| In Chinese astrology, the years are named for animals and each animal sign recurs every 12 years. According to one legend, the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from Earth. Only 12 animals came to bid him farewell. As a reward he named a year after each other one in the order that they arrived. First came the Rat, then the Ox, the Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Thus we have 12 signs today. There are five different elements in the Chinese cosmology, such that, as the animal signs recur every 12 years, they have a different element associated with the sign. The five elements are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. This means you might be a metal Rat, like me, or a fire Horse, like my brother. You also might be a water Rat, or an earth Horse. It all depends on the year of your birth. The animal ruling year in which you were born exercises a profound influence on your life. As the Chinese say, "This is the animal that hides in your heart". The Chinese horoscope calculator, below, will tell you what animal rules the year of your birth. Put the year of your birth in the box below and find out what Chinese animal you are! |