Origin and History

**The Chinese Zodiacs are a tradition based on the Chinese Calendar. It is a 12-year repeating cycle where each year is represented as 1 animal. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each zodiac has its own representative traits.**

## The Different Zodiacs

#### Year of the Rat

* Ambitious
* Talkative
* Charming
* Resourceful
* Private
* Frugal
* Critical

#### Year of the Ox

* Diligent
* Gentle
* Hardworking
* Reliable
* Patient
* Materialistic
* Stubborn

#### Year of the Tiger

* Confident
* Brave
* Magnetic
* Idealistic
* Thrill-seeking
* Arrogant
* Selfish

#### Year of the Rabbit

* Kind
* Sensitive
* Artistic
* Romantic
* Judgmental
* Timid
* Refined

#### Year of the Dragon

* Outspoken
* Energetic
* Generous
* Intelligent
* Perfectionistic
* Egocentric
* Impatient

#### Year of the Snake

* Clever
* Curious
* Alluring
* Wise
* Anxious
* Calculating
* Jealous

#### Year of the Horse

* Amusing
* Enthusiastic
* Independent
* Persuasive
* Irresponsible
* Moody
* Opportunistic

#### Year of the Goat

* Easy-going
* Empathetic
* Creative
* Cheerful
* Disorganized
* Impulsive
* Lazy

#### Year of the Monkey

* Entertaining
* Intelligent
* Optimistic
* Sociable
* Fickle
* Secretive
* Unpredictable

#### Year of the Rooster

* Adventurous
* Charitable
* Funny
* Loyal
* Argumentative
* Boastful
* Self-involved

#### Year of the Dog

* Helpful
* Honest
* Trustworthy
* Unselfish
* Pessimistic
* Anxious
* Timid

#### Year of the Pig

* Caring
* Generous
* Smart
* Outgoing
* Fearful
* Impatient
* Materialistic

## The Great Race

 All of this came from the myth called “The Great Race”. It all started when the Jade Emperor wanted to be able to track time, so he organized a race where the first 12 animals that crossed the river would earn a spot on the Chinese Calendar. The order in which they came in, from first to last is: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, snake, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. All these animals had to cross a river to reach the finish. The rat rose early and met up with the tiger, horse, and ox. The rat was tiny and couldn’t swim very well, so it asked one of the larger animals if they could help it. The ox and horse refused at first, but the kind ox helped it cross. As they were crossing and about to reach the end, the rat jumped off and stole first place. The rat was followed by the ox, and then the tiger. The rabbit came next and hopped on stones to cross the river. Then came the dragon who came in fifth because it was busy helping other animals it saw. The horse was next to crossing the river but when it reached the shore, the snake slithered by and startled the horse. Making the snake sixth, and the horse eighth place. The sheep, monkey, and rooster all shared a wooden raft to cross, all helping to paddle their way to shore. They agreed that the sheep should be eighth for being the most comforting, and then followed by the monkey in ninth. The rooster was the tenth and the last of those three. In eleventh place is the dog, who spent his time frolicking in the water. Finally, the pig came in last because it stopped to eat and had a nap. This system is referred to as the Twelve Earthly Branches.

### Why the Cycle Repeats Every 60 Years

 This system overlaps with another system, called the Ten Heavenly Stems. This is linked to the five classical elements of metal, fire, earth, water, and air. Each element is given either yin, or yang, creating a ten-year cycle. This creates sixty unique combinations each with a different animal, element, and either yin or yang.