RSSThe Meaning Of Chinese Zodiac Symbols
Dec 08
China art, astrology, China, culture, education, history, language, tattoo, writing No Comments
The symbols that make up the Chinese Zodiac calendar are images of different animals. The Chinese have been using this 12 year cycle for dating the years since ancient times. Unlike the western linear idea of time the Chinese lunar calendar represents a cyclical concept of time.
Since the Chinese calendar is based on the cycles of the moon it is known as a lunar calendar and works absolutely opposite to that of the western solar calendar. On comparing the Chinese New Year to the western one we find that it begins somewhere close to the end of January and beginning of February.
By 1911 China had adopted western solar calendar but followed the lunar calendar to mark their festivals and other traditional occasions. For instance Chinese still follow lunar calendar to mark the coming of New Year. Therefore to make things simple most Chinese calendars have both lunar and solar dates.
According to popular folk lore in China each year of the recurring lunar calendar should be represented by a particular animal. For the entire year that animal will be the official sign marked for that year. There are twelve animals for twelve years with their distinctive personalities. As the lunar years are cyclical the same animal is repeated every twelve years.
Even though it was a yearly representation the animals concerned had same meaning as that of the western monthly or daily horoscope. The difference lied in the yearly representation. According to Chinese Zodiac theory people born in a particular year will have characteristics of that particular animal representing the year.
Apart from the personality traits that Chinese zodiac symbols are supposed to portray which may or may not be taken seriously; they play another important function. One can use the Chinese lunar calendar to determine the age of an individual. Once you know the person’s animal sign then you can simply calculate their age by using a bit of common sense and basic math.
The question is how and why the Chinese assigned these animal signs to each year. Well, here is an old fable that illustrates a quarrel between these twelve animals to rein control of the cycle of years. There was a competition to race to the opposite bank of the river and the first one to do so would be the winner whereas the rest would have to follow as they finished.
The cunning rat rode upon the ox’s back and just as the ox was about to reach to the finish line the rat jumped off his back and took the lead. The last to arrive at the finish line was the pig. Hence we find the rat to be the first with the tricked ox second and the pig coming in last.
In the race the Ox took the lead and the rat rode on the Ox’s back. As the Ox almost reached the opposite bank, the rat being sly jumped off the Ox’s back on the bank and got the first position. So the rat leads the cycle of year till today with the ox being the second. The last is the pig to depict the last month.
Chinese zodiac symbols are based on animals. If you would like to read more oncalligraphy symbols from China follow the hyperlinks.
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