“Are you a monkey?”
“What?”
“I think you’re a pig.”
“Excuse me?”
“You look like a horse.”
“How dare you! Now look here….”
These questions may seem insulting in the West, but here in China this inquisitive individual is merely trying to understand what kind of person you are. You see in China, one’s personality is not judged by their Western star sign (Sagittarius, Aquarius etc), but by one of the 12 animal signs that represent the 12 types of personality and make up the 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Each year is assigned its own animal and you are designated an animal by your year of birth. But it doesn’t stop there; the Chinese zodiac is a lot more complex.
Based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar, this 60-year cycle is comprised of 2 separate interlacing cycles; the first being the 5 elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water (based on the 5 major planets: Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn) in both their Yin (dark) and Yang (light) forms. In Chinese philosophy, everything that is perceived in the natural world (including astronomical phenomenon) have two opposing faces that in turn, complete each other to make a whole. In the zodiac, the 5 elements are a further breakdown of this theory and serve to modify and affect the characteristics of the 12 animals, therefore each animal is governed by both an element plus either a Yin or Yang form (think Scorpio as a water sign, Leo as a fire sign etc).
The second cycle is the 12 animals (in order) – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. These animals are the representations of the 12 Earthly Branches – a system which ancient astronomers used to divide the celestial circle into 12 points in order to plot the orbit of Jupiter (Suìxīng – literally the Year Star) as it traversed the sky.
There are a few myths about how these particular 12 animals were chosen. One myth has it that the Jade Emperor invited all animals in creation to a race and only 12 of them showed up and he honoured them by immortalising them in the zodiac according to their position in the race that is where they were positioned in the cycle, with the rat in first place and the boar in last.
Within ones animal year there is a monthly animal (or inner animal) and within one’s inner animal there is also an hourly animal (or secret animal). The monthly animals follow the agricultural (lunisolar) calendar which divides the year into 24 two week segments with each animal being linked to two of these periods (being roughly equivalent to a Gregorian month). While the yearly animals of the zodiac are used to identify ones personality, the monthly animals are concerned with what motivates an individual. As it gives a better indication of ones inner being, feelings and emotions, it is also essential to gain a better understanding of the individual’s compatibility with other animal signs.
The days, like the months, are also divided into 24 hour segments with each animal being allocated their own 2 hour period. These hourly (secret) animals are said to be the truest representation of ones personality as they centre on the precise time of the individual’s birth.
There is a complicated and arduous method of fortune telling based on ones birth year and birth hour which is still in common practice today in China and is known as zǐwēidǒushù (literally purple star calculation).
Although this age-old mysticism carries much cultural weight, few young Chinese take it seriously today and only use it as a way to understand someone’s age rather than their personality. However horoscopes can still be found in papers and magazines warning rabbits to stay away from snakes and letting the rats know that 2008 will be their year, and for all the lonely hearts out there in horoscope land, here’s a tip to improve your chances in finding that special someone: some animals are more compatible than others.
Here is a quick rundown of the 12 animals, their good and bad personality traits and their compatible partners!
Rat (Mouse) – (years: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)
Positive personality traits – Intelligent, great leadership skills, ambitious, strong-willed, meticulous and systematic.
Negative personality traits - Selfish, greedy, manipulative, cruel, quick-tempered, aggressive.
Compatible with: Monkey, Dragon, Ox.
Ox (Cow) – (years: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1972, 1985, 1997, 2009)
Positive personality traits – Dependable, industrious, modest, patient, positive, hard-working.
Negative personality traits – Stubborn, petty, possessive, dogmatic, gullable, critical.
Compatible with: Rat, Snake, Rooster.
Tiger – (years: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1973, 1986, 1998, 2010)
Positive personality traits – Courageous, energetic, honest, determined, optimistic, independent.
Negative personality traits – selfish, impatient, hot-tempered, opinionated, impulsive, rebellious.
Compatible with: Horse, Dog, Boar.
Rabbit – (years: 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1974, 1987, 1999, 2011)
Positive personality traits – Well-mannered, cultured, diplomatic, hospitable, sensitive, intelligent.
Negative personality traits – Gossipy, naïve, timid, gullible, prone to hypochondria, indecisive.
Compatible with: Sheep, Dog, Boar.
Dragon – (years: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)
Positive personality traits – Ambitious, charismatic, dignified, powerful, noble, magnanimous.
Negative personality traits – judgmental, arrogant, intolerant, demanding, pompous, imperious.
Compatible with: Rat, Rooster, Monkey, Snake.
Snake – (years: 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)
Positive personality traits – wise, profound, discreet, organised, compassionate, logical.
Negative personality traits – indifferent, judgmental, critical, anxious, sore loser, intense.
Compatible with: Ox, Rooster, Dragon.
Horse – (years: 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)
Positive personality traits – Adventurous, enthusiastic, original, independent, creative, lively.
Negative personality traits – Fickle, impatient, not serious, tactless, rash, overly-talkative.
Compatible with: Tiger, Dog, Sheep.
Sheep (Goat) – (years: 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)
Positive personality traits – Creative, empathetic, modest, intuitive, generous, compliant.
Negative personality traits– lazy, irresponsible, self-pitying, insecure, capricious, anxious.
Compatible with: Rabbit, Horse, Boar.
Monkey – (years: 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)
Positive personality traits – Witty, honest, humorous, inventive, versatile, independent.
Negative personality traits – Manipulative, egotistical, meddling, careless, opinionated, superficial.
Compatible with: Rat, Dragon.
Rooster – (years: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)
Positive personality traits – Observant, brave, meticulous, enthusiastic, witty, social.
Negative personality traits – Self involved, materialistic, pretentious, vain, bossy, fussy.
Compatible with: Snake, Dragon, Ox.
Dog – (years: 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)
Positive personality traits – Loyal, well-meaning, playful, patient, modest, versatile.
Negative personality traits – Nervous, pessimistic, sarcastic, accusing, self-righteous, petty.
Compatible with: Tiger, Horse, Monkey.
Boar (Pig) – (years: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)
Positive personality traits – Honest, caring, tolerant, hospitable, social, popular.
Negative personality traits – Materialistic, vulnerable, spendthrift, indulgent, hesitant, naïve.
Compatible with: Sheep, Rabbit, Tiger.