The Chinese zodiac story goes that the Jade Emperor decided to select 12 animals to represent the years. The rat was very cunning. It rode on the ox's back and just as they reached the finish line, the rat jumped ahead and became the first. Then came the ox in second place. The tiger was fierce and strong so it was the third. The rabbit was very nimble and hopped into fourth place. The dragon could have been first but it stopped to help some villagers on the way, arriving fifth. The snake slithered in sixth. The horse came galloping in seventh, followed by the sheep in eighth. The monkey was clever and got ninth. The rooster was punctual as always and was tenth. The dog was loyal but a bit too honest and came eleventh. And finally, the pig, who was a bit lazy, took the twelfth place.
There were many different versions and legends about the twelve zodiac animals. One of the most popular versions was about the Jade Emperor's birthday. It was said that when the Jade Emperor celebrated his birthday, he ordered all the animals to come to celebrate his birthday on the ninth day of the first month. He also decided to select twelve animals according to the order of registration as guards on the road to heaven, and they would take turns to be on duty every year. In this story, the mouse and the cat were neighbors, but the cat often bullied the mouse. In order to be able to attend the Jade Emperor's birthday celebration, the cat asked the mouse to wake it up and go with him. The mouse agreed to the cat's request and set off quietly on the morning of the ninth day of the first month. When the mouse faced the wide river, it was worried. However, the cow that was the first to go out silently walked to the river. The mouse took advantage of the moment when the cow swam into the water and nimbly jumped into the cow's ear. The cow did not care about the speculation of the mouse because it was usually known for its simplicity. This story showed the relationship and mutual help between the twelve zodiac animals. Other stories about the twelve zodiac animals included the story of the monkey and the rooster participating in the selection, as well as the story of the origin of the dragon.
The arrangement of the twelve zodiac animals was based on the living habits and activities of the twelve animals. The order of the twelve zodiac animals was: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
The order of the twelve zodiac animals was determined according to their living habits and activities. The order of the twelve zodiac animals was: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
The twelve zodiac animals in China were known as "lunatics". They were considered to be "lunatics" on the first and fifteenth days of each month.
This custom originated from astronomical observation in ancient China. Ancient people observed the positions of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and planets to obtain the corresponding dial of the twelve zodiac signs. According to this dial, they calculated people's fate and good or bad luck. On the first and fifteenth day of each month, due to the position of the sun and moon, some special astronomical phenomena such as partial lunar eclipse or total lunar eclipse often occur. These phenomena are believed to affect the behavior and fate of animals, so they are used to violate the zodiac.
In traditional Chinese culture, the moon was also regarded as an important traditional festival. People usually held various celebrations on this day, such as eating glutinous rice balls, enjoying lanterns, hanging lanterns, and so on. This custom was not only in China, but also in some countries and regions in East Asia, such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, etc., which had similar cultural habits.
The 12 zodiac signs are an important element in traditional Chinese culture. They represent 12 animals, including rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, and pig. These animals played an important role in ancient Chinese agricultural civilization and were regarded as part of agricultural production and celebrations.
In ancient China, the twelve zodiac signs were used for divination and predicting the future. Each animal in the zodiac has its own unique characteristics and symbols. For example, the rat represents intelligence and wealth, while the cow represents diligence and loyalty. These symbols were used to predict future agricultural harvests, war victories, and health conditions.
In ancient Chinese agricultural society, the twelve zodiacs were also associated with some important festivals and celebrations. For example, the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival are both based on the Year of the Rat and the Year of the Ox. The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the Year of the Rabbit, and the Dragon Boat Festival is based on the Year of the Dragon. During these festivals, the twelve zodiac animals were used in decorations and celebrations to express good harvest and happiness.
Therefore, the twelve zodiac signs played an important role in traditional Chinese culture. They not only represented animals and characteristics, but were also regarded as a way of divination and predicting the future. They were also an important part of ancient Chinese agricultural civilization.
The Chinese zodiac story is about twelve animals competing to be part of the zodiac cycle. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor decided to select twelve animals to represent the years. The rat tricked the ox into carrying it across the river and then jumped off at the last minute to be first. Then came the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig in order. Each animal is believed to have certain characteristics associated with it.
The nicknames of the twelve zodiac animals were as follows:
Rat: Son God, Shejun, Night Mozi, Home Deer, Rat, Brocade Rat, Flying Rat
Cattle: Native animals, dungeons, old cattle, Ruzi cattle
Tigers: Mountain Lord, Yutu, Big Bug, Paper Tiger, Smiling Tiger
[Rabbit: Jade Rabbit, Moon Essence, Moon Virtue, Bright Vision, Little White Rabbit, Gangster Rabbit]
Dragons: Scaled ones are called flood dragons, winged ones are called Yinglong, horned ones are called horned dragons, hornless ones are called horned dragons, the head of the four spirits, small white dragons, and river dragons.
Snakes: Dragon, Long Worm, Green Snake, Viper, Beauty Snake, Cobra
Horse: Horse, Mare, Colt, Pony, Gelding, Flying Yellow, Jade Dragon, Eight Feet Dragon, Thousand Li Horse, Horse Cannon
Sheep: Dan Gen, Zhen Lang, Juan Lou, Xia Yang, Bai Sha Long, Song Shan Jun, Scapegoat, Pleasant Goat, Beautiful Goat, Lazy Goat
Monkey: Yu, Guoran, Du, Marmoset, Golden Monkey, Sharp Mouth Monkey
Chickens: Sichen, Shiye, Sye, Deqin, Dashao Chicken, Da Ming Chicken, Hen, Boy Scout
[Dogs: Dog, Uncle Jackal, Ground Sheep, Han Lu, Pug, Lackey, Loyal Dog]
Pig: Pig, Yin Zhong, Tang Ang, Black Face Lang, Black Lord, Pig, Pig, Pig Pig, Pig Page, Big Fatty, Pig Treasure Ring
The three pests of the zodiac are the snake, the tiger, and the pig. This saying originated from a folk story. It was said that snakes and tigers were gods in the sky. Because of their struggle, they were chased to the mortal world by the Jade Emperor to suffer. Pigs were ranked last because of their inferiority. The snake and the pig were dissatisfied with their ranking in the zodiac, which eventually led to a conflict between them.