1. What is the Chinese Zodiac?

The Chinese Zodiac is a system of astrology that is used to determine a person’s personality traits and predict their future based on the year of their birth. The Chinese Zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year being represented by one of 12 animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

2. How is a person’s Chinese Zodiac sign determined?

A person’s Chinese Zodiac sign is determined by the year of their birth. The 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac begins with the rat and ends with the pig. If a person is born in the year of the rat, for example, their Chinese Zodiac sign would be rat.

3. What are the personality traits associated with each Chinese Zodiac sign?

Each Chinese Zodiac sign is associated with certain personality traits. For example, people born in the year of the rat are said to be intelligent, adaptable, and resourceful, while those born in the year of the ox are said to be hardworking, reliable, and honest.

4. Is the Chinese Zodiac used for anything other than determining personality traits?

The Chinese Zodiac is also used to predict a person’s fortune for the year based on the animal that represents their birth year. It is also sometimes used to choose the most auspicious date for important events, such as weddings or the opening of a business. 

Nevertheless, there are major differences between the two: the animals of the Chinese zodiac are not associated with constellations spanned by the ecliptic plane. The Chinese 12-part cycle corresponds to years, rather than months. The Chinese zodiac is represented by 12 animals, whereas some of the signs in the Western zodiac are not animals, despite the implication of the etymology of the English word zodiac, which derives from zōdiacus, the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek zōidiakòs kýklos (ζῳδιακός κύκλος), meaning “cycle or circle of little animals”.

In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent how others perceive you or how you present yourself.

The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs in order, each with its associated characteristics (Earthly Branch, yin/yang force, Trine, and nature element).

Rat – 鼠, shǔ (子) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Ox – 牛, niú (丑) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Tiger – 虎, hǔ (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Rabbit – 兔, tù (卯) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Dragon – 龙/龍, lóng (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Snake – 蛇, shé (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Horse – 马/馬, mǎ (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Goat – 羊, yáng (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Monkey – 猴, hóu (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Rooster – 鸡/雞, jī (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Dog – 狗, gǒu (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Pig – 猪/豬, zhū (亥) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)

In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent how others perceive you or how you present yourself. It is a common misconception that the animals assigned by year are the only signs, and many Western descriptions of Chinese astrology draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month (called “inner animals”), by day (called “true animals”) and hours (called “secret animals”). The Earth is all 12 signs, 5 seasons.

While a person might appear to be a Dragon because they were born in the year of the Dragon, they might also be a Snake internally, an Ox truly, and a Goat secretly. A conflict between a person’s zodiac sign and how they live is known as Tai Sui, kai sui

The 4 Animal Trines :

First Trine
The first Trine consists of the Rat, Dragon, and Monkey. These three signs are said to be intense and powerful individuals capable of great good, who make great leaders but are rather unpredictable. The three are said to be intelligent, magnanimous, charismatic, charming, authoritative, confident, eloquent and artistic, but can be manipulative, jealous, selfish, aggressive, vindictive, and deceitful.

Second Trine
The second Trine consists of the Ox, Snake, and Rooster. These three signs are said to possess endurance and application, with slow accumulation of energy, meticulous at planning but tending to hold fixed opinions. The three are said to be intelligent, hard-working, modest, industrious, loyal, philosophical, patient, goodhearted and morally upright, but can also be self-righteous, egotistical, vain, judgmental, narrow-minded, and petty.

Third Trine
The third Trine consists of the Tiger, Horse, and Dog. These three signs are said to seek true love, to pursue humanitarian causes, to be idealistic and independent but tending to be impulsive. The three are said to be productive, enthusiastic, independent, engaging, dynamic, honorable, loyal and protective, but can also be rash, rebellious, quarrelsome, anxious, disagreeable, and stubborn.

Fourth Trine
The fourth Trine consists of the Rabbit, Goat, and Pig. These three signs are said to have a calm nature and somewhat reasonable approach; they seek aesthetic beauty and are artistic, well-mannered and compassionate, yet detached and resigned to their condition. The three are said to be caring, self-sacrificing, obliging, sensible, creative, empathetic, tactful and prudent, but can also be naïve, pedantic, insecure, selfish, indecisive, and pessimistic.

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