The Chinese Animal Zodiac

The following is an extract from BBC:

The Chinese animal zodiac is a rotating cycle of 12 animals, a different one for each year. These recurring animals represent a concept of time, traditionally used for dating the years in China. The Chinese lunar calendar is based on the cycle of the moon, somewhat different to the western solar calendar, with the beginning of the Chinese year falling somewhere between late January and early February. Although China adopted the western calendar in 1911, they still celebrate the Chinese New Year, giving them a double celebration. Most Chinese calendars have the dates for both the Western and the Chinese New Year printed on them.

Not only is the Chinese New Year celebrated on a different date from the western New Year, but because it is based on the movement of the moon, it also falls on a different date each year. Thus, those born between late January and early February may find their birth year falls in different years between the western New Year and the Chinese New Year.

Order of Animals Legend

According to one Chinese legend, the animals argued over the order of the cycle. They agreed to ask their gods to decide and to abide by their decision. The gods decreed that the animals would race across a river, and that each animal's position in the cycle would be set by its place in the race.

On the day of the race, the 12 animals gathered on the riverbank. As the race began, the rat jumped unnoticed onto the ox's back, and just as the ox reached the other side of the riverbank, the rat jumped off its back and won the race. This is why the rat is first, the ox second, and the last animal in the race, the boar, is last in the cycle. And so the rotating cycle of 12 animals used traditionally for naming the years in China was established, with each animal year repeated every 12 years.

The Twelve Animal Signs

Over the years horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, in much the same way as the star signs (such as Aries, Pisces, etc) of the West. While these might be amusing and fun, the general Chinese populace does generally not regard them as serious.

Personal comments: The Chinese Animal Zodiac borders on the astrology, horoscope and fortune telling. These are explicitly despised by God. Many Chinese both in the Eastern and Western worlds are engrossed with the Zodiac to the extent that superstitious beliefs govern everyday lives, thus creating bondage and demonic interference with human lives.