Chinese Zodiac

In case some of you forget about your month of birth, i have the following Chinese horoscope for your evaluation. Wish every one a Prosperous and Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2008 ( to whoever celebrate on that day.)

The origin of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac

The twelve animals in the cycle derive from a legend about Buddha who invited all the animals to join him for New Year's Day. Only twelve animals went to see Buddha. As a reward he promised to name a year for each one in order of their arrival, these were the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog and boar.

Actually the ox would have been the first to arrive but the rat sat on his back and jumped off just before they arrived and therefore was first. This also explains why e.g. the dragon appears only in the fifth place. Another legend has it that Buddha invited the animals on the day he was to leave the earth and only 12 animals showed up.

The doctrine of the twelve signs of the zodiac emerged during the Han dynasty which makes it more than 2000 years old. The Chinese Zodiac is thousands of years old and easily predates its Western counterpart.

While Western Astrology is based upon the months of the year, Chinese Astrology is based upon a twelve year lunar cycle. Your sign is determined by the year in which you were born (to be accurate you must use a Chinese calendar). The Chinese lunar year doesn't match the solar year.

Each sign and those born under it, are represented by one of twelve animals, and are ascribed a set of attributes the Chinese believe comprise the nature of each particular animal.

The lunar calendar has a sixty year cycle. In the Chinese horoscope, the five basic elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, which make up all matter, are combined with the twelve animal signs of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Lamb, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig to form the sixty year cycle. One's Chinese horoscope is based on which lunar year in this sixty year cycle one was born.

One of the most interesting uses of the Chinese Zodiac is exploring the compatibility of signs. That is, which duos will make good lover, friend, or partner?