It is very difficult to find a person who would not have heard of the Chinese horoscope, and would not know that it is very far from the European one we are used to. But it is even more difficult to find someone who would understand that everything there is far from being limited to patron animals of certain years. Therefore, today you and I will try to understand this complex topic and understand, at least on a basic level, exactly how the Chinese zodiac signs determine human destinies and influence life.
Chinese horoscope: the basics
Year of birth
Depending on the year in which you were born, you will be protected by a certain animal. And not only care, but also determine some traits of your character (but more on that later). There are 12 of them in total: rat, bull, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
There are two versions of why they were chosen. According to the first, these animals visited the Buddha before he ascended to Nirvana.
According to the second, when the legendary Jade Emperor was forming the zodiac circle, he chose these animals because they embodied the virtues that were important to him.
But let's not be too distracted by mythology, but rather consider a specific Chinese horoscope by year.
Rat: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Taurus: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit: 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake: 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse: 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Goat: 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey: 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog: 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Pig: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Seems simple, right? But there are many nuances in the Chinese horoscope. For example, such.
It is based not on the solar, but on the lunar calendar, so the date of the beginning of the new year floats in it - from January 21 to February 21. And those born in winter may have some problems with the exact definition of which zodiac signs from the Chinese horoscope will take care of them.
In Chinese, one character means goat, sheep, and ram. Therefore, you can choose the animal that you like the most. But it is traditionally believed that it is about a goat.
Cat, rabbit or hare? All three are suitable. Again, what for a hare, what for a rabbit, the hieroglyph is common. It is more difficult with a cat. According to the version with the Jade Emperor, it was the cat that was to become the 4th among the zodiac signs of the Chinese horoscope. And he would have become one, if he had not slept through the distribution procedure. We had to urgently look for a replacement, which became a hare/rabbit.
Characteristics, lucky numbers and colors
In the Eastern tradition, it is believed that the Chinese zodiac signs give their wards their own specific character traits. Only in the east, the same rats are endowed with completely different attributes than are customary in the west. Also, each sign has both positive and negative character traits, which once again emphasizes the dualism of everything in Chinese philosophy. So the case here is as follows.
Rat: inspiration, vigilance, flexibility and vitality. But at the same time, such people are not persistent, persistent and stable enough, and they also do not resist external pressure well. Numbers: 2,3. Colors: blue, gold, green.
Taurus: honesty, intelligence, hard work and stability. Such people are very devoted to their work, family, and friends. But at the same time, they are too stubborn, mannered and do not know how to express their feelings and emotions very well. Numbers: 9 and 1. Colors: blue, red, purple.
Tiger: courage, intelligence, attentiveness and resilience. Unfortunately, those who are cared for by this sign of the Chinese zodiac are very hot-tempered and do not willingly take an interest in matters that have no practical significance for them personally. Numbers: 1,3 and 4. Colors: blue, gray, white, orange.
Rabbit: Modesty, sensitivity, compassion and a sense of humor. But at the same time, rabbits are quite wasteful and stubborn, although indecisive. And let's not forget about the cat, who overslept his appointment as a patron, which is why such people are also quite lazy. Numbers: 1,4 and 9. Colors: red, pink, purple and blue.
Dragon: self-confidence, romanticism, energy and a tendency to make everything perfect. They are also characterized by some arrogance, intolerance of other people's shortcomings and excessive self-confidence. Numbers: 1,6 and 7. Colors: gold, silver, gray.
Snake: wisdom, prudence, efficiency and the ability to make money from your talents. Unfortunately, snakes can also be overly suspicious, jealous, and picky. Numbers: 2,8 and 9. Colors: red, black, yellow.
Horse: kindness, intelligence, optimism and emotionality. However, such people are also considered too impatient and superficial, even restless. Numbers: 2,3,7. Colors: brown, yellow, purple.
Goat: intelligence, delicacy, openness and good taste. At the same time, goats are often shy, pessimistic, capricious and tend to worry over little things. Numbers: 3,4, 9. Colors: green, red, purple.
Monkey: cleverness, originality, intelligence and flexibility. But those under the care of this sign of the Chinese horoscope can also be jealous, selfish and intolerant of other people's shortcomings. Numbers: 1, 7, 8. Colors: white, blue, gold.
Rooster: sociability, giftedness, independence and tendency to carefully analyze the surrounding world. Only they are also overly self-confident and do not know how to communicate with other people very well. Numbers: 5, 7, 8. Colors: gold, yellow, brown.
Dog: loyalty, responsibility, bravery and the ability to soberly assess what is happening. But at the same time, such people are easily distracted, often cling to others and are excessively harsh in their judgments. Numbers: 3,4, 9. Colors: green, red, purple.
Pig: Honesty, perseverance, optimism and resilience. It's just that they are often excessively naive, impulsive and do not know how to stop in time. Numbers: 2, 5, 8. Colors: brown, yellow, gold.
Chinese compatibility horoscope
Given the typical characteristics of the character, different signs of the Chinese horoscope interact with each other in different ways. Some of them will find it much easier to build relationships and simply interact than others. If we simplify, then the cases here are as follows:
Rat. Easy with dragon, bull and monkey. Difficult with sheep, horse and rabbit.
Bull. Easy with rat, snake and rooster. Difficult with a horse, dog and goat.
Tiger. Easy with horse and dog. Difficult with snake and monkey.
Rabbit. Easy with sheep, pig and dog. Difficult with a rat and a dragon.
Dragon. Easy with a rat, a monkey, a rooster. Difficult with a bull, a dog and a rabbit.
Snake. Easy with bull and rooster. Difficult with a tiger and a pig.
Horse. Easy with tiger, goat, dog. It is difficult with a rat, a bull, a rabbit.
Goat. Easy with rabbit, horse and pig. Difficult with a bull and a dog
Monkey. Easy with rat, dragon and snake. Difficult with a tiger and a pig.
Cock. Easy with the bull, dragon and snake. Difficult with a rat, rabbit and dog.
Dog. Easy with tiger, rabbit and horse. Difficult with bull, dragon, goat and rooster.
Pig. Easy with goat and rabbit. It is difficult with a snake, a monkey and another pig (this also happens).
As you may have noticed, the ease or difficulty of communication does not have to be two-way. A rat, for example, is easy with a dragon, just as a dragon is with a rat. And it is difficult for a horse to communicate with a rabbit, although he is fine with her.
Four pillars of fate
Further development of the idea of the Chinese horoscope. The fact is that in the Eastern tradition, it is believed that the character of a person is influenced not only by the year, but also by the exact time of his birth. This brings it closer to European natal charts, only there, unlike planets and constellations, Chinese zodiac signs come into play.
Therefore, a person can be born in the year of the pig, but have character traits that are much more characteristic of someone who is cared for by a rooster. Or a rat. And all these regularities are united in the concept of "pillars of fate", which we will talk about with you. And the year of your birth, which we actively talked about earlier, is the first pillar of fate, which determines mainly the early years of life and some basic character traits.
"Inner Animal"
The second pillar, determined by the month of birth. Here we can draw a direct parallel with the European zodiac we are used to. It is believed that the "inner animal" determines the character from the beginning of adolescence until the final adulthood. Because the Chinese horoscope takes into account the fact that people tend to change over time.
Rat. December 7 - January 5.
Bull. January 6 - February 3.
Tiger. February 4 - March 5.
Rabbit. March 6 - April 4.
Dragon. April 5 - May 4.
Snake. May 5 - June 5.
Horse. June 6 - July 6.
Goat. July 7 - August 6
Monkey. August 7 - September 7.
Cock. September 8 - October 7.
Dog. October 8 - November 6.
Pig. November 7 - December 6.
"Day pillar"
Chinese zodiac signs also correspond to days. But we will not describe them in detail here, since in the Chinese horoscope they change according to the sixtieth cycle. That is, the sign itself plus one of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire or earth.
This pillar is believed to define your character as an adult, as well as what your married life will be like. So when you study the Chinese compatibility horoscope to plan your future relationship, consider not only the year of birth, but also the day.
"Secret Animal"
The fourth pillar, determined by the hour of birth. It is believed to be your self-image. So to speak, the "real me", without the influence of upbringing or environment. You can even say, "a source of inner strength." And it is he who determines your relationship with your children and your later years of life.
Rat. 23.00 - 1.00
Bull. 1.00 - 3.00
Tiger. 3.00 - 5.00
Rabbit. 5.00 - 7.00
Dragon. 7.00 - 9.00
Snake. 9.00 - 11.00
Horse. 11.00 - 13.00
Goat. 13.00 - 15.00
Monkey. 15.00 - 17.00
Rooster . 17.00 - 19.00
Dog. 19.00 - 21.00
Pig. 21.00 - 23.00.
Yin and yang
The basis of Chinese dualism. It is believed that yin is odd numbers, passivity, coldness, femininity, dark energy. Yang, on the contrary - even numbers, activity, warmth, courage, bright energy. And so, later, yin smoothly flows into yang, and vice versa.
The Chinese zodiac signs are also double: those whose years end in even numbers belong to yang, the rest to yin.
Elements
The last digit of the year of birth determines the dominant element. The regularity here is simple:
0 and 1 - metal
2 and 3 - water
4 and 5 - wood
6 and 7 - fire
8 and 9 - land
Why is this even important? And because the elements affect each other both creatively and destructively. For example, a person born in 2000, whose element is metal, will have a rather difficult time in 2026, when fire, which dominates metal, will dominate. And in 2028, when the earth will be active, on the contrary, life will become easier, because the earth will strengthen its element.
"Heavenly Trunks" and "Earthly Branches"
Two more important concepts of the Chinese horoscope. "Heavenly Trunks" is a ten-year cycle determined by the combination of an element and yin/yang. For example, the year 2002 was the year of the horse, and it had the "trunk" of water yang. "Earth branches" are, in fact, the Chinese zodiac animals themselves. And all this forms the sixtieth cycle of the "pillar of the day" mentioned above.
How to work with the Chinese horoscope?
Let's start with the fact that this is a constant factor. Everyone born in the year of the Rabbit, for example, will have tendencies towards certain character traits, both positive and negative. But propensity is not a 100% probability. This is a "signal" about what needs to be worked on, and what, on the contrary, can be used as a tool for achieving goals.
The same with the interactions of elements, yin/yang and numbers. If it is positive, then you will have more chances of success, but only if you actually do something. And if it is negative, then you better know about it in order to show more caution and prudence.
It is quite difficult to figure it out yourself, because in reality everything is much more complicated than the simple schemes and principles of interaction described by us. So if you don't want to dig into them yourself, you can turn to an astrologer or a Feng Shui specialist. For them, the Chinese horoscope is the main work tool, so they will write everything down for you in detail and give specific advice. For example, about what talismans you can carry with you to reduce the negative impact of unfavorable time intervals. Or about which days are more suitable for making important decisions and risky actions.
In any case, remember that it is you who determine your destiny, and the stars, planets, talismans, lucky numbers and signs of the Chinese zodiac are only factors that can make this task easier or, on the contrary, somewhat difficult for you.
