The Chinese zodiac calendar doesn’t only deal with the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, but also has other more intricate and complex relationships. Additionally with the animals, the Chinese Zodiac also entails 5 elements: wood, metal, water, fire and Earth. These 5 elements are connected with the 5 core planets: Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn. The associations presented by the 12 animals and the 5 elements actually merge to generate the 60-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac signs. This chart, along with directions, the positions of the sun and moon, a person’s date and time of birth, and Yin and Yang are used to help predict a person’s future in more detail than merely using the Chinese zodiac animal as a guide. While the Chinese zodiac signs are essential and important, the manner in which the elements of the Chinese zodiac chart interact and collaborate must be utilized in order to build a full understanding of an individual person. To totally and completely appreciate the Chinese Zodiac, it is necessary and important to understand the relationships between all the Chinese zodiac elements, which is something most people won’t get from the standard overview of the Chinese zodiac.

Unlike the occidental zodiac, the Chinese zodiac pertains to a calendrical cycle, which means that it does not have equivalent constellations. In imperial ages, some astrologers would watch the skies for omens to help predict the state’s future, which was a different practice for prophesizing in today’s time.

This basic cycle has been constructed from two cycles, such as the 10 heavenly stems, i.e. the five elements in their yin and yang forms and the 12 earthly branches, or the 12-year cycle of animals referred to as the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese animal zodiac operates on a cycle of the moon in a month and hours of the day. This zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle. In this there are equivalent constellations like those of the occidental zodiac. In ancient times there were astrologers who watched the sky for heavenly symbols and then would predict the future. The predictions ware done on many things like the state, but this was a quite different practice of divination from the popular present-day methods.

This basic cycle has been constructed from two cycles, such as the 10 heavenly stems, i.e. the five elements in their yin and yang forms and the 12 earthly branches, or the 12-year cycle of animals referred to as the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese animal zodiac operates on a cycle of the moon in a month and hours of the day. This zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle. In this there are equivalent constellations like those of the occidental zodiac. In ancient times there were astrologers who watched the sky for heavenly symbols and then would predict the future. The predictions ware done on many things like the state, but this was a quite different practice of divination from the popular present-day methods.

Rat is associated with the compass direction of north 2, the element of metal, the color of black and the middle of winter. The rat is active, intelligent and quick to spot an opportunity but can be petty, nosy and overly critical.

There are twelve different animals in Chinese zodiac. Each zodiac period consists of full moon cycle, from new moon to full moon. Therefore, twelve full lunar cycles are there in a Chinese Zodiac year. However, one animal stands for a whole year. So, a Chinese cycle goes round for twelve years before starting all over again. Unlike in western system, where your zodiac comes around every year, in the Chinese system you can celebrate your zodiac birthday only once in twelve years.

There are several legends associated with the creation of the Chinese calendar. One of them has it that the gods wanted to test which of the animals could reach their position the fastest. So, they asked all of them to compete by swimming through a river. The order of their reaching is reflected in the Chinese zodiac. According to another legend, before leaving earth, Lord Buddha asked the animals to visit him. And when they went to meet him, he named the moon cycles according to the order of appearance of the animals. This makes the Chinese zodiac a circle with twelve equal parts much like a pie sliced into twelve parts.

There are specific characteristics associated with every zodiac animal in the Chinese system. The animals are ox, rabbit, tiger, rat, snake, sheep, horse, monkey, rooster, boar, dog and dragon.

So, if you fall under ‘rat’, you are supposed to be aggressive, charming, perfectionist and a little secretive. You are also party loving and somewhat stubborn. Those who belong to the ‘rat’ zodiac may also be somewhat mean at times. Therefore, each zodiac represents a complete personality with both positive and negative traits.

Chinese zodiac system is much different from the solar-based western zodiac system we are all so familiar with. However, many a time the traits you are supposed to have under western system are much the same as those under the Chinese system. That’s quite amazing. This, however, may not happen in all cases.