Have you ever heard of people saying: This is the year of the goat, this person was born in the year of the dragon, and something that has a relation between the animal and the year? If you are wondering what these are about, let us briefly explain the Chinese zodiac system.
The Chinese zodiac is relatively well-known for naming each year with an animal. For example, the year of the rat, the year of the tiger, the year of the dog, and many others. Do you want to know fun and absorbing facts about the Chinese zodiac? In that case, keep on reading this post as we have incorporated the best details which can capture the reader’s attention.
Introduction To Chinese Zodiac
In general, the Chinese zodiac is a lunar calendar that depends on a division strategy. It allocates a specific animal and its prominent characteristics every year in a twelve-year sequence. These Chinese zodiac signs, which emerged from China, are actually famous in Southeast Asian and East Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and more. If you would like to know more about the interesting facts, make sure to check out the thechinesezodiac.
10 Fascinating Facts About The Chinese Zodiac People Are Not Aware Of
Let’s take a look at the unknown yet engaging information on the Chinese zodiac.
1. Part Of Chinese Astrology And Folklore
Though not many people know about this, the zodiac system is a part of Chinese astrology and mythology. In addition to that, this zodiac system has been influencing the lives of people since historical periods.
2. Chinese Zodiac Animals Are Not Related To Constellations
As you know, the Western zodiac is linked to the constellations extended by the ecliptic plane. However, the Chinese zodiac animals do not have any relation with the constellations or the ecliptic plane. Besides that, the Chinese zodiac has a twelve-part sequence.
3. Chinese Zodiac Is A Reoccurring Series
As we mentioned previously, there are a total of twelve Chinese zodiac signs, which form a reoccurring 12-part cycle. In addition to that, it harmonizes with years instead of 12 months in a single year. 2023 is the year of the rat, 2023 will be the year of the tiger, 2023 will be the year of the rabbit, and the cycle gets repeated.
4. Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs Are Animals
All the twelve signs in the Chinese zodiac are depicted by twelve different animals. They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. However, some Western zodiac signs are not animals even though the name depicts “series or circle of animals.”
5. Every Animal Sign Has A Fixed Element
All twelve animal signs come with a fixed element, and folks believe that this element will specify the individual’s qualities. There are a total of five different fixed elements: Earth, water, metal, fire, and wood. Keep in mind that the zodiac sign has five categories and every element associated with that specific sign reoccurs once every 60 years.
Here is the existing list of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs and their fixed elements:
- Rat – Water
- Ox – Earth
- Tiger – Wood
- Rabbit – Wood
- Dragon – Earth
- Snake – Fire
- Horse – Fire
- Goat – Earth
- Monkey – Metal
- Rooster – Metal
- Dog – Earth
- Pig – Water
6. Finding The Fixed Element
There is a simple technique in order to find your fixed element based on your year of birth. If your birth year ends with either 0 or 1, your fixed element is metal. For the birth year that ends with 2 and 3, the fixed element is water. Wood is the fixed element of people who are born in years that ends with 4 or 5. Your fixed element is fire if your date of birth ends with 6 or 7. Birth years that end with 8 or 9 have Earth as the fixed element.
7. Chinese Zodiac Year Will Not Begin On 1st Of January
Many of us may think that the new sign in the Chinese zodiac will start on the 1st of January every year. However, it is not true as the zodiac sign will begin on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar, which comes between mid-January to late February. But, some traditional folks and a few astrologers speculate that a new zodiac year starts at the Start of Spring, which usually falls on February 4, 5, or 6.
8. Chinese Zodiac Is Used To Specify Time
During historical periods, when there is no time clock, people used this Chinese zodiac system in order to tell time. For instance, they used the 12 animal signs as “12 terrestrial branches” to label the hours. Plus, every zodiac sign depicts two hours, the tiger hours are 3 to 5 pm, the snake hours are 9 to 11 pm, and so on.
9. You May Share The Same Zodiac Sign As Your Mother
There are some situations where you may have the same zodiac sign as your mother. For example, you can share the same zodiac sign with anybody in the world if they are born in the same year. Besides that, you will have the same sign with people who are either younger or older than you by 12, 24, 36, 48 years, and so on.
10. Luck
This fact is more like a myth rather than a fact. It is said that the luckiest of animals of all twelve signs are rabbits (1939, 1951, 63, 75, 87, 99). Contrary to that, the goat is the unluckiest Chinese zodiac sign. Besides that, there is a tradition that says that 9 out of 10 Goats are ineffective. It further states that the majority of people who are born in the year of the Goat are fated with bad luck.
Bottom Line
After going through the details of the Chinese zodiac, we have curated this list, which consists of some of the unknown facts about this zodiac system. We hope that you got to know more about your birth animal, birth element, and more.