The Chinese zodiac, also known as the animal signs, is an important cultural symbol in Chinese folk traditions. It consists of twelve animals that correspond to the twelve earthly branches in Chinese culture, including the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. These animals not only represent the cycle of a year but also carry rich cultural meanings and historical significance.
The origin of the Chinese zodiac is closely related to ancient animal worship. As early as the Warring States period, people had a relatively complete system of zodiac animals. The Qin bamboo slips unearthed from Yunmeng in Hubei and Fangmatan in Gansu record animal names that are consistent with the modern twelve zodiac animals. The earliest known text that clearly records the twelve zodiac animals is the "Lunheng" by Wang Chong from the Eastern Han dynasty. This indicates that the system of the Chinese zodiac had already been formed more than two thousand years ago and was widely circulated in the folk.
The Chinese zodiac is the image representation of the twelve earthly branches, with each zodiac corresponding to one branch, such as Zi (Rat), Chou (Ox), Yin (Tiger), etc. As history developed, the zodiac gradually integrated into the popular belief of mutual generation and mutual restriction, becoming an important cultural symbol in people's lives. In areas such as marriage, life, and yearly fortune, the zodiac is given rich symbolic meanings. For example, people often choose marriage partners based on their zodiac signs, believing that compatible zodiac signs can bring good luck; during the "jia ni" year, people wear charms or perform prayers to mitigate adverse effects.
In folk culture, the zodiac is not only a symbol of personal fate but also forms a unique system of interpretation. For example, temple fairs, writing couplets, and zodiac paintings are all closely related to the zodiac. These cultural forms not only enrich people's daily lives but also reflect people's reverence for nature and fate. Today, the zodiac is not only a traditional cultural symbol but also an important element of modern entertainment culture. During the Spring Festival, people use the zodiac as a symbol of good fortune, expressing their wishes for the new year through zodiac stamps, zodiac cards, and zodiac animations. At the closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the zodiac-themed ice skates became a bright highlight, showcasing the international influence of the zodiac culture.
Zodiac animal sign year sequence table
Rat: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon: 1952, 1764, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake: 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse: 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Goat: 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey: 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster: 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog: 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Pig: 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
