Overview and Calculator

Unlike the astrology popular in the states, the Chinese Zodiac has existed for centuries. Astrology was developed tens of thousands of years ago as the earliest of ancestors took note of lunar cycles and studied how the stars and planets affect our lives. Western astrology is widely popular, but it is obvious that these horoscopes and personality assessments are very vague and could be applicable to just about anyone and in any situation. But the Chinese Zodiac is very different.

History:

The Chinese Zodiac is based on a legendary tale. The story goes: Buddha invited 12 animals to race for the top spot in the zodiac order. They had to cross the river, and the order in which they finished was the order in which they'd appear. The animals competing were: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat/sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and finally the pig.

Each animal used their own strengths to complete the race. The rat took first place. Being sneaky, he convinced the ox to give him a ride. He used the ox all the way to his 1st place victory. The strong tiger came in 3rd. The rabbit was next thanks to the help of the dragon in the final stretch of the race. The horse would have been next, but the snake was hiding in the horse's hoof. When he jumped out to cross the finish line, the horse got spooked which cost him a slot in the order. The sheep, monkey, and rooster helped each other finish the race in that order. The dog was poised to do well, but he was distracted by the sudden urge to stop and give himself a bath. The pig came in last as he stopped along the way to eat and rest.

Finding your Sign:

The Chinese Zodiac is defined by these 12 animals. Each represents a year in consecutive order. The Chinese Zodiac is determined by birth year as opposed to the month. However, if you are born between December and March, you'll want to use the calculator to insure your accurate title. Their new years change every year, typically taking place in January and February, sometimes even into March. For that reason, you may fall under a different western year than your Chinese Zodiac birth year. To make it simple, plug in your full birthday into the calculator:

http://www.chinesezodiac.com/calculator.php

The traits of each zodiac animal are directly associated with the traits of the actual animal. For example, a pig loves to eat and sleep. So the things determined by your symbol are likely very accurate, whether you'd like to admit to all of them or not! They are more personal and apply to each specific animal. They don't translate to just anyone. The traits are very specific.