Know About Chinese Zodiac Symbolism
The signs that make up the Chinese Zodiac calendar are images of various animals. The Chinese have been using this 12 year cycle for dating the years since ancient times. Unlike the western linear idea of time the Chinese lunar calendar represents a cyclical concept of time.
You will discover that the working of Chinese calendar is absolutely opposite to that of western calendar. Western calendar is called solar calendar because it follows the sun whereas Chinese follow the moon's movement and is called lunar calendar. The Chinese New Year too starts around end of January and beginning of February.
Although China officially adopted the Western calendar in 1911 the lunar calendar is still used to mark traditional events and festive occasions. The Chinese New Year is one of the most prominent examples of the use of the lunar calendar in modern day China. This is the reason we see the majority of the calendars printed in China showing both the solar as well as the Chinese lunar dates.
The Chinese followed the idea of accepted folk custom of representing every year physically with some animal. A particular animal will represent a particular year. Thus twelve years show twelve different animals with their own characteristics. As the calendar is cyclic the same animals keep coming back once in every twelve years.
The animals that represented the years took on the meaning that is similar to the concept of monthly or daily horoscopes in the west. The only difference was that the Chinese zodiac symbols determined were for the entire year. Hence people born in the year of a particular animal were supposed to have the characteristics associated with that animal.
Apart from the personality traits that Chinese zodiac symbols are supposed to portray which may or may not be taken seriously; they play another important function. One can use the Chinese lunar calendar to decide the age of an individual. Once you know the person's animal sign then you can simply calculate their age by using a bit of common sense and basic math.
Chinese lunar calendar is very useful in calculating the age of a person. Once you know the category of the animal to which the person belongs with a bit of intelligence and little mathematics this can be done.
As the Chinese legend goes once there was a struggle between twelve animals to impose some control over the cycle of years. Finally it was decided that there would be a race of the animals in which the animal to reach the opposite bank of the river would lead and the rest would follow as they finish. Thus the practice of representing each year with one animal sign came into being.
As the legend goes the Ox was in the lead in the race to the opposite bank with a rat on its back. When it was about to reach the finishing line the rat being smart jumped off its back and became first to finish. Thus the months too start with rat in the lead with ox taking the second position and pig in the last.
You will discover that the working of Chinese calendar is absolutely opposite to that of western calendar. Western calendar is called solar calendar because it follows the sun whereas Chinese follow the moon's movement and is called lunar calendar. The Chinese New Year too starts around end of January and beginning of February.
Although China officially adopted the Western calendar in 1911 the lunar calendar is still used to mark traditional events and festive occasions. The Chinese New Year is one of the most prominent examples of the use of the lunar calendar in modern day China. This is the reason we see the majority of the calendars printed in China showing both the solar as well as the Chinese lunar dates.
The Chinese followed the idea of accepted folk custom of representing every year physically with some animal. A particular animal will represent a particular year. Thus twelve years show twelve different animals with their own characteristics. As the calendar is cyclic the same animals keep coming back once in every twelve years.
The animals that represented the years took on the meaning that is similar to the concept of monthly or daily horoscopes in the west. The only difference was that the Chinese zodiac symbols determined were for the entire year. Hence people born in the year of a particular animal were supposed to have the characteristics associated with that animal.
Apart from the personality traits that Chinese zodiac symbols are supposed to portray which may or may not be taken seriously; they play another important function. One can use the Chinese lunar calendar to decide the age of an individual. Once you know the person's animal sign then you can simply calculate their age by using a bit of common sense and basic math.
Chinese lunar calendar is very useful in calculating the age of a person. Once you know the category of the animal to which the person belongs with a bit of intelligence and little mathematics this can be done.
As the Chinese legend goes once there was a struggle between twelve animals to impose some control over the cycle of years. Finally it was decided that there would be a race of the animals in which the animal to reach the opposite bank of the river would lead and the rest would follow as they finish. Thus the practice of representing each year with one animal sign came into being.
As the legend goes the Ox was in the lead in the race to the opposite bank with a rat on its back. When it was about to reach the finishing line the rat being smart jumped off its back and became first to finish. Thus the months too start with rat in the lead with ox taking the second position and pig in the last.
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Chinese symbol meanings differ according to several factors . If you are interested in Chinese New Year symbolism click on the links to read more.