10 Interesting Facts on the Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese zodiac is best known for its year names (the year of the Dragon etc.). It has influenced people’s lives since ancient times as part of Chinese astrology and folklore. The following are ten interesting facts about the Chinese zodiac.

01. There are 12 signs in the Chinese Zodiac, with the Rat being the first

There are 12 Chinese zodiac signs. The zodiac signs, unlike constellations, are represented by 12 animals. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig are the animals in order.

02. The Chinese zodiac is a recurring cycle

Each year is represented by one of 12 animals, and the Chinese zodiac signs form a recurring 12-year cycle. The year 2018 is the Year of the Dog. And 2022 will be the Tiger’s year.

Your zodiac sign is determined by the year you were born. For example, if you were born in a Rat year (…1972, 1984, 1996, 2008…), you are a Rat. 

03. The year of the zodiac does not begin on January 1st

A Chinese zodiac year, according to popular belief, begins on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. The Chinese New Year is celebrated between the middle of January and the end of February. It will be on February 1st in 2022. 

Others, including some astrologers, believe that the solar term ‘Start of Spring’ marks the start of a new zodiac year (on February 4, 5, or 6).

People born in January or February should pay extra attention to their zodiac sign. To be sure, use the Chinese Animal Zodiac Sign Calculator!

04. There is an element for each zodiac year

Each zodiac year is associated with one of the five elements in Chinese astrology (Gold, Water, Wood, Earth, and Fire). The year 2020, for example, is a Metal Rat year, while 2022 is a Gold Tiger year.

Each zodiac sign has five types, and every 60 years, each element associated with that sign recurs. 

05. Each zodiac sign has personality traits that are predestined

A person’s zodiac sign is determined by the year they were born, and this is thought to influence their personality. People have used horoscopes to predict future events since ancient times, based on zodiac sign characteristics. 

Click here to read more on the personality traits of rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. 

06. The zodiac is implemented in the search for a suitable spouse

The majority of Chinese people believe that zodiac signs are predestined to be compatible to varying degrees. The Chinese zodiac was once used to determine whether two people in a marriage or love relationship were compatible. 

Even today, some people consider zodiac compatibility before beginning a marriage or romantic relationship. Roosters, for example, get along best with Oxen, Dragons, and Snakes, but not with Rabbits, Roosters, or Dogs.

07. The Goat is the unluckiest sign in the zodiac

According to a popular Chinese folktale, 9/10 Goats are insufficient (’10 Goats 9 incomplete’), implying that most people born in the year of the Goat are doomed. 

The majority of Chinese people believe that people born in the year of the Goat will grow up to be followers rather than leaders. Despite the fact that this is an outdated superstition, it has a significant impact on Chinese society.

The Dragon, on the other hand, is the most sought-after zodiac sign, with Chinese births peaking in Dragon years.

08. People use the zodiac to tell the time 

When people didn’t have clocks, they referred to the hours as “the 12 terrestrial branches.” They used the 12 animals to tell the time for the sake of entertainment and convenience. Each zodiac sign corresponded to two hours, for example, the Dog hours were from 7-9 p.m. 

Read more about Chinese zodiac hours.

09. Zodiac birth sign years are unlucky

Because the Chinese zodiac cycle repeats every 12 years, everyone will encounter their birth-sign year at the ages of 12, 24, 36, and so on. People born in the year of their birth sign are said to have bad luck because they offend the God of Age (thought to be Jupiter, which has an orbit of about 12 years).

People born in a Dog year, for example, should be more cautious in all aspects of life, including career, fortune, health, and love, in Dog years like 2018.

10. Your mother’s zodiac sign could be yours 

Because the 12 Chinese zodiac signs follow a 12-year cycle, you may share the same zodiac sign as family members if you are 12, 24, 36… years older or younger.