Zodiac animals

Since Jupiter takes roughly twelve (Earth) years to orbit the Sun and there are twelve cycles of the Earth's moon each year, calendars have been divided into twelve months for around 5,000 years.

In the 5th century BC in China, the same number twelve was adopted to count the years, months, days and hours (two 60-minute hours in a 24-hour day). An animal was associated with each of the twelve periods as a way to describe attributes of each period. Both the animals and attributes arrived in Japan during the 2th or 4th centuries AD. (The Japanese term for the animal horoscope or animal astrology is 十二支 jūnishī which translates to the "twelve signs", and those signs are the 黄道帯 ōdōtai, the "animal zodiac".)

The attributes of the twelve changed slightly from the original Chinese to adapt to differences in Japanese culture yet they retain the same yin-yang features to maintain the balance of attributes.

You can see the zodiac animal for the year you were born in the chart below. Conveniently, now the Japanese zodiac year begins on 1 January, unlike the Chinese zodiac year which traditionally begins on the 1st day of the lunar month.

You'll notice that the Japanese zodiac years at start of the 20th century (1 January 1900) start with the first zodiac animal (mouse). That's because Japan officially adopted the Chinese calendar in 604 AD. (1,900 - 604 = 1,296 years, which is divisible by 12 with no remainder.)

The year 604 AD was in the Sui dynasty when Yang became emperor. It is unknown whether or not he reset zodiac year for the first animal to be the mouse, neither is it known whether emperors before Yang might have reset the zodiac from the original version sometime in the 5^th century. Therefore, the years shown for each animal below might, or might not, be based on the 5^th century zodiac.

What do they mean?

For horoscopes of the Western zodiac (based on constellations) and also of the animal zodiac (based on lunar phases), the meaning of the signs and symbols depends entirely on whatever you believe has been written by various people over the years.

You can see many horoscopes on the internet, most of which are quite similar. Here, we show some of the commonly agreed traits.

It includes the fluffy language often added to horoscopes to make you feel good about yourself. But despite some people's obsession with horoscopes, your true character is the result of how you've developed and been influenced by other environmental factors, rather than just the year you were born.

Nevertheless, the following is probably what you came to this page to read:

Mouse 

People born in the year of the mouse are sociable and friendly, and have a personality that often makes them somebody who other people look up to. They have a high ability to adapt easily to any environment, making it easy for others to gather around them. They are also cautious and methodical, and good at working hard toward their goals. However, because they have great attention to detail, they often feel stressed. Although they usually appear to be gentle, they can actually have strong likes and dislikes, and may surprise those around them by suddenly exploding their emotions.

To summarise, they are gentle, frugal, patient, systematic

Cow

People born in the year of the cow have a calm personality, just as you would expect from a cow. But that doesn't mean they're just laid back, rather they are thoughtful and consider things before acting. Inside they hate losing and can show anger. They work at their own pace and have a strong will. They can work towards their set goals without being swayed by changes in the atmosphere around them. Although they are a slow starter, they are honest and intelligent, so they are the type of person who can achieve great success in the end.

To summarise, they are stubborn, sincere, calm and collected, and have conviction.

Tiger

People born in the year of the tiger has the courage and energy to take action, and is willing to do what they think is necessary and take on new challenges. Like a tiger aiming at its prey, they have outstanding concentration and explosive power. And even if they hit a wall, they have the power to overcome it. They have a certain charisma due to their bravery, sense of justice and passionate personality, which allows them to stand up to anything without fear. On the other hand, because they have a strong will, they can be uncooperative. They are not good at adjusting to others, therefore better suited for working alone than teamwork.

To summarise, they are aspirating, romantic, perfectionist, forthright in saying what they mean

Rabbit

People born in the year of the rabbit have a quiet personality, yet they are charming and have good manners. On the one hand, they are popular for being quick to the point, but there are times when their own happiness is the most important thing. They are good at building business-like relationships while managing effectively. They try their hand at whatever they're interested in, and tend to act according to their mood. People around them might get the impression that they are elusive.

To summarise, they are moody, pacifist, dexterous, elegant, sensitive

Dragon

People born in the year of the dragon have a rich sense of sensibility and an ability to think outside the box. Although they don't show their emotions much, they have high ideals hidden inside and are actually very energetic. Another characteristic is that they often accomplish amazing things one after another and lead dramatic lives. They have a strong pride and a competitive nature, and their honest and refreshing personality makes them suitable leaders. However, since they tend to get hot and cold easily, they tend to unconsciously influence people around them, and may often come across as fickle and selfish.

To summarise, they are a person with ideas, challenging, self-paced, confident, curious.

Snake

People born in the year of the snake are always calm and collected, and they are a realistic idealist. They have an image of being cool and intelligent, but are also secretive and don't reveal their true feelings, so they're often seen as cold. However, because they have a quick wit and a keen observation, they actually have an excellent sense of humour. It's the type of game where the original fun comes out once you get used to it. In addition, they are very particular about what they decide on, and have a tenacity to persevere until satisfied with the decision. However, when it comes to interpersonal relationships, they tend to be seen as a persistent person because they always hold onto the unpleasant things that people have done to them.

To summarise, they are well prepared, proud, ambitious, caring, logical.

Horse

People born in the year of the horse have a friendly personality and can get along well with anyone. They are the type of person who takes initiative, so have a wide network of contacts and quick to take on challenges. Because they are full of an adventurous spirit and can use their time efficiently, their experience is likely to be higher than others. However, because they are impatient and have a rough side, they have difficulty maintaining long-term goals. It is best to take advantage of their high explosive power and work in a short-tempered and focused manner. In addition, they are good-natured and easily influenced by emotions and easily trusts others, so they may need to take care not to be deceived.

To summarise, they are sociable yet independent, active, tolerant, hardworking

Sheep

People born in the year of the sheep are soft-hearted and gentle pacifists. They don't like conflict and rarely get angry, and treat everyone honestly. Because of this, they always pay attention to their surroundings and value ​​cooperation, which is why people tend to think of them favourably. They are also generally passive and conservative, so feel uneasy about acting haphazardly and being uncertain about the future. They keep their feet on the ground, plan well, and assess every possible risk before taking action, but can also be overly cautious.

To summarise, they are humane, kind, single-minded, indecisive, keen to maintain the status quo

Monkey

People born in the year of the monkey are popular, easy to talk to and difficult to hate. They like to stand out and be admired, shine at parties and in large groups. They demonstrate a spirit of service by actively livening things up and making people laugh with jokes. They are very quick-witted, so they are good at troubleshooting, able to read people's moods and manage effectively. However, that means they tend to be viewed from above, which may lead to resentment. Also, because they get bored easily and are restless, they tend to give the impression of being irresponsible.

To summarise, they are curious, flashy, calculating, optimistic, overconfident

Cock 

People born in the year of the cock have a well-balanced overall ability. They are extremely intuitive and have the ability to foresee the future. They are also characterized by their ability to look at things objectively and make decisions calmly and quickly. Also, since they are methodical and cannot tolerate compromise, they tend to be too particular and expect the same level from others, and tend to do things in their own way. They have a strong competitive spirit and can't stand the idea of ​​other people being given preferential treatment over them. They have a dual personality, calm on the outside but on the inside flaming with emotion. They only show their true feelings to a limited number of people.

To summarise, they are enthusiastic, strong self-esteem, good memory, insight.

Dog

People born in the year of the dog are, as expected of canines, loyal and obedient. They have a strong sense of duty and humanity, and value their friends and those they have received benefit from, and will never betray anyone. They have a stronger sense of responsibility and justice than anyone else, so always complete whatever they undertake. Because of their honest and serious personality, they tend to see things clearly in black and white, and are unable to overlook other people's flaws. Although they are the type of person who doesn't reveal their true feelings easily and take time to forgive, they are very affectionate and single-minded, and will love the person they trust for the rest of their life.

To summarise, they are passionate, disciplined, stubborn, anxious, clear-headed.

Boar

People born in the year of the boar have a strong sense of justice and are a serious person who is strict with themself and others. No matter who the other person is, they make their point clearly and are unafraid. They have a strong will, so if they decide to do something, they will go straight for it, but need to be careful as they may push themself to the limit both physically and mentally. Also, they are serious and can be difficult to joke around with, giving the impression of being formal or intimidating, which can easily lead to misunderstandings. They are very kind and have a warm heart, acting without considering profit or loss. Although their clumsy and difficult-to-understand personality is a flaw, they are not the type that people dislike.

To summarise, they rush forward, honest, hard worker, not giving up, pure.

Legend

There are several stories about why certain animals are used, and why they are in a particular order. And here's one of them:

Compatibility

There are many fancy diagrams published which supposedly show you which animal types are compatible and incompatible with your own zodiac animal.

But such charts themselves are incompatible with the essence of the zodiac, which was created in China at the height of Confucian belief that everybody has a role to play in society. Saying that somebody born-in-the-year-x is (in)compatible with somebody born-in-the-year-y is just an excuse. It will not affect who you get on with, and who you don't.

As you well know, whatever year you were born in, your character and personality is greatly, if not entirely, influenced by what's happened in the years after you were born.

Anything else?

Of course there is!

See Yakudoshi - predicting your years of misfortune

And for some further researched information about the zodiac, see onmarkproductions.com/html/12-zodiac.shtml.