Chinese Astrology - Overview

The legend goes that when Buddha became enlightened, he called all the animals of the world to celebrate at a grand party.  Only 12 animals apparently made the journey.  The Rat, Ox, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and the Pig. 

Let me clarify for you why this legend isn’t walking the path of truth.  You see, these 12 animals are not just family to the Chinese.  They were first relatives to Tibet, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Asian origins. 

The world had 12 disciples, then why not 12 animals on whom to base psychological personalities.  My theory seems to hold water for both the Eastern and the Western Astrology.  However, in all fairness, originally there were supposedly 28 animals, one for each day of the month, way back when. 

Each one of us is a creation of 3 eastern animals.  One for the year, one for the month of our birth, and one for the time of our birth!  Each of the twelve animals is ruled by one of the 5 elements Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.  12x12x12x5 adds up to 8,640 combinations.  It becomes even more interesting!  For instance, the Sympathetic Cycle is something we astrologers find worthwhile at least mentioning.  See it as laid out below. 

Sympathetic Cycle 

Metal Elements – Monkey/Rooster/Dog.  Meaning metal is sympathetic to water as it can be made into metal containers in which water can be carried.  Metal works against wood, because axes can chop down trees. 

Water Elements – Pig/Rat/Ox.  Meaning water is sympathetic to wood, as trees are watered by rain.  Water works against fire by putting it out. 

Wood Elements – Tiger/Rabbit/Dragon.  Meaning wood is sympathetic to fire as it can supply the raw material for flames.  Wood works against earth, because tree roots break it up. 

Fire Elements – Snake/Horse/Sheep.  Meaning fire is sympathetic to earth, by tuning wood into ash which becomes earth again.  Fire works against metal, by melting it. 

Earth Elements – Holds no direct relatives of its own.  This is because the elements are based on their compass direction and earth is the centre.  Earth is sympathetic to metal, because it creates metal in its deep core.  It works against water, by turning it into mud.  

The year element is always the most powerful and dominant one.  This explains why some years seem easier to us than others. 

Chinese Astrological Animal Overview 

RAT:  Direction – North, Element – Water, Season – Midwinter.  Best Years – Rat/Dragon/Monkey.  Worst Years – Rabbit/Horse/Rooster.  Chinese name (Tsu). 

OX:  Direction – North-north-east, Element – Water, Season – Late winter.  Best Years – Ox/Snake/Rooster.  Worst Years – Sheep/Dragon/Dog.  Chinese name (Ch’ou). 

TIGER:  Direction – East-north-east, Element – Wood, Season – Early spring.  Best Years – Tiger/Horse/Dog.  Worst Years – Monkey/Pig/Snake.  Chinese name (Yin). 

RABBIT:  Direction – East, Element – Wood, Season – Mid-spring.  Best Years – Rabbit/Sheep/Pig.  Worst Years – Rooster/Horse/Rat.  Chinese name (Mao). 

DRAGON:  Direction – East-south-east, Element – Wood, Season – Late spring.  Best Years – Dragon/Monkey/Rat.  Worst Years – Dog/Sheep/Ox.  Chinese name (Ch’en). 

SNAKE:  Direction – South-south-east, Element – Fire, Season – Early summer.  Best Years – Snake/Rooster/Ox.  Worst Years – Pig/Monkey/Tiger.  Chinese name (Szu). 

HORSE:  Direction – South, Element – Fire, Season – Mid summer.  Best Years – Horse/Tiger/Dog.  Worst Years – Rat/Rabbit/Rooster.  Chinese name (Wu). 

SHEEP:   Direction – South-south-west, Element – Fire, Season – Late Summer.  Best Years – Sheep/Rabbit/Pig.  Worst Years – Ox/Dragon/Dog.  Chinese name (Wei). 

MONKEY:  Direction – West-south-west, Element – Metal, Season – Early fall.  Best Years – Monkey/Rat/Dragon.  Worst Years – Tiger/Snake/Pig.  Chinese name (Shen). 

ROOSTER:  Direction – West, Element – Metal, Season – Mid fall.  Best Years – Rooster/Ox/Snake.  Worst Years – Rabbit/Horse/Rat.  Chinese name (Yu). 

DOG:  Direction – West-north-west, Element – Metal, Season – Late fall.  Best Years – Dog/Horse/Tiger.  Worst Years – Dragon/Ox/Sheep.  Chinese name (Hsu). 

PIG:  Direction – North-north-east, Element – Water, Season – Early winter.  Best Years – Pig/Sheep/Rabbit.  Worst Years – Snake/Tiger/Monkey.  Chinese name (Hai). 

Please Note: The above information is a general overview of each of these signs.  To find your own ‘direct’ astrological information, please refer to the Eastern Zodiac Chart.  May good fortune find us all, no matter which sign guides us! 

Good fortune and happy hunting,
White Sparrow

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Eastern Zodiac Calendar

Rat    Ox    Tiger    Rabbit    Dragon    Snake

Horse   Sheep   Monkey    Rooster   Dog    Pig