Zodiac signs, as per western astrology is a constellation that is decided by the date of your born. In the Chinese belief, however, the zodiac or also known as sheng xiao is the animal assigned to your birth year.
There are many traditions and myths associated with the Chinese zodiac throughout history, and different interpretations and stories are prevalent in different locations. And for sure, the one thing that is familiar to everyone is the zodiac signs. We know the zodiac sign has 12 animals but do we know the story behind this?
The Great Race
One of the most common and well-known stories associated with the zodiac signs is the story of the Great Race.
The Jade Emperor (also known as the Emperor in Heaven in Chinese legend) wanted to come up with a solution to keep track of time. Hence, he organized a race and ordered that animals be classified as calendar signs, with the first twelve arriving being chosen. The twelve animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
On the day of the race, the rat was the earliest to wake up. On the way to the river, he met the horse, the tiger, and the ox. Since the rat was little and couldn’t swim properly, he sought assistance from the larger animal. The tiger and horse refused but the ox, being kind-hearted decided to help the rat. Just as they were about to reach the other side of the river, the rat quickly jumped off the ox’s head and secured first place, followed by the ox.
The third was the tiger. The rabbit came in fourth since it was small and had trouble battling the current. The dragon secured fifth place. Although it could have flown across directly, the dragon offered help to some creatures on the way. The horse would have secured seventh place but just as the horse was about to cross, the snake slithered by leaving the horse startled. Hence, the snake secured sixth-placed.
The Jade Emperor spotted the sheep, the monkey, and the rooster on a raft. Upon reaching the other side, the trio agreed to give the eighth place to the sheep since it was the most comforting and harmonious animal. Next came the monkey and then the rooster. The eleventh place was the dog, who scrambled onto the shore after playing in the water for so long. Last but no least was the pig. The pig came in last because it had gotten hungry and stopped to eat and nap.
As a result, each year corresponds to one of the animals in this order. Every 60 years, the cycle repeats itself. But why 60? The Chinese calendar works differently from a regular calendar. The traditional Chinese calendar is divided into two systems that overlap. The animals of the zodiac are linked to a concept known as the Twelve Earthly Branches. The Ten Heavenly Stems is another system. The metal, wood, water, fire, and earth elements are all represented in the Ten Heavenly Stems. A ten-year cycle is created by assigning yin or yang to each element.
A sexagenary cycle is created when the twelve animals of the earthly branch are combined with the five elements plus the yin or yang of the Heavenly Stems to generate 60 years of varied combinations. Not only that, but you can also have an inner animal based on your birthday month, a true animal based on your birth date, and a secret animal based on your birth hour.
Despite the Great Race is the origin of the zodiac signs, some cultures made changes to reflect their communities. For instance, in the Vietnamese calendar, the rabbit is replaced with a cat and in the Thailand calendar, the dragon is replaced by a mythical snake called Naga.
Sources: Ted Ed, Travel China Guide, Pagoda Projects