The Origin of Chinese Zodiac

In ancient times，our ancestors counted the years with 10 celestial stems and 12 terrestrial branches.Although this was scientific，most people were illiterate and could not memorize or calculate easily.Thus the animals that influenced people’s lives were chosen to symbolize the terrestrial branches:the rat，ox，tiger，rabbit，dragon，snake，horse，sheep，monkey，rooster，dog and pig.

For a long time there has been a special relationship between humans and the 12 zodiacal animals.Humans admired them，took them as totems，and in the artistic field，those animal signs were among the features of those themes.

This can be reflected in artisans’paper-cut works，New-Year pictures，pottery and bronze wares，especially on the bronze mirrors before the appearance of glass ones，on which elaborate forms showed creativity and passion as well as wishes for a good life.

The Use of Zodiac Animal Signs

A Chinese horoscope may predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse is “cheerful，popular and quick to compliment others”.The year of a person’s birth is considered the primary factor in determining a person’s personality，physical and mental attributes，ability and level of success and happiness throughout his or her lifetime.Events and occurrences in a given year are influenced by the nature of that year’s animal.

Animal signs also have a useful social function for determining someone’s age. Instead of asking directly how old a person is，the Chinese often ask about his or her animal sign，which places a person within a cycle of 12 years.This is a popular way to socialize.

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