Chinese Zodiac – Some interesting Facts
Dr. Michael Oon
The Western Zodiac system has 12 signs for each month, a cycle of 12 in a year.
With the Chinese zodiac, the 12 signs are derived from the ancients' musings about archetypal animals, people's personalities and fortunes, and their relationships with one another and years of birth. A myth about a celestial race was later developed to explain the Chinese zodiac sequence.
This differs from Western astrology, where the 12 zodiac signs are based on constellations' positions relative to the earth. The constellations were named according to Greek mythology, and astrological theory was developed based on the stars supposed influence on human personalities and lives.
This system which is used by about one-quarter of the world's population in the Eastern Hemisphere has influenced the choice of partners (life and business), dates of birth of children and attitudes.
Year for Zodiac Animals. The year starts from 4th February to 3rd February of the following year.
| Zodiac Animal | Recent years |
| Rat | 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| Ox | 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 |
| Tiger | 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| Rabbit | 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 |
| Dragon | 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 |
| Snake | 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 |
| Horse | 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| Sheep | 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| Monkey | 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2021, 2033 |
| Rooster | 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 |
| Dog | 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 |
| Pig | 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 |
The personality of people born under the year of the following animals of the Chinese Zodiac,
Characteristics
| Animal | Personality |
| Rat | Smart, Charming, persuasive |
| Ox | Patient, hardworking, determined |
| Tiger | Authoritative, courageous, intense |
| Rabbit | Popular, sincere, compassionate |
| Dragon | Energetic, fearless, charismatic |
| Snake | Charming, intelligent, wise |
| Horse | Energetic, animated, impatient |
| Sheep | Shy, kind, mild-mannered |
| Monkey | Fun, active, energetic |
| Rooster | Independent, practical, hardworking |
| Dog | Patient, diligent, faithful |
| Pig | Loving, tolerant, honest |
Compatibility:
A table to identify the compatibility of you with your partner and your family. Also, it can be used to identify good and bad years for you.
| Animal | Best Match | Best Group | Incompatible |
| Rat | Ox | Monkey. Dragon | Horse |
| Ox | Rat | Snake, Rooster | Goat |
| Tiger | Pig | Horse, Dog | Monkey |
| Rabbit | Dog | Pig, Goat | Rooster |
| Dragon | Rooster | Monkey, Rat | Dog |
| Snake | Monkey | Rooster, Ox | Pig |
| Horse | Goat | Tiger, Dog | Rat |
| Goat | Horse | Pig, Rabbit | Ox |
| Monkey | Snake | Rat, Dragon | Tiger |
| Rooster | Dragon | Snake, Ox | Rabbit |
| Dog | Rabbit | Tiger, Horse | Dragon |
| Pig | Tiger | Rabbit, Goat | Snake |
Useful tool:
To find out the age of a person, instead of asking them for either their age or birth year, you could ask them for their Chinese Zodiac sign,
If they say, they were born in the year of the Rat, and it is in the year of the Rat in the year 2020. The person could be 24,36, 48 etc. However, from the person's appearance, you would know which decade he would be in. You have your answer without the embarrassment of a direct question.
Compatibility
- Life or business partner
- Time – A good year or a bad year.
- Creating a family – individual to create a time for prosperity and harmony
How do you use these best match or incompatible signs?
Let us says you were born in the year of the Rat.
Family:
The best compatible life partner is born in the year of the Ox.
You could improve the luck of the family by having children born in the years of the Dragon and Monkey.
Looking for a partner:
You were born in 1996, and you are looking for a suitable partner.
The ideal partner is an ox. The partner could be born in 1997 or 1985.
Also, you could find possible partners who were born in the year of the Monkey (1980 or 92) or Dragon (1988 or 2000).
The person that is incompatible for you is the person born in the year of the Horse (1990 or 2002)
This example applies to both a life partner and a business partner.
Improving luck for a family:
You are born in the year of the Rat, and your partner is born in the year of the Monkey. Ideally, you have a child born in the year of the Dragon.
You are born in the year of the Rat (1984), and your partner is born in the year of the Monkey (1992). The ideal time to have a child is in the year of the Dragon in 2012 or 2024.
This will bring better luck to the whole family.
Luck of the Dragon
Chinese Families prefer to have their children born in the year of the Dragon. It is believed that they will bring luck to the family and also have a great life.
As a consequence, there is usually a 5% increase in the birth rate for the year of the Dragon.
However, the people who are born in the Zodiac Animals Tiger and Goat are considered not as auspicious.
Lucky Years.
You are born in the year of the Rat.
Your best match is the Ox.
Therefore, the years 2021, 2033 are your lucky years
The best group are Zodiac animals are the years of the Monkey and Dragon. Your good years are Monkey (2021, 2033) and Dragon (2024 and 2036).
The Zodiac animal that is not compatible with the Rat is the Horse. The year of the Horse is 2026, 2038 will not be as lucky.
An Introduction to Chinese Calendar and related systems
The Chinese Calendar: A brief history and interesting facts
The 60-year Calendar – the original one?
The Thousand-Year Calendar - the sophisticated one?
Date Selection for Auspicious Timings - The Secret of Success?
