Chinese Zodiac System: Some Interesting Details
Chinese Zodiac System: Some Interesting Details
By Joann Grant
Before switching to the regular solar calendar of the western origin,
the Chinese used to follow their own calendar which was based on lunar
cycles. So, Chinese astrology is based on the conventional lunar
calendar, which has twelve cycles of the moon.
There are twelve different animals in Chinese zodiac. Each zodiac
period consists of full moon cycle, from new moon to full moon.
Therefore, twelve full lunar cycles are there in a Chinese Zodiac
year. However, one animal stands for a whole year. So, a Chinese cycle
goes round for twelve years before starting all over again. Unlike in
western system, where your zodiac comes around every year, in the
Chinese system you can celebrate your zodiac birthday only once in
twelve years.
There are several legends associated with the creation of the Chinese
calendar. One of them has it that the gods wanted to test which of the
animals could reach their position the fastest. So, they asked all of
them to compete by swimming through a river. The order of their
reaching is reflected in the Chinese zodiac. According to another
legend, before leaving earth, Lord Buddha asked the animals to visit
him. And when they went to meet him, he named the moon cycles
according to the order of appearance of the animals. This makes the
Chinese zodiac a circle with twelve equal parts much like a pie sliced
into twelve parts.
There are specific characteristics associated with every zodiac animal
in the Chinese system. The animals are ox, rabbit, tiger, rat, snake,
sheep, horse, monkey, rooster, boar, dog and dragon.
So, if you fall under `rat', you are supposed to be aggressive,
charming, perfectionist and a little secretive. You are also party
loving and somewhat stubborn. Those who belong to the `rat' zodiac may
also be somewhat mean at times. Therefore, each zodiac represents a
complete personality with both positive and negative traits.
Chinese zodiac system is much different from the solar-based western
zodiac system we are all so familiar with. However, many a time the
traits you are supposed to have under western system are much the same
as those under the Chinese system. That's quite amazing. This,
however, may not happen in all cases.
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To get more information on astrology, astrology predictions and
astrology readings visit http://www.your-astrology.com/
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