The Chinese Zodiac

[Tonks]

The Chinese Zodiac varies from every other branch of astrology in that it based solely on the Chinese calendar and has no relation to the stars as in other branches. This branch of astrology has assigned 12 different animals to various birth years. These animals then represent different type of human personality. The zodiac is based on 12 rotating years and begins with the Rat.

There are many stories as to the origin of the zodiac and why the rat begins the calendar. The most popular being the banquet story.

Wikipedia The rat was given the task of inviting the animals to report to the Jade Emperor for a banquet to be selected for the zodiac signs. The cat was a good friend of the rat, but the rat tricked him into believing that the banquet was the next day. The cat slept through the banquet, thinking that it was the next day. When he found out, the cat vowed to be the rat's natural enemy for ages to come.

There is also a story about an argument and a race between the 13 animals.

Chinese Culture Center According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish. All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.

The 12 animals of the zodiac are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram (also sheep or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each of these animals is assigned different attributes which helped to define a person born within their year.

To find out your animal visit this site.

Questions to consider:

1. What is your animal?
2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
3. Do you see any similarities between other branches of Astrology? If so, what?
4. Do you prefer this branch over others and why?

[Tenshi]

1. What is your animal?
I am the Boar
2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
Unfortunately hardly anything listed there is correct.
Things like hating arguments and being naive fit, but I am not social, hate parties, not in a club. The love thing is not true either. And I still wait for a miracle.

[Midnightsfire]

Snake...

I have ot say that's the closest I've seen of a description about me. (Which may not be saying much.)

[Spirit]

1. What is your animal?
The horse.

2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
Nope, I think it's actually a pretty good description of someone opposite of me.

3. Do you see any similarities between other branches of Astrology? If so, what?
No, it seems opposite of all the other astrology descriptions of me.

4. Do you prefer this branch over others and why?
This is my least favorite branch of astrology. It's just the least accurate about me.

[Raven_Girly]

I'm a dragon. I had a read of what the website above had to say and found that it doesn't really sound like me at all. I fail to see any "faithful band of admirers" behind me. And it says I'm not "not sentimental or even romantic". I resent that! The only things there that sound like me is that I am stubborn.

I find the Chinese zodiac harder to believe than others because it lumps everyone born within the year in one category. I know several people who are the same age as me and have very different personalities to me. The fact that the description of the dragon doesn't match me at all makes it less credible to me. But it is definitely one of the more interesting branches of astrology.

[Tonks]

Ok we must have been born close to each other because I am a Dragon too. This actually fits me pretty well though. I am loyal and a go getter and I always dive into things. I need to learn that stepping back and looking at things before I go running. As with any branch of astrology, there are things that don't fit, I don't think I am all that strong and I am very sentimental and romantic so that is completely off.

I also wonder about the accuracy of this branch. As Raven_Girly mentions, it goes by years so that all people born in that same year, regardless of month and time, would be the same animal. I wonder if someone born in June of 1976 would have my same qualities. It seems other branches are more precise in that they take into account the month and even day or time of birth. I think when trying to pin point the stars it is important to be specific. Although in saying this, we must remember that the Zodiac is based not on stars at all but their animals and an old legend. This could be why it is imprecise.

[Raven_Girly]

Originally Posted by Tonks

Ok we must have been born close to each other because I am a Dragon too.

But since there are 12 zodiac signs, we could be born 12, 24, 36 etc. years apart too, right? I'm 19.

I find it interesting that each year doesn't begin and end on the same day. Is that how the Chinese year works too? Or is it just for the zodiac?

[Midnightsfire]

Here is a full chart including your element.

I'm a wood snake.

[Raven_Girly]

Ooh, elements! I'm an Earth Dragon! And there's a positive symbol next to it. It says that positive means a masculine depostition...

According to the website Midnightsfire posted, dragons "exude sexuality", especially us woman, Tonks!.

[HermioneGR]

Originally Posted by dumbledorexxx

Well im a Chinese monkey... why did you want to even know that? OMG! IM SO COOL!

I'm a monkey too!Yeah we really ARE cool!
2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
I think it represents me very well.Most of the things are true
3.Do you see any similarities between other branches of Astrology? If so, what?
Some things are similar to what I've read aboyt my sign(Libra)
4.Do you prefer this branch over others and why?
I think this is my favourite.It's a great description of myself

[HugForLupin]

1. I'm a wood dog! (13th July 1994)

2. Definitely! The description mathces me perfectly!

3. Many of the things I read about the dog are extremely similar to Cancer, which is my sign!

4. This and star signs tie for my very favourite. It's simple, straightforward and is really accurate about me!

[Hes]

1. What is your animal?

A Rooster, a metal rooster.

2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?

Only part I recognize is the dreaming and being knowledgeable in most subjects (apart of maths and stuff for me) and being sincere about helping people.

[Tonks]

Originally Posted by Midnightsfire

Here is a full chart including your element.

I'm a wood snake.

Thank you for this! I never knew they had elements included. I am a Fire Dragon... fitting

[snapegirl]

I'm a fire Snake.
It's a pretty good description of me.

[Sile]

I was born in the year of the Rooster. I would say I am a typical Rooster. I do tend to have Foot in Mouth disease very much like a fellow Rooster Prince Phillip

[skrewtmaster]

Originally Posted by dumbledorexxx

Well im a Chinese monkey... why did you want to even know that? OMG! IM SO COOL!

I'm a monkey too! 1992, the year of absoloute brilliance!

[HarryPotter]

1. What is your animal?
The goat. (Also known as sheep and ram, but I prefer goat because I find goats to be highly amusing)

2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
Yes, absolutely, at least the description in the website in the first post was completely spot on.

3. Do you see any similarities between other branches of Astrology? If so, what?
Yeah, it all fits with the descriptions with my other signs (Classic horoscope, Celtic and others)

4. Do you prefer this branch over others and why?
All branches are about the same level, I don't have preferences.

[storyteller]

Originally Posted by Tenshi

1. What is your animal?
I am the Boar
2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
Unfortunately hardly anything listed there is correct.
Things like hating arguments and being naive fit, but I am not social, hate parties, not in a club. The love thing is not true either. And I still wait for a miracle.

*Wonders what the Hogsmeade is if it is not a social club. Having parties every night in the shack. can't you just feel the love.

I am also a boar, 1971. this is more me than the Capricorn is.

Boars must watch themselves so that their incessant pursuit of pleasure doesn't interfere with other aspects of their lives. (look how much I am in the shack)

Once Boars arrive at a decision nothing stops them. (I have a hard time dealing with others changing my plans.)

After reading the elemental chart, Pig. metal negative. It is not as close for me. it is right on for my husband though. It does say we are compatable though.

[MC2456]

I love the Chinese Zodiac! But yeah, my comment won't count as much, because this is my first branch of astrology, being Chinese and all. I'm a Rooster obviously, but some of the traits don't describe me, some of them do. But I'm just reading Astrology for fun, not that I REALLY believe in it. But the legend is cool.

[lupislune]

1. What is your animal?
The horse, an earth horse

2. Do you think this animal accurately represents you and why or why not?
I think that they are several characteristics that apply to me, some more so than others. I am unsure about the element portion. I don't see those characteristics about myself, but I have been told by my friends that I exhibit these characteristics.

3. Do you see any similarities between other branches of Astrology? If so, what?
I do see similarities among the different branches of astrology. I think that each is different slightly, but as a generality are very similar.