Chinese Astrology is a very ancient art. There are many legends to explain the origin of the Chinese Zodiac. According to some authors, it dates back to the Yellow Emperor who would have reigned from 2697 BC to 2597 BC. This astrological system, with thousands of years, still has a great expression in the life of the Chinese and other eastern countries. The Chinese calendar follows the cycles of the Moon (lunar calendar) and the Chinese year always starts slightly later than the Western year. In this astrological system, each year has its animal, its Yin or Yang quality and its element (Water, Wood, Fire, Metal, Earth).
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Philosophy of Chinese Astrology
Yin and Yang - Opposites that Complement each other
Chinese Astrology was influenced by Taoism, the ancient religion of China. The Tao (the Way, the Principle) is the term that designates the source, the dynamics and the driving force behind everything that exists. It states that everything in the universe has a characteristic or appearance that is feminine or masculine, expansive or reserved, light or dark.
“The principle of Yin and Yang - the male and female elements of Nature - is the basic principle of the entire Universe. It is the beginning of everything that exists in Creation. Makes the transformation to parenthood; it is the root and source of life and death, and is also found in the time of the gods.” - In Nei Ching: Book of Emperor Yellow
The essential philosophy of Tao lies in the assumption that everything is in a constant state of change: from Yin to Yang and from Yan to Yin. These two characteristics are not in conflict with each other; on the contrary, they are complementary. We cannot do without any of them and together they make us complete:
- Yan (positive, male, active) - hot, dry, day, right, south, summer, fire, full.
- Yin (negative, female, passive) - cold, wet, peace, quiet, reflection, night, left, north, winter, water, empty.
The Yin and Yang symbol - 陰陽 - is made up of two parts. Each half has within itself a small point of its complement, to show that each one grows within its opposite and that, together, they are part of the whole.
The 12 Animals in Chinese Astrology
There are many legends and stories surrounding the choice and selection of the 12 animals that make up the Chinese Zodiac. One of these legends is that when Buddha attained enlightenment, he invited all animals to share in his joy. However, only twelve of them attended and these were the ones included in the Chinese Zodiac.
The most popular legend tells that the Jade Emperor, who ruled the heavens and everything in them, wished to meet the 12 most interesting animals that inhabited the Earth. His adviser has invited certain animals, requesting them to present themselves before the Emperor. These were then chosen by the Emperor to appear in the Chinese Zodiac.
The twelve signs of Chinese Astrology govern not only the years but also a month and a time of day (where the 24 hours are divided by 12 animals).
So, for example, it is not just Tiger, as it only refers to the year (singular animal). The person may be from the year Tiger, but Rooster by the month he was born (inner animal) and Snake by the time of birth (secret animal) and the latter reveals the real SELF.
Combined with the 5 elements, this system gives 8,640 possible combinations of horoscopes (5 elements x 12 animals x 12 months x 12 fractions of the day).
For example, if you were born at 10 pm in June 1963, outwardly you are a Rabbit (year), your inner animal is the Horse (month) and your secret animal is the Pig (hour). (See correspondence table at the end of this article).
So each person's astrological profile is a combination of the unique characteristics of each of the animals on your chart. They are:
- 鼠 Rat - Smart and practical
- 牛 Ox - Reliable and thoughtful
- 虎 Tiger - Bold and passionate
- 兔 Rabbit - Intuitive and sensitive
- 龍 Dragon - Successful and independent
- 蛇 Snake - Mysterious and sophisticated
- 馬 Horse - Hardworking and friendly
- 羊 Goat - Sensual and adaptable
- 猴 Monkey - Witty and fun
- 雞 Rooster - Protective and honest
- 狗 Dog - Loyal and trustworthy
- 豬 Pig - Sensual and greedy
The Five Elements in Chinese Astrology
For Chinese Astrology, the basic characteristic of Yin and Yang is complemented by one of the five elements to which we belong - Water, Wood, Fire, Metal or Earth.
The elements are determined by the lunar sign, that is, the year, month, and time of birth, and the element that predominates in a person's personality is the one that appears the most on your chart. Each element has a characteristic that applies to both animals and years:
- 水 Water - Rat, Ox, Pig
- 木 Wood - Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon
- 火 Fire - Snake, Horse, Goat
- 金 Metal - Monkey, Rooster, Dog
- 土 Earth - Being the center, it doesn't govern any animals, but lends some of its characteristics to some of the years.
So each year has its animal, its Yin or Yang quality, and its element. Each year bears the particular characteristics of the animal that governs it and that influence the nature of our life.
The 60 Year Cycle
Chinese time is measured by cycles of 60 years, a time span that results from the multiplication of the twelve animals and the five elements. This cycle is very important and makes each one of the 60 years a special and unique period.
| Animals | Months | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 鼠 Rat | December | 23h-01h |
| 牛 Ox | January | 01h-03h |
| 虎 Tiger | February | 03h-05h |
| 兔 Rabbit | March | 05h-07h |
| 龍 Dragon | April | 07h-09h |
| 蛇 Snake | May | 09h-11h |
| 馬 Horse | June | 11h-13h |
| 羊 Goat | July | 13h-15h |
| 猴 Monkey | August | 15h-17h |
| 雞 Rooster | September | 17h-19h |
| 狗 Dog | October | 19h-21h |
| 豬 Pig | November | 21h-23h |
The Lunar Dragon
Knowing the position of the Lunar Nodes at birth is an important event both in Astrology Chinese or Western. Nodes are not physical bodies but imaginary points placed in space that mark the locations where the paths of the Moon and the Sun intersect.
In the eastern astrological system, the Nodes are represented by a dragon. To the north is the Dragon's Head and to the south, the Dragon's Tail - North Node and South Node in Western Astrology. Symbolically, the Dragon's Head is the point where food is eaten; the Dragon's Tail is the point where the droppings are expelled.
The Dragon's Head represents the path of life and the Dragon's Tail the habits of childhood or past lives. Nodes represent lessons that we have to learn and that relate to how we relate to others.
The Dragon's Head is understood as the key to happiness. It identifies the areas of greatest potential for growth in each of our lives. Our attention and care should therefore be focused here, in order to move towards success and achievement.
Chinese Zodiac Signs
- Rat - Quick-witted, Versatile, Kind
- Ox - Diligent, Dependable, Determined
- Tiger - Resourceful, Versatile, Kind
- Rabbit - Intuitive, Kind, Responsible
- Dragon - Confident, Independent, Enthusiastic
- Snake - Enigmatic, Intelligent, Wise
- Horse - Animated, Active, Energetic
- Goat - Calm, Gentle, Adaptable
- Monkey - Sharp, Fun, Curious
- Rooster - Protector, Hardworking, Courageous
- Dog - Lovely, Honest, Prudent
- Pig - Sensual, Generous, Diligent
