Question: 19969 was the Chinese year of which creature?
Answer: Rat

Written records of the history of China can be found from as early as 1500 BC   under the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC).  Ancient historical texts such as the Records of the Grand Historian (ca. 100 BC) and the Bamboo Annals describe a Xia dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BC), which had no system of writing on a durable medium, before the Shang.  The Yellow River is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization, although cultures originated at various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys millennia ago in the Neolithic era. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations,  and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization. 

Much of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy further developed during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). The Zhou dynasty began to bow to external and internal pressures in the 8th century BC, and the kingdom eventually broke apart into smaller states, beginning in the Spring and Autumn period and reaching full expression in the Warring States period. This is one of multiple periods of failed statehood in Chinese history, the most recent being the Chinese Civil War that started in 1927.

Between eras of multiple kingdoms and warlordism, Chinese dynasties have ruled parts or all of China; in some eras control stretched as far as Xinjiang and Tibet, as at present. In 221 BC Qin Shi Huang united the various warring kingdoms and created for himself the title of "emperor" (huangdi) of the Qin dynasty, marking the beginning of imperial China. Successive dynasties developed bureaucratic systems that enabled the emperor to control vast territories directly. China's last dynasty was the Qing (1644–1912), which was replaced by the Republic of China in 1912, and in the mainland by the People's Republic of China in 1949.

In the 21 centuries from 206 BC until AD 1912, routine administrative tasks were handled by a special elite, the Scholar-officials ("Scholar-gentlemen"). Young men were carefully selected through difficult examinations and were well-versed in calligraphy and philosophy.  
The conventional view of Chinese history is that of alternating periods of political unity and disunity, with China occasionally being dominated by steppe peoples, most of whom were in turn assimilated into the Han Chinese population. Cultural and political influences from other parts of Asia and the Western world, carried by successive waves of immigration, cultural assimilation, expansion, and foreign contact, form the basis of the modern culture of China.

Prehistory 

Paleolithic

What is now China was inhabited by Homo erectus more than a million years ago.  Recent study shows that the stone tools found at Xiaochangliang site are magnetostratigraphically dated to 1.36 million years ago.  The archaeological site of Xihoudu in Shanxi Province is the earliest recorded use of fire by Homo erectus, which is dated 1.27 million years ago.
The excavations at Yuanmou and later Lantian show early habitation. Perhaps the most famous specimen of Homo erectus found in China is the so-called Peking Man discovered in 1923–27. Fossilised teeth of Homo sapiens dating to 125,000–80,000 BCE have been discovered in Fuyan Cave in Dao County in Hunan. 

Neolithic

The Neolithic age in China can be traced back to about 10,000 BC. 

Early evidence for proto-Chinese millet agriculture is radiocarbon-dated to about 7000 BC.  The earliest evidence of cultivated rice, found by the Yangtze River, is carbon-dated to 8,000 years ago. Farming gave rise to the Jiahu culture (7000 to 5800 BC). At Damaidi in Ningxia, 3,172 cliff carvings dating to 6000–5000 BC have been discovered, "featuring 8,453 individual characters such as the sun, moon, stars, gods and scenes of hunting or grazing." These pictographs are reputed to be similar to the earliest characters confirmed to be written Chinese.  Chinese proto-writing existed in Jiahu around 7000 BC, Dadiwan from 5800 BC to 5400 BC, Damaidi around 6000 BC  and Banpo dating from the 5th millennium BC. Some scholars have suggested that Jiahu symbols (7th millennium BC) were the earliest Chinese writing system. Excavation of a Peiligang culture site in Xinzheng county, Henan, found a community that flourished in 5,500 to 4,900 BC, with evidence of agriculture, constructed buildings, pottery, and burial of the dead.  With agriculture came increased population, the ability to store and redistribute crops, and the potential to support specialist craftsmen and administrators. In late Neolithic times, the Yellow River valley began to establish itself as a center of Yangshao culture (5000 BC to 3000 BC), and the first villages were founded; the most archaeologically significant of these was found at Banpo, Xi'an.  Later, Yangshao culture was superseded by the Longshan culture, which was also centered on the Yellow River from about 3000 BC to 2000 BC.

Bronze Age

Bronze artifacts have been found at the Majiayao culture site (between 3100 and 2700 BC),   The Bronze Age is also represented at the Lower Xiajiadian culture  (2200–1600 BC ) site in northeast China.

Ancient China 

Xia dynasty (c. 2100 – c. 1600 BC)

The Xia dynasty of China (from c. 2100 to c. 1600 BC) is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian and Bamboo Annals.

Although there is disagreement as to whether the dynasty actually existed, there is some archaeological evidence pointing to its possible existence. Writing in the late 2nd century BC, Sima Qian dated the founding of the Xia dynasty to around 2200 BC, but this date has not been corroborated. Most archaeologists now connect the Xia to excavations at Erlitou in central Henan province,  where a bronze smelter from around 2000 BC was unearthed. Early markings from this period found on pottery and shells are thought to be ancestral to modern Chinese characters.  With few clear records matching the Shang oracle bones or the Zhou bronze vessel writings, the Xia era remains poorly understood.

According to mythology, the dynasty ended around 1600 BC as a consequence of the Battle of Mingtiao.

Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC)

Capital: Yin, near Anyang

Archaeological findings providing evidence for the existence of the Shang dynasty, c. 1600–1046 BC, are divided into two sets. The first set, from the earlier Shang period, comes from sources at Erligang, Zhengzhou, and Shangcheng. The second set, from the later Shang or Yin (殷) period, is at Anyang, in modern-day Henan, which has been confirmed as the last of the Shang's nine capitals (c. 1300–1046 BC). The findings at Anyang include the earliest written record of Chinese past so far discovered: inscriptions of divination records in ancient Chinese writing on the bones or shells of animals — the so-called "oracle bones", dating from around 1500 BC.

31 kings reigned over the Shang dynasty. During their reign, according to the Records of the Grand Historian, the capital city was moved six times. The final (and most important) move was to Yin in 1350 BC which led to the dynasty's golden age. The term Yin dynasty has been synonymous with the Shang dynasty in history, although it has lately been used to refer specifically to the latter half of the Shang dynasty.

Chinese historians living in later periods were accustomed to the notion of one dynasty succeeding another, but the actual political situation in early China is known to have been much more complicated. Hence, as some scholars of China suggest, the Xia and the Shang can possibly refer to political entities that existed concurrently, just as the early Zhou is known to have existed at the same time as the Shang.

Although written records found at Anyang confirm the existence of the Shang dynasty, Western scholars are often hesitant to associate settlements that are contemporaneous with the Anyang settlement with the Shang dynasty. For example, archaeological findings at Sanxingdui suggest a technologically advanced civilization culturally unlike Anyang. The evidence is inconclusive in proving how far the Shang realm extended from Anyang. The leading hypothesis is that Anyang, ruled by the same Shang in the official history, coexisted and traded with numerous other culturally diverse settlements in the area that is now referred to as China proper.

Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC)

Capitals: Xi'an, Luoyang

The Zhou dynasty (1046 BC to approximately 256 BC) was the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history. By the end of the 2nd millennium BC, the Zhou dynasty began to emerge in the Yellow River valley, overrunning the territory of the Shang. The Zhou appeared to have begun their rule under a semi-feudal system. The Zhou lived west of the Shang, and the Zhou leader had been appointed Western Protector by the Shang. The ruler of the Zhou, King Wu, with the assistance of his brother, the Duke of Zhou, as regent, managed to defeat the Shang at the Battle of Muye.

The king of Zhou at this time invoked the concept of the Mandate of Heaven to legitimize his rule, a concept that would be influential for almost every succeeding dynasty. Like Shangdi, Heaven (tian) ruled over all the other gods, and it decided who would rule China. It was believed that a ruler had lost the Mandate of Heaven when natural disasters occurred in great number, and when, more realistically, the sovereign had apparently lost his concern for the people. In response, the royal house would be overthrown, and a new house would rule, having been granted the Mandate of Heaven.

The Zhou initially moved their capital west to an area near modern Xi'an, on the Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River, but they would preside over a series of expansions into the Yangtze River valley. This would be the first of many population migrations from north to south in Chinese history.

Spring and Autumn period (722–476 BC)

Capitals: Beijing ; Xi'an 

In the 8th century BC, power became decentralized during the Spring and Autumn period, named after the influential Spring and Autumn Annals. In this period, local military leaders used by the Zhou began to assert their power and vie for hegemony. The situation was aggravated by the invasion of other peoples from the northwest, such as the Qin, forcing the Zhou to move their capital east to Luoyang. This marks the second major phase of the Zhou dynasty: the Eastern Zhou. The Spring and Autumn period is marked by a falling apart of the central Zhou power. In each of the hundreds of states that eventually arose, local strongmen held most of the political power and continued their subservience to the Zhou kings in name only. Some local leaders even started using royal titles for themselves. China now consisted of hundreds of states, some of them only as large as a village with a fort.

The Hundred Schools of Thought of Chinese philosophy blossomed during this period, and such influential intellectual movements as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism and Mohism were founded, partly in response to the changing political world.

Warring States period (476–221 BC)

Capitals: several 

After further political consolidation, seven prominent states remained by the end of 5th century BC, and the years in which these few states battled each other are known as the Warring States period. Though there remained a nominal Zhou king until 256 BC, he was largely a figurehead and held little real power.

As neighboring territories of these warring states, including areas of modern Sichuan and Liaoning, were annexed, they were governed under the new local administrative system of commandery and prefecture (郡縣/郡县). This system had been in use since the Spring and Autumn period, and parts can still be seen in the modern system of Sheng & Xian (province and county, 省縣/省县).

The final expansion in this period began during the reign of Ying Zheng, the king of Qin. His unification of the other six powers, and further annexations in the modern regions of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi in 214 BC, enabled him to proclaim himself the First Emperor (Qin Shi Huang).

Imperial China 

Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)

Capital: Xianyang

Historians often refer to the period from Qin dynasty to the end of Qing dynasty as Imperial China. Though the unified reign of the First Qin Emperor lasted only 12 years, he managed to subdue great parts of what constitutes the core of the Han Chinese homeland and to unite them under a tightly centralized Legalist government seated at Xianyang (close to modern Xi'an). The doctrine of Legalism that guided the Qin emphasized strict adherence to a legal code and the absolute power of the emperor. This philosophy, while effective for expanding the empire in a military fashion, proved unworkable for governing it in peacetime. The Qin Emperor presided over the brutal silencing of political opposition, including the event known as the burning of books and burying of scholars. This would be the impetus behind the later Han synthesis incorporating the more moderate schools of political governance.

Major contributions of the Qin include the concept of a centralized government, the unification of the legal code, development of the written language, measurement, and currency of China after the tribulations of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Even something as basic as the length of axles for carts—which need to match ruts in the roads—had to be made uniform to ensure a viable trading system throughout the empire. Also as part of its centralization, the Qin connected the northern border walls of the states it defeated, making the first Great Wall of China.

A major Qin innovation that lasted until 1912 was reliance upon a trained intellectual elite, the Scholar-official ("Scholar-gentlemen"). They were civil servants appointed by the Emperor to handle daily governance. Talented young men were selected through an elaborate process of imperial examination. They had to demonstrate skill at calligraphy, and had to know knew Confucian philosophy. Historian Wing-Tsit Chan concludes that:
Generally speaking, the record of these scholar-gentlemen has been a worthy one. It was good enough to be praised and imitated in 18th century Europe. Nevertheless, it has given China a tremendous handicap in their transition from government by men to government by law, and personal considerations in Chinese government have been a curse. 

Han dynasty (202 BC–AD 220)

Capitals: Chang'an, Luoyang, Liyang, Xuchang

Western Han

The Han dynasty was founded by Liu Bang, who emerged victorious in the civil war that followed the collapse of the unified but short-lived Qin dynasty. A golden age in Chinese history, the Han dynasty's long period of stability and prosperity consolidated the foundation of China as a unified state under a central imperial bureaucracy, which was to last intermittently for most of the next two millennium. During the Han dynasty, territory of China was extended to most of the China proper and to areas far west. Confucianism was officially elevated to orthodox status and was to shape the subsequent Chinese Civilization. Art, culture and science all advanced to unprecedented heights. With the profound and lasting impacts of this period of Chinese history, the dynasty name "Han" had been taken as the name of the Chinese people, now the dominant ethnic group in modern China, and had been commonly used to refer to Chinese language and written characters.

After the initial Laissez-faire policies of Emperors Wen and Jing, the ambitious Emperor Wu brought the empire to its zenith. To consolidate his power, Confucianism, which emphasizes stability and order in a well-structured society, was given exclusive patronage to be the guiding philosophical thoughts and moral principles of the empire. Imperial Universities were established to support its study and further development, while other schools of thoughts were discouraged.

Major military campaigns were launched to weaken the nomadic Xiongnu Empire, limiting their influence north of the Great Wall. Along with the diplomatic efforts led by Zhang Qian, the sphere of influence of the Han Empire extended to the states in the Tarim Basin, opened up the Silk Road that connected China to the west, stimulating bilateral trade and cultural exchange. To the south, various small kingdoms far beyond the Yangtze River Valley were formally incorporated into the empire.

Emperor Wu also dispatched a series of military campaigns against the Baiyue tribes. The Han annexed Minyue in 135 BC and 111 BC, Nanyue in 111 BC, and Dian in 109 BC.  Migration and military expeditions led to the cultural assimilation of the south.  It also brought the Han into contact with kingdoms in Southeast Asia, introducing diplomacy and trade. 

After Emperor Wu, the empire slipped into gradual stagnation and decline. Economically, the state treasury was strained by excessive campaigns and projects, while land acquisitions by elite families gradually drained the tax base. Various consort clans exerted increasing control over strings of incompetent emperors and eventually the dynasty was briefly interrupted by the usurpation of Wang Mang.

Xin dynasty

In AD 9, the usurper Wang Mang claimed that the Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the Han dynasty and the rise of his own, and he founded the short-lived Xin ("New") dynasty. Wang Mang started an extensive program of land and other economic reforms, including the outlawing of slavery and land nationalization and redistribution. These programs, however, were never supported by the landholding families, because they favored the peasants. The instability of power brought about chaos, uprisings, and loss of territories. This was compounded by mass flooding of the Yellow River; silt buildup caused it to split into two channels and displaced large numbers of farmers. Wang Mang was eventually killed in Weiyang Palace by an enraged peasant mob in AD 23.

Eastern Han

Emperor Guangwu reinstated the Han dynasty with the support of landholding and merchant families at Luoyang, east of the former capital Xi'an. Thus, this new era is termed the Eastern Han dynasty. With the capable administrations of Emperors Ming and Zhang, former glories of the dynasty was reclaimed, with brilliant military and cultural achievements. The Xiongnu Empire was decisively defeated. The diplomat and general Ban Chao further expanded the conquests across the Pamirs to the shores of the Caspian Sea,  thus reopening the Silk Road, and bringing trade, foreign cultures, along with the arrival of Buddhism. With extensive connections with the west, the first of several Roman embassies to China were recorded in Chinese sources, coming from the sea route in AD 166, and a second one in AD 284.

The Eastern Han dynasty was one of the most prolific era of science and technology in ancient China, notably the historic invention of papermaking by Cai Lun, and the numerous contributions by the polymath Zhang Heng.

Three Kingdoms (AD 220–280)

Capitals: Luoyang ; Chengdu ; Jiankang ; Chang'an 

By the 2nd century, the empire declined amidst land acquisitions, invasions, and feuding between consort clans and eunuchs. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in AD 184, ushering in an era of warlords. In the ensuing turmoil, three states tried to gain predominance in the period of the Three Kingdoms. This time period has been greatly romanticized in works such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

After Cao Cao reunified the north in 208, his son proclaimed the Wei dynasty in 220. Soon, Wei's rivals Shu and Wu proclaimed their independence, leading China into the Three Kingdoms period. This period was characterized by a gradual decentralization of the state that had existed during the Qin and Han dynasties, and an increase in the power of great families.

In 265, the Jin dynasty overthrew the Wei and later unified the country in 280, but this union was short-lived.

Jin dynasty (AD 265–420)

Capitals: Chang'an ; Jiankang 

The Jin dynasty was severely weakened by interceine fighting among imperial princes and lost control of northern China after non-Han Chinese settlers rebelled and captured Luoyang and Chang’an.  In 317, a Jin prince in modern-day Nanjing became emperor and continued the dynasty, now known as the Eastern Jin, which held southern China for another century. Prior to this move, historians refer to the Jin dynasty as the Western Jin.

Northern China fragmented into a series of independent kingdoms, most of which were founded by Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Di and Qiang rulers.  These non-Han peoples were ancestors of the Turks, Mongols, and Tibetans. Many had, to some extent, been "sinicized" long before their ascent to power. In fact, some of them, notably the Qiang and the Xiongnu, had already been allowed to live in the frontier regions within the Great Wall since late Han times.  During the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, warfare ravaged the north and prompted large-scale Han Chinese migration south to the Yangtze Basin and Delta.

Northern and Southern dynasties (AD 420–589)

Capitals: Ye, Chang'an ; Jiankang 

In the early 5th century, China entered a period known as the Northern and Southern dynasties, in which parallel regimes ruled the northern and southern halves of the country.  In the south, the Eastern Jin gave way to the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang and finally Chen.  Each of these Southern Dynasties were led by Han Chinese ruling families and used Jiankang (modern Nanjing) as the capital.  They held off attacks from the north and preserved many aspects of Chinese civilization, while northern barbarian regimes began to sinify.

In the north, the last of the Sixteen Kingdoms was extinguished in 439 by the Northern Wei, a kingdom founded by the Xianbei, a nomadic people who unified northern China. The Northern Wei eventually split into the Eastern and Western Wei, which then became the Northern Qi and Northern Zhou.  These regimes were dominated by Xianbei or Han Chinese who had married into Xianbei families.

Despite the division of the country, Buddhism spread throughout the land.   In southern China, fierce debates about whether Buddhism should be allowed were held frequently by the royal court and nobles. Finally, towards the end of the Southern and Northern Dynasties era, Buddhists and Taoists reached a compromise and became more tolerant of each other.

In 589, the Sui dynasty united China once again, ending a prolonged period of division in Chinese history.  In the nearly four centuries between the Han and Sui dynasties, the country was united for only 24 years during the Western Jin.

Sui dynasty (AD 589–618)

Capital: Daxing ; Dongdu 

The Sui dynasty, which lasted 29 years, played a role more important than its length of existence would suggest. The Sui brought China together again and set up many institutions that were to be adopted by their successors, the Tang. These included the government system of Three Departments and Six Ministries, standard coinage, improved defense and expansion of the Great Wall, and official support for Buddhism. Like the Qin, however, the Sui overused their resources and collapsed.

Tang dynasty (AD 618–907)

Capitals: Chang'an, Luoyang

According to historian Mark Edward Lewis:
Most Chinese regard the Tang dynasty (618-907) as the high point of Imperial China, both politically and culturally. The empire reached its greatest size prior to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, becoming the center of and East Asian world linked by religion, script, and many economic and political institutions. Moreover, Tang writers produce the finest poetry in China's great lyric tradition. 

The Tang dynasty was founded by Emperor Gaozu on 18 June 618. It was a golden age of Chinese civilization with significant developments in art, literature, particularly poetry, and technology. Buddhism became the predominant religion for common people. Chang'an (modern Xi'an), the national capital, was the largest city in the world of its time. 

The second emperor, Taizong, started military campaigns to eliminate threats from nomadic tribes, extend the border, and submit neighboring states into a tributary system. Military victories in the Tarim Basin kept the Silk Road open, connecting Chang'an to Central Asia and areas far to the west. In the south, lucrative maritime trade routes began from port cities such as Guangzhou. There was extensive trade with distant foreign countries, and many foreign merchants settled in China, encouraging a cosmopolitan culture. The Tang culture and social systems were observed and imitated by neighboring countries such as Japan. Internally the Grand Canal linked the political heartland in Chang'an to the economic and agricultural centers in the eastern and southern parts of the empire.

Underlying the prosperity of the early Tang dynasty was a strong centralized bureaucracy with efficient policies. The government was organized as "Three Departments and Six Ministries" to separately draft, review, and implement policies. These departments were run by royal family members as well as scholar officials who were selected by imperial examinations. These practices, which matured in the Tang dynasty, were continued by the later dynasties, with some modifications.

Under the Tang "equal-field system" all land was owned by the Emperor and granted to people according to household size. Men granted land were conscripted for military service for a fixed period each year, a military policy known as the "Fubing system". These policies stimulated a rapid growth in productivity and a significant army without much burden on the state treasury. By the dynasty's midpoint, however, standing armies had replaced conscription, and land was continuously falling into the hands of private owners.

The dynasty continued to flourish under Empress Wu Zetian, the only empress regnant in Chinese history, and reached its zenith during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, who oversaw an empire that stretched from the Pacific to the Aral Sea with at least 50 million people.

At the zenith of prosperity of the empire, the An Lushan Rebellion from 755 to 763 was a watershed event that devastated the population and drastically weakened the central imperial government. Upon suppression of the rebellion, regional military governors, known as Jiedushi, gained increasingly autonomous status. With loss of revenue from land tax, the central imperial government relied heavily on salt monopoly. Nevertheless, civil society recovered and thrived amidst the weakened imperial bureaucracy. Externally, former submissive states raided the empire and the vast border territories were irreversibly lost for subsequent centuries.

In late Tang period. ineffective and corrupted rules in imperial court and regional warlords triggered widespread revolts. The most catastrophic was the Huang Chao Rebellion, from 874 to 884, which raided the entire empire for a decade. The sack of southern port Guangzhou in 879 was followed by massacre of most of its inhabitants, along with the large foreign merchant enclaves.   By 881, both capitals Luoyang and Chang'an fell successively. The reliance on ethnic Han and Turkic warlords in suppressing the rebellion escalated their powers. Consequently, upon the fall of the dynasty by Zhu Wen's usurpation. an era of fragmentation followed.

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907–960)

Capitals: Kaifeng, Luoyang (Five Dynasties), various cities (Ten Kingdoms)

The period of political disunity between the Tang and the Song, known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, lasted from 907 to 960. During this half-century, China was in all respects a multi-state system. Five regimes, namely, (Later) Liang, Tang, Jin, Han and Zhou, rapidly succeeded one another in control of the traditional Imperial heartland in northern China. Among the regimes, rulers of (Later) Tang, Jin and Han were sinicized Shatuo Turks, which ruled over a majority of Chinese people. More stable and smaller regimes of mostly ethnic Han rulers coexisted in south and western China over the period, cumulatively constituted the "Ten Kingdoms".

Amidst political chaos in the north, the strategic Sixteen Prefectures (region along today's Great Wall) were ceded to the emerging Khitan Liao Dynasty, which drastically weakened the defense of the China proper against northern nomadic empires.To the south, Vietnam gained lasting independence after being a Chinese prefecture for many centuries. With wars dominated in Northern China, there were mass southward migrations of population, which further enhanced the southward shift of cultural and economic centers in China. The era ended with the coup of Later Zhou general Zhao Kuangyin, and the establishment the Song dynasty in 960, which would eventually annihilated the remains of the "Ten Kingdoms" and reunified China.

Song, Liao, Jin, and Western Xia dynasties (AD 960–1234)

Capitals: Kaifeng and Lin'an ; Shangjing, Nanjing, Tokmok ; Shangjing, Zhongdu, Kaifeng ; Yinchuan 

In 960, the Song dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu, with its capital established in Kaifeng (also known as Bianjing). In 979. the Song dynasty reunified most of the China proper, while large swaths of outskirt territories were occupied by sinicized nomadic empires. The Khitan Liao dynasty, which lasted from 907 to 1125, ruled over Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of Northern China. Meanwhile, in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, and Ningxia, the Tangut tribes founded the Western Xia dynasty from 1032 to 1227.

Aiming to recover the strategic Sixteen Prefectures lost in the previous dynasty, campaigns were launched against the Liao dynasty in the early Song period, which all ended in failure. Then in 1004, the Liao cavalry swept past the exposed North China Plain and reached the outskirt of Kaifeng, forcing the Song's submission to the Chanyuan Treaty, which imposed heavy annual tributes from the Song treasury. The treaty was a significant reversal of Chinese dominance in traditional tributary system. Yet the annual outflow of Song's silver to the Liao were paid back for Chinese goods and products, which expanded the Song economy, and replenished its treasury. This would have dampened the incentive for the Song to further campaign against the Liao. Meanwhile, such cross-border trade and contact induced further sinicization within the Liao Empire, in the expense of its military might derived from primitive nomadic lifestyle. Similar treaties and social-economical consequences recurred in Song's relation to the Jin dynasty.

Within the Liao Empire, the Jurchen tribes revolted against their overlords to establish the Jin dynasty in 1115. In 1125, the devastating Jin cataphract annihilated the Liao dynasty, while remnants of Liao court members fled to Central Asia to found the Qara Khitai Empire (Western Liao Dynasty). Jin's invasion of Song dynasty followed swiftly. In 1127, Kaifeng was sacked, a massive catastrophe known as the Jingkang Incident, ending the era of Northern Song Dynasty. Later the entire northern China was conquered. The survived members of Song court regrouped in the new capital city of Hangzhou (杭州), and initiated the era of Southern Song dynasty, which ruled territories south of the Huai River. In the ensuing years, the territory and population of China were divided between the Song dynasty, the Jin dynasty and the Western Xia dynasty. The era ended by the Mongol conquest, as Western Xia fell in 1227, the Jin dynasty in 1234, and finally the Southern Song dynasty in 1279.

Despite its military weakness, the Song dynasty is widely considered to be the high point of classical Chinese civilization. The Song economy, facilitated by technology advancement, had reached such sophistication probably unseen in world history before its time. Population soared to over 100 millions and the living standard of common people tremendously enhanced, due to improvement of rice cultivation, and the wide availability of coal for production. The capital cities of Kaifeng, and subsequently Hangzhou, were both the most populous cities in the world of their time, and boosted vibrant civil societies unmatched by previous Chinese dynasties. As land trading routes to far west were blocked by nomadic empires, there were extensive maritime trade with neighboring states, which facilitated the use of Song coinage as the de facto currency of exchange, while giant wooden vessels equipped with compasses roamed throughout the China Seas and north Indian Ocean. Concept of insurance was practiced by merchants to hedge the risks of such long-haul maritime shipment. With prosperous economic activities, the historically first use of paper currency emerged in the western city of Chengdu, as supplement to copper coins to some extents.

In science and technology, with innovative scholar-officials such as Su Song (1020–1101) and Shen Kuo (1031–1095). There was court intrigue between the political rivals of the reformers and conservatives, led by the chancellors Wang Anshi and Sima Guang, respectively. By the mid-to-late 13th century, the Chinese had adopted the dogma of Neo-Confucian philosophy formulated by Zhu Xi. Enormous literary works were compiled during the Song dynasty, such as the historical work of the Zizhi Tongjian ("Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government"). Invention of movable-type printing further facilitated the spread of knowledge. Culture and the arts flourished, with grandiose artworks such as Along the River During the Qingming Festival and Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute, along with great Buddhist painters such as the prolific Lin Tinggui

Song dynasty also recorded major innovation in the history of warfare. Gunpowder, while invented in the Tang Dynasty, was first put into use in battlefields by the Song army, inspiring successions of new firearms and siege engines designs. During the Southern Song Dynasty, as its survival hinged decisively on guarding the Yangtze and Huai River against the cavalry forces from the north, the first standing navy in China was assembled in 1132, with its admiral's headquarter setup at Dinghai. Paddle-wheel warships equipped with trebuchets could launch incendiary bombs of gunpowder and lime, as recorded in Song's victory over the invading Jin forces at the Battle of Tangdao in the East China Sea, and the Battle of Caishi on Yangtze River in 1161.

The great civilization development of the Song dynasty came to an abrupt end by the devastating Mongol conquest, during which population sharply dwindled, with marked contraction in economy. Despite resistively halting Mongol advance for more than three decades, Hangzhou was sacked in 1276, followed by the final annihilation of the Song standing navy at the Battle of Yamen in 1279.

Yuan dynasty (AD 1271–1368)

Capitals: Xanadu, Dadu

The Jurchen-founded Jin dynasty was defeated by the Mongols, who then proceeded to defeat the Southern Song in a long and bloody war, the first war in which firearms played an important role. During the era after the war, later called the Pax Mongolica, adventurous Westerners such as Marco Polo travelled all the way to China and brought the first reports of its wonders to Europe. In the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols were divided between those who wanted to remain based in the steppes and those who wished to adopt the customs of the Chinese.

Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, wanting to adopt the customs of China, established the Yuan dynasty. This was the first dynasty to rule the whole of China from Beijing as the capital. Beijing had been ceded to Liao in AD 938 with the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan Yun. Before that, it had been the capital of the Jin, who did not rule all of China.

Before the Mongol invasion, Chinese dynasties reported approximately 120 million inhabitants; after the conquest had been completed in 1279, the 1300 census reported roughly 60 million people.  This major decline is not necessarily due only to Mongol killings. Scholars such as Frederick W. Mote argue that the wide drop in numbers reflects an administrative failure to record rather than an actual decrease; others such as Timothy Brook argue that the Mongols created a system of enserfment among a huge portion of the Chinese populace, causing many to disappear from the census altogether; other historians including William McNeill and David Morgan consider that plague was the main factor behind the demographic decline during this period.

In the 14th century China suffered additional depredations from epidemics of plague, estimated to have killed 25 million people, 30% of the population of China. 

Ming dynasty (AD 1368–1644)

Capitals: Nanjing, Beijing

Throughout the Yuan dynasty, which lasted less than a century, there was relatively strong sentiment among the populace against Mongol rule. The frequent natural disasters since the 1340s finally led to peasant revolts. The Yuan dynasty was eventually overthrown by the Ming dynasty in 1368.

Urbanization increased as the population grew and as the division of labor grew more complex. Large urban centers, such as Nanjing and Beijing, also contributed to the growth of private industry. In particular, small-scale industries grew up, often specializing in paper, silk, cotton, and porcelain goods. For the most part, however, relatively small urban centers with markets proliferated around the country. Town markets mainly traded food, with some necessary manufactures such as pins or oil.

Despite the xenophobia and intellectual introspection characteristic of the increasingly popular new school of neo-Confucianism, China under the early Ming dynasty was not isolated. Foreign trade and other contacts with the outside world, particularly Japan, increased considerably. Chinese merchants explored all of the Indian Ocean, reaching East Africa with the voyages of Zheng He.

Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor), the founder of the dynasty, laid the foundations for a state interested less in commerce and more in extracting revenues from the agricultural sector. Perhaps because of Zhu's background as a peasant, the Ming economic system emphasized agriculture, unlike that of the Song and the Mongolian dynasties, which relied on traders and merchants for revenue. Neo-feudal landholdings of the Song and Mongol periods were expropriated by the Ming rulers. Land estates were confiscated by the government, fragmented, and rented out. Private slavery was forbidden. Consequently, after the death of the Yongle Emperor, independent peasant landholders predominated in Chinese agriculture. These laws might have paved the way to removing the worst of the poverty during the previous regimes.

The dynasty had a strong and complex central government that unified and controlled the empire. The emperor's role became more autocratic, although Zhu Yuanzhang necessarily continued to use what he called the "Grand Secretariat" to assist with the immense paperwork of the bureaucracy, including memorials (petitions and recommendations to the throne), imperial edicts in reply, reports of various kinds, and tax records. It was this same bureaucracy that later prevented the Ming government from being able to adapt to changes in society, and eventually led to its decline.

The Yongle Emperor strenuously tried to extend China's influence beyond its borders by demanding other rulers send ambassadors to China to present tribute. A large navy was built, including four-masted ships displacing 1,500 tons. A standing army of 1 million troops (some estimate as many as 1.9 million ) was created. The Chinese armies conquered Vietnam for around 20 years, while the Chinese fleet sailed the China seas and the Indian Ocean, cruising as far as the east coast of Africa. The Chinese gained influence in eastern Moghulistan. Several maritime Asian nations sent envoys with tribute for the Chinese emperor. Domestically, the Grand Canal was expanded and became a stimulus to domestic trade. Over 100,000 tons of iron per year were produced. Many books were printed using movable type. The imperial palace in Beijing's Forbidden City reached its current splendor. It was also during these centuries that the potential of south China came to be fully exploited. New crops were widely cultivated and industries such as those producing porcelain and textiles flourished.

In 1449 Esen Tayisi led an Oirat Mongol invasion of northern China which culminated in the capture of the Zhengtong Emperor at Tumu. Since then, the Ming became on the defensive on the northern frontier, which led to the Ming Great Wall being built. Most of what remains of the Great Wall of China today was either built or repaired by the Ming. The brick and granite work was enlarged, the watchtowers were redesigned, and cannons were placed along its length.

At sea, the Ming became increasingly isolationist after the death of the Yongle Emperor. The treasure voyages which sailed Indian Ocean were discontinued, and the maritime prohibition laws were set in place banning the Chinese from sailing abroad. European traders who reached China in the midst of the Age of Discovery were repeatedly rebuked in their requests for trade, with the Portuguese being repulsed by the Ming navy at Tuen Mun in 1521 and again in 1522. Domestic and foreign demands for overseas trade, deemed illegal by the state, led to widespread wokou piracy attacking the southeastern coastline during the rule of the Jiajing Emperor (1507-1567), which only subsided after the opening of ports in Guangdong and Fujian and much military suppression.  The Portuguese were allowed to settle in Macau in 1557 for trade, which remained in Portuguese hands until 1999. The Dutch entry into the Chinese seas was also met with fierce resistance, with the Dutch being chased off the Penghu islands in the Sino-Dutch conflicts of 1622–1624 and were forced to settle in Taiwan instead. The Dutch in Taiwan fought with the Ming in the Battle of Liaoluo Bay in 1633 and lost, and eventually surrendered to the Ming loyalist Koxinga in 1662, after the fall of the Ming dynasty.

In 1556, during the rule of the Jiajing Emperor, the Shaanxi earthquake killed about 830,000 people, the deadliest earthquake of all time.

Qing dynasty (AD 1644–1911)

Capitals: Shenyang, Beijing

The Qing dynasty (1644–1911) was the last imperial dynasty in China. Founded by the Manchus, it was the second conquest dynasty to rule  the entire territory of China and its people. The Manchus were formerly known as Jurchens, residing in the northeastern part of the Ming territory outside the Great Wall. They emerged as the major threat to the late Ming dynasty after Nurhaci united all Jurchen tribes and established an independent state. However, the Ming dynasty would be overthrown by Li Zicheng's peasants rebellion, with Beijing captured in 1644 and the Chongzhen Emperor, the last Ming emperor, committing suicide. The Manchus allied with the former Ming general Wu Sangui to seize Beijing, which was made the capital of the Qing dynasty, and then proceeded to subdue the Ming remnants in the south. The decades of Manchu conquest caused enormous loss of lives and the economic scale of China shrank drastically. In total, the Qing conquest of the Ming (1618–1683) cost as many as 25 million lives.  Nevertheless, the Manchus adopted the Confucian norms of traditional Chinese government in their rule and were considered a Chinese dynasty.

The Manchus enforced a 'queue order,' forcing the Han Chinese to adopt the Manchu queue hairstyle. Officials were required to wear Manchu-style clothing Changshan (bannermen dress and Tangzhuang), but ordinary Han civilians were allowed to wear traditional Han clothing, or Hanfu. Most Han then voluntarily shifted to wearing Qipao anyway. The Kangxi Emperor ordered the creation of the Kangxi Dictionary, the most complete dictionary of Chinese characters that had been compiled. The Qing dynasty set up the Eight Banners system that provided the basic framework for the Qing military organization. Bannermen could not undertake trade or manual labor; they had to petition to be removed from banner status. They were considered a form of nobility and were given preferential treatment in terms of annual pensions, land, and allotments of cloth.

Over the next half-century, all areas previously under the Ming dynasty were consolidated under the Qing. Xinjiang, Tibet, and Mongolia were also formally incorporated into Chinese territory. Between 1673 and 1681, the Kangxi Emperor suppressed the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, an uprising of three generals in Southern China who had been denied hereditary rule of large fiefdoms granted by the previous emperor. In 1683, the Qing staged an amphibious assault on southern Taiwan, bringing down the rebel Kingdom of Tungning, which was founded by the Ming loyalist Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) in 1662 after the fall of the Southern Ming, and had served as a base for continued Ming resistance in Southern China. The Qing defeated the Russians at Albazin, resulting in the Treaty of Nerchinsk.

By the end of Qianlong Emperor's long reign, the Qing Empire was at its zenith. China ruled more than one-third of the world's population, and had the largest economy in the world. By area it was one of the largest empires ever.

In the 19th century the empire was internally stagnant and externally threatened by western powers. The defeat by the British Empire in the First Opium War (1840) led to the Treaty of Nanking (1842), under which Hong Kong was ceded to Britain and importation of opium (produced by British Empire territories) was allowed. Subsequent military defeats and unequal treaties with other western powers continued even after the fall of the Qing dynasty.

Internally the Taiping Rebellion (1851–1864), a quasi-Christian religious movement led by the "Heavenly King" Hong Xiuquan, raided roughly a third of Chinese territory for over a decade until they were finally crushed in the Third Battle of Nanking in 1864. This was one of the largest wars in the 19th century in terms of troop involvement; there was massive loss of life, with a death toll of about 20 million.  A string of civil disturbances followed, including the Punti–Hakka Clan Wars, Nian Rebellion, Dungan Revolt, and Panthay Rebellion.  All rebellions were ultimately put down, but at enormous cost and with many casualties, seriously weakening the central imperial authority. The Banner system that the Manchus had relied upon for so long failed: Banner forces were unable to suppress the rebels, and the government called upon local officials in the provinces, who raised "New Armies", which successfully crushed the challenges to Qing authority. China never rebuilt a strong central army, and many local officials became warlords who used military power to effectively rule independently in their provinces. 

 
In response to calamities within the empire and threats from imperialism, the Self-Strengthening Movement was an institutional reform in the second half of the 1800s. The aim was to modernize the empire, with prime emphasis on strengthening the military. However, the reform was undermined by corrupt officials, cynicism, and quarrels within the imperial family. As a result, the "Beiyang Fleet" were soundly defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). The Guangxu Emperor and the reformists then launched a more comprehensive reform effort, the Hundred Days' Reform (1898), but it was soon overturned by the conservatives under Empress Dowager Cixi in a military coup.

At the turn of the 20th century, the violent Boxer Rebellion opposed foreign influence in Northern China, and attacked Chinese Christians and missionaries. When Boxers entered Beijing, the Qing government ordered all foreigners to leave. But instead the foreigners and many Chinese were besieged in the foreign legations quarter. The Eight-Nation Alliance sent the Seymour Expedition of Japanese, Russian, Italian, German, French, American, and Austrian troops to relieve the siege. The Expedition was stopped by the Boxers at the Battle of Langfang and forced to retreat. Due to the Alliance's attack on the Dagu Forts, the Qing government in response sided with the Boxers and declared war on the Alliance. There was fierce fighting at Tientsin. The Alliance formed the second, much larger Gaselee Expedition and finally reached Beijing; the Qing government evacuated to Xi'an. The Boxer Protocol ended the war.

Republic and People's Republic of China 

Republic of China (1912–1949)

Capitals: Nanjing, Beijing, Chongqing, several short-lived wartime capitals, Taipei 

Frustrated by the Qing court's resistance to reform and by China's weakness, young officials, military officers, and students began to advocate the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the creation of a republic. They were inspired by the revolutionary ideas of Sun Yat-sen. A revolutionary military uprising, the Wuchang Uprising, began on 10 October 1911, in Wuhan. The provisional government of the Republic of China was formed in Nanjing on 12 March 1912. The Xinhai Revolution ended 2,000 years of dynastic rule in China.

After the success of the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, Sun Yat-sen was declared President, but Sun was forced to turn power over to Yuan Shikai, who commanded the New Army and was Prime Minister under the Qing government, as part of the agreement to let the last Qing monarch abdicate (a decision Sun would later regret). Over the next few years, Yuan proceeded to abolish the national and provincial assemblies, and declared himself emperor in late 1915. Yuan's imperial ambitions were fiercely opposed by his subordinates; faced with the prospect of rebellion, he abdicated in March 1916, and died in June of that year.

Yuan's death in 1916 left a power vacuum in China; the republican government was all but shattered. This ushered in the Warlord Era, during which much of the country was ruled by shifting coalitions of competing provincial military leaders.

In 1919, the May Fourth Movement began as a response to the terms imposed on China by the Treaty of Versailles ending World War I, but quickly became a nationwide protest movement about the domestic situation in China. The protests were a moral success as the cabinet fell and China refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles, which had awarded German holdings to Japan. The New Culture Movement stimulated by the May Fourth Movement waxed strong throughout the 1920s and 1930s. According to Ebrey:
"Nationalism, patriotism, progress, science, democracy, and freedom were the goals; imperialism, feudalism, warlordism, autocracy, patriarchy, and blind adherence to tradition were the enemies. Intellectuals struggled with how to be strong and modern and yet Chinese, how to preserve China as a political entity in the world of competing nations." 

The discrediting of liberal Western philosophy amongst leftist Chinese intellectuals led to more radical lines of thought inspired by the Russian Revolution, and supported by agents of the Comintern sent to China by Moscow. This created the seeds for the irreconcilable conflict between the left and right in China that would dominate Chinese history for the rest of the century.

In the 1920s, Sun Yat-sen established a revolutionary base in south China, and set out to unite the fragmented nation. With assistance from the Soviet Union (themselves fresh from a socialist uprising), he entered into an alliance with the fledgling Communist Party of China. After Sun's death from cancer in 1925, one of his protégés, Chiang Kai-shek, seized control of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party or KMT) and succeeded in bringing most of south and central China under its rule in a military campaign known as the Northern Expedition (1926–1927). Having defeated the warlords in south and central China by military force, Chiang was able to secure the nominal allegiance of the warlords in the North. In 1927, Chiang turned on the CPC and relentlessly chased the CPC armies and its leaders from their bases in southern and eastern China. In 1934, driven from their mountain bases such as the Chinese Soviet Republic, the CPC forces embarked on the Long March across China's most desolate terrain to the northwest, where they established a guerrilla base at Yan'an in Shaanxi Province. During the Long March, the communists reorganized under a new leader, Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).

The bitter struggle between the KMT and the CPC continued, openly or clandestinely, through the 14-year-long Japanese occupation of various parts of the country (1931–1945). The two Chinese parties nominally formed a united front to oppose the Japanese in 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), which became a part of World War II. Japanese forces committed numerous war atrocities against the civilian population, including biological warfare (see Unit 731) and the Three Alls Policy (Sankō Sakusen), the three alls being: "Kill All, Burn All and Loot All". 

Following the defeat of Japan in 1945, the war between the Nationalist government forces and the CPC resumed, after failed attempts at reconciliation and a negotiated settlement. By 1949, the CPC had established control over most of the country (see Chinese Civil War). Westad says the Communists won the Civil War because they made fewer military mistakes than Chiang, and because in his search for a powerful centralized government, Chiang antagonized too many interest groups in China. Furthermore, his party was weakened in the war against the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Communists told different groups, such as peasants, exactly what they wanted to hear, and cloaked themselves in the cover of Chinese Nationalism.  During the civil war both the Nationalists and Communists carried out mass atrocities, with millions of non-combatants killed by both sides.  These included deaths from forced conscription and massacres.  When the Nationalist government forces were defeated by CPC forces in mainland China in 1949, the Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan with its forces, along with Chiang and most of the KMT leadership and a large number of their supporters; the Nationalist government had taken effective control of Taiwan at the end of WWII as part of the overall Japanese surrender, when Japanese troops in Taiwan surrendered to Republic of China troops. 

People's Republic of China (since 1949)

Major combat in the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949 with Kuomintang (KMT) pulling out of the mainland, with the government relocating to Taipei and maintaining control only over a few islands. The Communist Party of China was left in control of mainland China. On 1 October 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China.  "Communist China" and "Red China" were two common names for the PRC. 

The PRC was shaped by a series of campaigns and five-year plans. The economic and social plan known as the Great Leap Forward caused an estimated 45 million deaths.  Mao's government carried out mass executions of landowners, instituted collectivisation and implemented the Laogai camp system. Execution, deaths from forced labor and other atrocities resulted in millions of deaths under Mao. In 1966 Mao and his allies launched the Cultural Revolution, which continued until Mao's death a decade later. The Cultural Revolution, motivated by power struggles within the Party and a fear of the Soviet Union, led to a major upheaval in Chinese society.

In 1972, at the peak of the Sino-Soviet split, Mao and Zhou Enlai met US president Richard Nixon in Beijing to establish relations with the United States. In the same year, the PRC was admitted to the United Nations in place of the Republic of China, with permanent membership of the Security Council.

A power struggle followed Mao's death in 1976. The Gang of Four were arrested and blamed for the excesses of the Cultural Revolution, marking the end of a turbulent political era in China. Deng Xiaoping outmaneuvered Mao's anointed successor chairman Hua Guofeng, and gradually emerged as the de facto leader over the next few years.

Deng Xiaoping was the Paramount Leader of China from 1978 to 1992, although he never became the head of the party or state, and his influence within the Party led the country to significant economic reforms. The Communist Party subsequently loosened governmental control over citizens' personal lives and the communes were disbanded with many peasants receiving multiple land leases, which greatly increased incentives and agricultural production. This turn of events marked China's transition from a planned economy to a mixed economy with an increasingly open market environment, a system termed by some  as "market socialism", and officially by the Communist Party of China as "Socialism with Chinese characteristics". The PRC adopted its current constitution on 4 December 1982.

In 1989 the death of former general secretary Hu Yaobang helped to spark the Tiananmen Square protests of that year, during which students and others campaigned for several months, speaking out against corruption and in favour of greater political reform, including democratic rights and freedom of speech. However, they were eventually put down on 4 June when PLA troops and vehicles entered and forcibly cleared the square, with many fatalities. This event was widely reported, and brought worldwide condemnation and sanctions against the government.   A filmed incident involving the "tank man" was seen worldwide.

CPC general secretary and PRC President Jiang Zemin and PRC Premier Zhu Rongji, both former mayors of Shanghai, led post-Tiananmen PRC in the 1990s. Under Jiang and Zhu's ten years of administration, the PRC's economic performance pulled an estimated 150 million peasants out of poverty and sustained an average annual gross domestic product growth rate of 11.2%.   The country formally joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Although the PRC needs economic growth to spur its development, the government began to worry that rapid economic growth was degrading the country's resources and environment. Another concern is that certain sectors of society are not sufficiently benefiting from the PRC's economic development; one example of this is the wide gap between urban and rural areas. As a result, under former CPC general secretary and President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, the PRC initiated policies to address issues of equitable distribution of resources, but the outcome was not known .  More than 40 million farmers were displaced from their land,  usually for economic development, contributing to 87,000 demonstrations and riots across China in 2005.  For much of the PRC's population, living standards improved very substantially and freedom increased, but political controls remained tight and rural areas poor.

The Chinese Zodiac, 12 Zodiac Animals, Find Your Zodiac Sign
The Chinese animal zodiac, or shengxiao (/shnng-sshyaoww/ ‘born resembling’), is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal and its reputed attributes. Traditionally these zodiac animals were used to date the years.
The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
In order, the 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
What Your Chinese Zodiac Animal Sign Is
Your Chinese Zodiac sign is derived from your birth year, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. See the years of each animal below or use the calculator on the right to determine your own sign.
Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
Goat: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
Rooster: 2017 , 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
Find Your Chinese Zodiac Sign
Choose your date of birth and find out about your Chinese zodiac sign.
You are a:
Love:
Health:
Those born in January and February take care: Chinese (Lunar) New Year moves between 21 January and February 20. If you were born in January or February, check whether your birth date falls before or after Chinese New Year to know what your Chinese zodiac year is.
Chinese Zodiac Love Compatibility — Is He/She Right for You?
People born in a certain animal year are believed to have attributes of that animal, which could either help or hinder a relationship.
An important use of Chinese Zodiac is to determine if two people are compatible, in a romantic relationship or any kind of relationship. In ancient times people were faithful to Chinese Zodiac compatibility and often referred to it before a romantic relationship began. Even nowadays some people still refer to it.
Take our online test on the right and find how suitable you and your partner are. See our Chinese Zodiac Love Compatibility Charts
Chinese Zodiac Love Compatibility Test Is she/he compatible with you? Take the test and see...
Boy's Name:
Date of Birth:
It’s BAD LUCK When Your Zodiac Year Comes Around!
As the Chinese zodiac recurs every 12 years, your animal year will come around when you are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, etc.
According to ancient Chinese superstition, in your birth sign year, he will offend the God of Age, and will have bad luck during that year. The best way to avoid bad luck during this year is by wearing something red given by an elder (relative), such as socks, a neck cord, underwear, a waistband, a bracelet, or an anklet.
Read more on How to be Lucky in Your Zodiac Year .
Chinese Zodiac Years Have Two Different Starts!
There are two dates a Chinese zodiac year could be said to start on, and neither is January 1! China traditionally uses two calendars: the solar calendar and the lunar calendar.
The traditional solar calendar has 24 fifteen-day solar terms, and the first, called ‘Start of Spring’, falls on February 4 (or 5).
The lunar calendar has 12 or 13 months and starts on Chinese New Year, which is somewhere in the period January 21 to February 20.
Most Chinese people use lunar New Year as the start of the zodiac year. But for fortune telling and astrology, people believe ‘Start of Spring’ is the beginning of the zodiac year.
Chinese Zodiac Origins — Why 12 Animals
The 12 animals were chosen deliberately, after many revisions. The zodiac animals are either closely related to ancient Chinese people’s daily lives, or have lucky meanings.
The ox, horse, goat, rooster, pig, and dog are six of the main domestic animals raised by Chinese people. The other six animals: rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, and monkey are all loved by the Chinese people.
Why the 12 Zodiac Animals Are in That Order
The 12 Chinese Zodiac animals are in a  fixed order according to Chinese Yin and Yang Theory and perceived attributes.
The yin or the yang of the animals is defined based on  the odd or even number of their claws (or toes, hoofs). The animals are then  arranged in an alternating (complementary) yin-yang sequence.
Usually an animal has is the same number of  claws on its front and rear legs. However the  rat has four toes on its fore legs and five on its hind legs. As the old  saying goes, “a thing is valued in proportion to its rarity”, so the Rat ranks  first of the 12 zodiac animals. It uniquely combines the attributes of odd (yang) and even (yin). 4+5=9, and yang is dominant, so the Rat is classified as odd  (yang) overall.
Zodiac Animal
Amiability      without fidelity leads to immorality.
Chinese Zodiac Hours — Each Hour is Associated with a Zodiac Animal
Chinese zodiac hours
It is widely known that each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal, but in Chinese culture the 12 zodiac animals are also associated with hours of a day.
In ancient times, in order to tell the time, people divided a day into twelve 2-hour periods, and designated an animal to represent each period, according to each animal’s “special time”.
According to Chinese astrology, though not popularly used, a person’s personality and life is more decided by his/her birth hour than year. The zodiac hour is widely used for character and destiny analysis.
Rat

chinese zodiac new year animal signs symbols | The Old Farmer's Almanac
xu = dog
hai - boar/pig
So, putting the stem and branch terms together, the first year in a 60-year cycle is called jia-zi (Year of the Rat) as jia is the celestial stem and zi (rat) is the terrestrial branch. The next year is yi-chou (Year of the Ox), and son on. The 11th year is jia-xu, etc., until a new cycle starts over with jia-zi.
2016 is bing-shen (Year of the Monkey).
Which Chinese Zodiac Are You?
Below are the 12 animal designations of the Chinese zodiac:
Rat (Zi)
Ambitious and sincere, you can be generous with your money. Compatible with the dragon and the monkey. Your opposite is the horse.
1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox or Buffalo (Chou)
A leader, you are bright, patient, and cheerful. Compatible with the snake and the rooster. Your opposite is the sheep.
1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger (Yin)
Forthright and sensitive, you possess great courage. You have the ability to be a strong leader capable of great sympathy. Compatible with the horse and the dog. Your opposite is the monkey.
1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit or Hare (Mao)
Talented and affectionate, you are a seeker of tranquility. Compatible with the sheep and the pig. Your opposite is the rooster.
1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon (Chen)
Robust and passionate, your life is filled with complexity. Compatible with the monkey and the rat. Your opposite is the dog.
1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake (Si)
Strong-willed and intense, you display great wisdom. Compatible with the rooster and the ox. Your opposite is the pig.
1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse (Wu)
Physically attractive and popular, you like the company of others. Compatible with the tiger and the dog. Your opposite is the rat.
1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Sheep or Goat (Wei)
Aesthetic and stylish, you enjoy being a private person. Compatible with the pig and the rabbit. Your opposite is the ox.
1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey (Shen)
Persuasive, skillful, and intelligent, you strive to excel. Compatible with the dragon and the rat. Your opposite is the tiger.
1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster or Cock (You)
Seeking wisdom and truth, you have a pioneering spirit. Compatible with the snake and the ox. Your opposite is the rabbit.
1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog (Xu)
Generous and loyal, you have the ability to work well with others. Compatible with the horse and the tiger. Your opposite is the dragon.
1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Pig or Boar (Hai)
Gallant and noble, your friends will remain at your side. Compatible with the rabbit and the sheep. Your opposite is the snake.
1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Chinese Calendar
Society and Culture > Calendar & Holidays > Calendars
The Chinese Calendar
The Chinese lunisolar calendar is divided into 12 months of 29 or 30     days. The calendar is adjusted to the length of the solar year by the     addition of extra months at regular intervals. The years are arranged in     major cycles of 60 years. Each successive year is named after one of 12     animals. (Learn more about the Chinese Zodiac .) These 12-year     cycles are continuously repeated. The Chinese New Year is celebrated at the second new moon after the winter solstice and falls     between January 21 and February 19 on the Gregorian calendar .     The year 2010 translates to the Chinese year 4707–4708. The year 2011     translates to the Chinese year 4708–4709.
Rat

Chinese Horoscopes and New Year
FIND YOUR BIRTH YEAR ANIMAL!
 
According to the Chinese calendar, the year you were born may determine your personality. Every year is represented by an animal, and legend has it that people born under that animal have certain personality traits. So just for fun, find your birth year and that year's animal, and see what some people believe it says about you. Do the same for your friends, parents, relatives, and teachers!
Sheep Can Recognize Faces
Year of the Sheep/Goat
The Real Thing
Timid sheep graze in flocks to guard against predators. Sheep have good memories; they can recognize many other sheep faces and remember them for two years. They can also remember human faces. Most are raised for their wool.
 
Born a Sheep/Goat?
At your best when people who admire you flock to your side, you stick by your friends. You are artistic, creative, and like to look good.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Sheep/Goat!
1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Year of the Rat
The Real Thing
Most rats are highly adaptable. They can live just about anywhere and eat just about anything. Before brown rats leave their underground burrows, these clever creatures send one rat ahead to make sure danger isn't lurking outside.
 
Born a Rat? 
You welcome challenges and enjoy learning about new things. Funny and smart, you are generous and will protect your pack of friends.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Rat!
1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Rats Are Adaptable
Year of the Ox
The Real Thing
Oxen have been known to pull loads of 11,284 pounds (5,118 kilograms). People value their strength as well as their work ethic. An ox's horns can grow to be more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) long.
 
Born an Ox?
You approach projects in a step-by-step manner, wanting to do things right the first time. Shy but dependable, you are caring and trustworthy and never lose sight of your goal.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're an Oxen!
1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Year of the Tiger
The Real Thing
The largest of the big cats, tigers hunt alone. They secretly stalk prey, then leap and attack when the time seems right. Dinner still escapes most of the time.
 
Born a Tiger?
You're a natural leader but often like to do things by yourself. (That's how you stay in charge!) You believe in fighting for what's right, even if you'll lose in the end.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a tiger!
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Tigers Hunt Alone
Year of the Rabbit
The Real Thing
Rabbits normally give birth to about six babies at once and often live in groups. Their long ears help them cool off by lowering the temperature of the blood that circulates through them.
 
Born a Rabbit? 
Well-liked and popular, you have a large circle of family and friends. You are very protective of them, and they protect you back. You tend to keep your cool and avoid conflicts.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Rabbit!
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
 
Year of the Dragon
The Real Thing
The mythical dragon is a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese culture. One of the most popular figures in Chinese art, the dragon is believed to be a combination of nine animals, including a frog, a tiger, an eagle, and a fish.
 
Born a Dragon?
You go out of your way to help your friends, who often seek you out for advice. Your outgoing personality helps you get along with many types of people.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Dragon!
1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Dragons Are Mythical
Year of the Snake
The Real Thing
Snakes have great instincts. Some "play dead" to fool predators, and most sense prey by detecting ground vibrations. They can take more than an hour to swallow a meal, and they become inactive for up to two weeks before they shed their skin.
 
Born a Snake?
You rely on your instincts before asking others their opinions. At times you want to take a break from the action. It's not that you're lazy—sometimes you just like to think.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Snake!
1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Year of the Horse
The Real Thing
A horse sleeps only about three hours a day. Intelligent, most can sense nervousness in people.
 
Born a Horse?
You have loads of energy and love adventure. You take charge and understand people, so you know how to work a crowd.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Horse!
1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Horses Are Intelligent
Year of the Monkey
The Real Thing
Social and playful, monkeys show affection and friendship by picking bugs and dirt out of each other's fur. These animals use their hands and feet to grip objects and climb trees. Some even have tails that can grab items as small as peanuts.
 
Born a Monkey?
Swinging from one group of friends to another, you love to have a good time. You like to entertain your friends by showing off your talents, and they appreciate your cleverness and sense of humor.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Monkey!
1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Monkeys Are Clever
Year of the Rooster
The Real Thing
The rooster's loud cock-a-doodle-doo attracts females and warns other males to stay away. The red comb on his head may help other roosters identify him, and it also sets him apart from other bird species.
 
Born a Rooster?
You are practical and resourceful, and you use what you have to succeed without taking a lot of risks. A hard worker, you say what's on your mind and have a sense of style that sets you apart.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Rooster!
1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Year of the Dog
The Real Thing
A dog's supersensitive ears can hear a noise about 100 yards (91.44 meters) away that a person couldn't hear more than 25 yards (22.86 meters) away. Its strong sense of smell helps it do things like find lost people or sniff out bad guys.
 
Born a Dog?
You're a great listener who can keep a secret. Loyal to your friends, you have a keen sense of right and wrong and stick to what you believe in.
 
If you were born in any of these years, you're a Dog!
1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
Dogs Have Super-Sensitive Ears

Chinese New Year Zodiac Animal
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Chinese New Year Cow Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
2.  Cow
Birth Years for the Cow Zodiac Sign: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
Patient, reliable and loyal, cows are happiest when their life and relationships are stable. They tend to form strong and long lasting friendships and often have a small but solid circle of friends. While usually relaxed, cows can be apprehensive of change and this fear can make them sensitive to criticism and unwilling to accept other people’s opinions. 
Chinese New Year Tiger Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
3.  Tiger
Birth Years for the Tiger Zodiac Sign: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
Passionate about life, Tigers tend to act before they think and throw all their energies into every situation headlong. Supremely confident, they breed confidence in those around them and are natural born leaders and great orators. But their hot and cold emotions mean they are easily bored and change their mind and opinions frequently. They warm to people quickly and usually have a wide circle of friends, but can often be too easily influenced.
Chinese New Year Rabbit Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
4.  Rabbit
Birth Years for the Rabbit Zodiac Sign : 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
One of the noblest signs, rabbits are considered principled and honorable and often gain the admiration of those around them. They care deeply about family and friends and their kindness and sympathy for others means they have long and strong relationships. Inscrutability honest and with a talent for dealing with people, they can often rise to positions of influence.  Their good intentions can make them a soft target for people to take advantage of their charity and sympathy, and their gullibility can lead them into trouble.
Chinese New Year Dragon Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
5.  Dragon
Birth Years for the Dragon Zodiac Sign: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
The red blooded dragon is one of the strongest signs in the Chinese zodiac and their tireless spirit can often bring them success. Their backbone and resolve means they are often turned to in times of crisis, and they can be relied upon to help out others. Their bravery means there are few situations they cannot over come. Driving them is a fiery temperament and it can make them impulsive and impetuous. They dislike routines and are regularly searching for new challenges and opportunities.
Chinese New Year Snake Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
6.  Snake
Birth Years for the Snake Zodiac Sign: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
Naturally intelligent, snakes have a thirst for knowledge and education giving them a wisdom that makes them prudent and rational when it comes to both money and relationships.  They rarely make snap decisions, preferring to be patient, weigh up the pros and cons before choosing the right course. Their cool, calm and collected approach to life snakes cope with stress well but it can make them seem emotionally detached and they struggle to express themselves.
Chinese New Year Horse Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
7.  Horse
Birth Years for the Horse Zodiac Sign: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
Full of wit and personality, horses revel in being the center of attention, and their outgoing and sociable behavior means they usually have a wide circle of friends. They usually have little difficulty in attracting the opposite sex but quickly fall in love and relationships can often be intense and short; ending in heartbreak. In a relationship or not, horses like to be independent and their can do attitude and belief in themselves can often drive them to success.
Chinese New Year Goat Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
8.  Sheep
Birth Years for the Sheep Zodiac Sign: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
Always thoughtful and kind to those around them, sheep value deep links to family friends and are unselfish in putting other people first. Gentle in their personality, sheep tend to have an affinity for culture and are often creatively gifted. Their sensitivity and concern makes them deep thinkers, but also worriers, and they are easily stressed and often tense.
Chinese New Year Monkey Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
9.  Monkey
Birth Years for the Monkey Zodiac Sign: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
Combining confidence, charisma and a dash of cuteness, monkeys are usually the life and soul of the party and popular with friends and potential partners. Imaginative with an ability to think creatively, adventurous and restless, they can seem rebellious, unwilling to accept authority, but their inquisitive nature, imagination and ability to think outside the box often makes them gifted at overcoming challenges and striving under stress. Their natural talents may sometimes be lost to laziness and they can seem condescending and egotistical. 
Chinese New Year Chicken Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
10.  Rooster
Birth Years for the Rooster Zodiac Sign: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
With high expectations and high standards, roosters demand the best for themselves and are tenacious in doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals. While their ideals may seem impossibly ambitious, their approach to life is practical, disciplined and hard working. Sharp and capable, they conquer the obstacles that face them resolutely and are unflappable in a crisis. Roosters take failure very personally and can be highly critical of themselves and others around them; sometimes showing insensitivity.
Chinese New Year Dog Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
11.  Dog
Birth Years for the Dog Zodiac Sign: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
The eternal optimists, dogs always see the best in themselves and others and have a naturally happy disposition. Their enthusiasm is infectious and can inspire others to look towards them for leadership. While they value loyalty and are trusting of others, they are easily jealous and are unforgiving after disagreements and arguments. An innate stubbornness also means they will rarely admit when they are wrong.
Chinese New Year Pig Zodiac Sign. Getty/Stephanie Dalton Cowan
12.  Pig
Birth Years for the Pig Zodiac Sign: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
The down to earth pig is instantly likable and can always be relied upon for their honesty and sense of fair play. Their friendliness and compassion make them excellent at dealing with people and they are an excellent judge of character. Despite their belief in other people they can often underestimate themselves and often --- wrongly --- feel they lack the skills or talent to achieve what they want most in life.

Chinese New Year | Chinese Animal Year Zodiac | Chinese New Year Dates
Today's Horoscope
The Chinese Lunar calendar follows a 12 year cycle and each of the 12 years is represented by 12 Animals which form the Chinese Zodiac. After every 12 years the Chinese Calendar repeats itself. The animals in the Chinese Zodiac or the animals which constitute the Chinese calendar are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
• Chinese New Year Dates - Chinese new year dates as per English calendar
Chinese Years - Chinese Animal Years List
Given below is a list of all the years starting from the year 1900 to 2100 sorted according to the Chinese Animal they represent. For example, the Years listed under the column rat represent the Chinese Year of the Rat, likewise, Chinese Year of the Tiger, Chinese Year of the Hare etc...
Rat
2103
Chinese New Year - Chinese New Year Date
When in Chinese New Year 2018 or 2019? What is the English date corresponding to Chinese New Year date? Given below is the Chinese New Year dates of all Years between 2005 and 2020.
Chinese New year date in English calendar format and English new year date in Chinese Year Format.
Chinese new year date as per English calendar
English date corresponding to Chinese new year i.e., first day of first Chinese month of each year.
Chinese New Year 2011 - February 3, 2011
Chinese New Year 2012 - January 23, 2012
Chinese New Year 2013 - February 10, 2013
Chinese New Year 2014 - January 31, 2014
Chinese New Year 2015 - February 19, 2015
Chinese New Year 2016 - February 8, 2016
Chinese New Year 2017 - January 28, 2017
Chinese New Year 2018 - February 16, 2018
Chinese New Year 2019 - February 5, 2019
Chinese New Year 2020 - January 25, 2020
Chinese New Year 2021 - February 12, 2021
Chinese New Year 2022 - February 1, 2022
Chinese New Year 2023 - January 22, 2023
Chinese New Year 2024 - February 10, 2024
Chinese New Year 2025 - January 29, 2025
Chinese New Year 2026 - February 17, 2026
New year date as per Chinese calendar year
Chinese date corresponding to English new year i.e., January 1.
January, 1 2012 is 8-12-4709
January, 1 2013 is 20-11-4710
January, 1 2014 is 1-12-4711
January, 1 2015 is 11-11-4712
January, 1 2016 is 22-11-4713
January, 1 2017 is 4-12-4714
January, 1 2018 is 15-11-4715
January, 1 2019 is 26-11-4716
January, 1 2020 is 7-12-4717
January, 1 2021 is 18-11-4718
January, 1 2022 is 29-11-4719
January, 1 2023 is 10-12-4720
January, 1 2024 is 20-11-4721
January, 1 2025 is 2-12-4722
January, 1 2026 is 13-11-4723
January, 1 2027 is 24-11-4724
Chinese Calendar is the traditional astrology calendar of the Chinese people. Many of the chinese festivals and Government Holidays are determined based on the Chinese Calendar. The months of the Chinese Calendar is a sixty year cycle.
Chinese Animal Year / Chinese Zodiac Calendar
Chinese calendar related links

Chinese Zodiac: 12 Animal Signs, Calculator, Origin, App
Zi Shi: 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
This is the time rats actively seek food.
Ox
Chou Shi: 1 to 3 a.m.
This is the time that oxen ruminate.
Tiger
Yin Shi: 3 to 5 a.m.
Tigers hunt prey and display fiercest nature.
Rabbit
Mao Shi: 5 to 7 a.m.
The Jade Rabbit on the moon is busy pounding medicinal herb with a pestle.
Dragon
Chen Shi: 7 to 9 a.m.
Dragons are hover in the sky at that time to give people rainfall.
Snake
Si Shi: 9 to 11 a.m.
Snakes start to leave their burrows.
Horse
Wu Shi: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
With the sun high above, other animals are lying down for a noon break while the unconstrained horse is still vigorous.
Sheep
Wei Shi: 1 to 3 p.m.
It is said that if sheep ate grass at this time, they would grow stronger.
Monkey
Shen Shi: 3 to 5 p.m.
Monkeys become lively.
You Shi: 5 to 7 p.m.
Roosters return to their roost as it is dark.
Dog
Xu Shi: 7 to 9 p.m.
Dogs begin to carry out their duty to guard entrances.
Pig

Exploring Chinese History :: Features :: Chinese Lunar Calendar :: Zodiac Animals
The Legend of the Animals
Many centuries ago, the Chinese had no means to measure time. The Yellow Jade Emperor, the Emperor of Heaven, decided to arrange a contest. He invited      all animals to a race on his birthday. The first 12 animals who cross the swift current river and reach the designated shore would be assigned to      the 12 Zodiac Years.
The cat and the rat, who were once good friends and poor swimmers, convinced the ox to carry them across the river. Being naive, gullible, good-natured,      the powerful swimmer ox agreed. As they were crossing the river, the rat was worried that the cat might win the race; so the rat pushed the cat into      the river. This explains why cats hate rats, because they never forgave the rat for the incident. Right before the ox and the rat reached the shore,      the rat jumped off the ox's back and took first place in the race.
As the Jade Emperor named the ox as the 2nd zodiac animal, the tiger reached the finished line. Panting his way toward the Jade Emperor, the tiger      explained that he had difficulty crossing the river because the current kept pushing him down stream. With his powerful strength, he was able to reach      the shore safely. The Emperor recorded the tiger as the 3rd zodiac animal.
From a distance, the crowd heard a thumping noise. Twitching its pinkish nose, the rabbit told the crowd that he had to hop from one stone to another      in order to cross the river. Luckily, he was able to get hold of a floating log which finally washed him to shore. The Emperor named the rabbit, the      4th zodiac animal.
In the 5th place came the dragon flying and belching fire in the air. Jade Emperor was very curious as to why the dragon came in late for he can fly      and swim. Because the mighty dragon could not bare to see his people and all the creatures on earth suffer a drought, he had to stop to make rain.      When he reached the river, he spotted a helpless little rabbit clutching tightly to a log, so he gave a little puff and blew the log with the rabbit      on it to the shore.
Just as the Jade Emperor complimented the dragon for his consideration, he heard the horse whining and galloping. From out of the horse's hoof sneaked      a shrewd slimy snake. The sudden appearance and the hissing of the snake startled the horse and made him jump backwards, thus forcing the horse to      fall in 7th place and the snake to take the 6th place in the race.
From a distance, approached the sheep, the monkey, and the rooster. The rooster proudly described how he had spotted a raft from a high ground, picked      up the sheep, and the monkey. Along the way, the monkey and the sheep helped clear the weeds, pulled and pushed the raft to the shore. The Emperor      complimented the trios for their combined efforts and named the sheep the 8th of the zodiac animals, the monkey the 9th, and the rooster the 10th.
Just as the Emperor was making the record official, next came the dog . The dog was trying to justify to the Emperor why, being one of the best swimmers,      he was late. It turned out that the dog hadn't had a bath for a long time. The river water was so clean and fresh that he had to stop. The dog was      recorded as the 11th zodiac animal.
Jade Emperor was about to dismiss the crowd and retire from the long day when he heard an oink and a squeal from the little pig who was waddling down      the path. Needless to explain, the pig was hungry during the race and he stopped for a feast. After the feast, he felt tired and took a little nap.      The little pig made it as the last of the 12th zodiac animals.
Another Version of the legend
The origins of the 12 animals of Chinese astrology are unclear. One legend holds that Buddha invited all the earth's animals to a gathering before      his final departure, and these 12 were the only animals that showed up.
As a token of his appreciation, Buddha named a year after each of them in the order in which they arrived.