Chinese Astrology : Zodiac & Horoscope

The saga of Chinese Zodiac signs

Atrology came to China some five thousands years ago . The original influences came from Babylon, Egypt or India. The Chinese adopted astrology in their own way and developed it into a highly complex system.

Chinese astrology is based on the lunar cycle, and one lunar cycle takes twelve years to complete. It includes five elements instead of four -- Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. They change the nature of whatever they represent. The Chinese horoscope has been in use for thousands of years and it is still extremely popular. The basic point is Its twelve animal signs are similar to the twelve signs of the Western Zodiac, but are determined by the year you were born rather than the month.

It is also important to know about Yin and Yang which are about positive and negative energies in the nature. Chinese astrology maintains that everything in the universe is balanced by its opposite. Day and Night, Birth and Death, Love and Hate, Positive and Negative, Male and Female are few examples. . These opposites, Yin and Yang attract when brought together. Based on this concept Chinese astrologers have excelled in the ability to predict compatibility between people. Compatible and incompatible relationships are identified for each animal sign. There is an interesting story behind the naming of the twelve years in the Chinese Lunar cycle and it is related to a myth about Buddha.

The story goes like this. When Buddha was departing from this world he invited all the animals of the world to a feast but only twelve animals arrived. The order of animals was -- The rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog and the pig. That is why Buddha decided to name a year after each of them. One comes after other. Their characteristics influence general events in world.

Know more about Chinese Signs

It is a fact that like Indians Chinese are also great believers in astrology but their system is very different from Indian system of Horoscope reading. The cycle of animals is repeated after every 12 years. The people born under these Chinese signs possess display certain traits and qualities. That is why Chinese always try to find out the sign of the person they are going to meet so that they could know about the person in great detail and how to tackle them. Chinese sign system is also very accurate.

There is another legend that goes to Buddha and there is interesting turn in the story. The minister asked the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Ram, the Monkey, the Rooster and the Dog to be present before the king the next day. The message could not reach to cat as rat was sent to tell her the message of the king. Next day cat was absent so when only eleven animals lined up. The angry minister told his servant to find another animal and the servant brought the pig.

After that these 12 animals were then taken to the Buddha. The Rat was a very small animal so he was fearful that Buddha might not notice him. He requested Ox asked him to climb on its back. The rat was over joyous at this that it started playing the flute. Delighted by this, the Buddha gave the first place to the rat and the second place to the Ox for its friendly gesture. The tiger got the third place and rabbit got fourth place. The powerful Dragon got the fifth place, the Snake at sixth place, the Horse at seventh place, the Ram at the eighth place, the Monkey got ninth place, the Rooster got the tenth place, the Dog got the eleventh place and the pig was at last place.

When cat came to know about it and rushed to the king but was not considered as the twelve positions were filled up and that is the reason cat became the arch enemy of the rat.

Know more about Chinese Signs

It is a fact that like Indians Chinese are also great believers in astrology but their system is very different from Indian system of horoscope reading. The cycle of animals is repeated after every 12 years. The people born under these Chinese signs possess display certain traits and qualities. That is why Chinese always try to find out the sign of the person they are going to meet so that they could know about the person in great detail and how to tackle them. Chinese sign system is also very accurate.

There is another legend that goes to Buddha and there is interesting turn in the story. The minister asked the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Ram, the Monkey, the Rooster and the Dog to be present before the king the next day. The message could not reach to cat as rat was sent to tell her the message of the king. Next day cat was absent so when only eleven animals lined up. The angry minister told his servant to find another animal and the servant brought the pig.

After that these 12 animals were then taken to the Buddha. The Rat was a very small animal so he was fearful that Buddha might not notice him. He requested Ox asked him to climb on its back. The rat was over joyous at this that it started playing the flute. Delighted by this, the Buddha gave the first place to the rat and the second place to the Ox for its friendly gesture. The tiger got the third place and rabbit got fourth place. The powerful Dragon got the fifth place, the Snake at sixth place, the Horse at seventh place, the Ram at the eighth place, the Monkey got ninth place, the Rooster got the tenth place, the Dog got the eleventh place and the pig was at last place.

When cat came to know about it and rushed to the king but was not considered as the twelve positions were filled up and that is the reason cat became the arch enemy of the rat.

Importance of Chinese signs

Chinese signs are considered quite authentic. The dragon sign is regarded as the most powerful sign by the Chinese for power, authority, leadership qualities and success. It is to note that every of the powerful Chinese emperors and most of their famous leaders were born in the year of the dragon.