for VIP clients.
Only 12 animals decided to undertake such a feat. Buddha gave each of them a whole year of power. The first was the cunning Rat, who swam across the river, climbing on the back of the Bull. While still on land, while the Ox was trying to put himself in order in order to appear before the Buddha in all his glory, the Rat wasted no time - he took it and jumped forward. But no one scolded her! On the contrary, the sage appreciated her ability to take advantage of the opportunity! That's why she became the main one in the Eastern horoscope.
The history of the Eastern horoscope - the second legend
According to this story, the heavenly Emperor decided to hold a competition to determine the most beautiful animal on planet Earth. First of all, it was necessary to identify the most worthy participants and, in fact, invite them to the event (which was supposed to take place at 6 o’clock in the morning). For this, the Emperor sent his Servant, who selected 12 animals. Among them was the Cat, who, knowing about his weaknesses, asked the Rat to wake him up, because he simply did not know how to get up so early. Eh, naive! Of course, she didn’t do this, even though she promised. So one competitor was removed.
At the event, the Emperor liked the Ox the most, but the Rat again was not at a loss. She climbed onto the Bull's back and began to play the pipe so soulfully that she was eventually given the palm. And the Cat, who had slept through his happiness, was replaced by a completely random animal - a Pig.
The history of the Eastern horoscope - animals and elements
A very important component of the eastern horoscope is the element that corresponds to it in a certain year, as well as the characteristics of its strength. Each of the five elements has its own color shade: – green, – blue (or black), – white, – yellow (or ocher), – red. Their strength is denoted by either (that is, the masculine principle) or (that is, the feminine principle). The combination of all these factors, as well as the peculiarities of the movement of Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon, form the character traits of a person.
As you already know, the years are also ruled by 12 animals, which are symbols of certain human qualities:
- Sign: determination and talent;
- Sign: strength and flexibility;
- Sign: courage and grace;
- Sign: art of speaking;
- Sign: originality and freedom;
- Sign: wisdom and intuition;
- Sign
