Origins of the Chinese Zodiac: The Great Race
August 14, 2018
The Chinese Zodiac, known in Chinese as the 生肖shēngxiào, is comprised of 12 animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Like the western zodiac, each animal is meant to be representative of the character of people born in that year.
But why do these animals feature in the Zodiac? What are the attributes of the Chinese Zodiac animals? How does the Chinese Zodiac influence today's Chinese society? This article will answer all these questions and more.
The Origins of the Chinese Zodiac: The Great Race
What are the personality traits of the Chinese Zodiac animals?
Is the Chinese Zodiac still being used in China?
What's your Chinese Zodiac animal?
The Origins of the Chinese Zodiac: The Great Race
There are many stories purporting to describe the origins of the Zodiac, though one of the most popular is the story of the Great Race. Legend has it the Jade Emperor, ruling in Heaven, was creating a calendar and ordered all the animals to compete in a race. The first 12 to finish the race would become the Zodiac.
The animals were all very excited to participate, but the race would not be easy: to win, the animals had to swim across a large river. The Cat and the Rat were displeased, since both were poor swimmers.
“How shall we cross?” the Cat asked the Rat.
“We shall think of a way together,” the Rat replied. His words were kind, but the Rat was crafty. More than anything, he wanted to win the race and gain eternal glory.
Soon, the Ox came along. As he was wading into the river, the Rat called to him:
“Mr. Ox, Mr. Ox! Please, can you take us across? If we try to swim, we will drown!”
The Ox, a generous animal, agreed. Quickly, the Cat and Rat climbed atop the Ox and began to cross.
In the middle of the wide river, the Rat saw his chance.
“What is that there in the water?” he cried.
“Where?” The Cat leaned over to look. With a strong shove, the Rat pushed the Cat into the water and the current swept him downstream.
The Ox did not notice, but continued swimming until he reached the bank. Seeing the finish line just ahead, the Rat scurried to the Ox’s head and slid down his snout, beating the Ox by a few seconds.
There are many versions of the story of the Great Race, all differing greatly in their details. However, the common denominator remains that the Rat betrayed the Cat, resulting in the Cat’s omission from the Zodiac. To this day, the Cat has never forgiven the Rat and will continue to hunt him as punishment for his betrayal.
What are the personality traits of the Chinese Zodiac animals?
| Chinese | English name | Characteristics | Birth Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鼠 shǔ | Rat | Quick-witted, smart, and resourceful. | 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| 牛niú | Ox | Patient, honest, and conservative. | 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 |
| 虎 hǔ | Tiger | Confident, courageous, and competitive. | 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| 兔tù | Rabbit | Kind, compassionate, and sincere. | 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 |
| 龙 lóng | Dragon | Energetic, ambitious, and charismatic. | 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 |
| 蛇 shé | Snake | Wise, intuitive, and smart. | 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 |
| 马 mǎ | Horse | Energetic, impatient, and adventurous. | 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| 羊 yáng | Goat/Sheep | Calm, shy, and symphatetic | 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| 猴 hóu | Monkey | Fun, energetic, and smart. | 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 |
| 鸡 jī | Rooster | Honest, hard-working, and observant. | 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 |
| 狗 gǒu | Dog | Patient, friendly, and loyal. | 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 |
| 猪 zhū | Pig | Loving, tolerant, and generous. | 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 |
Is the Chinese Zodiac still being used in China?
Yes, the Chinese Zodiac still plays an important role in today's Chinese society.
For starters, the Chinese Zodiac is closely associated with the Chinese New Year, and each Zodiac sign represents different prospects and fortune for the coming year. For example, it is commonly believed that a year with the same Zodiac sign as your birth year will bring you bad luck. This year is called 本命年 Běnmìngnián in Chinese. So, if your Chinese Zodiac animal is the Rabbit, 2023 might be a bad year for you based on superstition.
Additionally, because every animal is representative of specific personality traits, it is not uncommon to take someone's Zodiac sign when building new relationships, especially when dating. In fact, the Chinese Zodiac is still used to predict romantic compatibility between two individuals. For instance, Rats are supposedly compatible with Oxes, Dragons, and Monkeys based on the Chinese Zodiac, while Rabbits are compatible with Goats, Dogs, and Pigs.
Lastly, Goats are believed to be doomed to a lifetime of bad luck and hurdles according to the Chinese Zodiac, which can reduce one's chance of finding a willing partner.
What's your Chinese Zodiac animal?
So, how do you ask someone "What's your Chinese Zodiac animal" in Chinese?
In Chinese, you can simply say：
你属什么？ nǐ shǔ shén me
This phrase can be translated as "What do you belong to" and is how you ask about the Chinese Zodiac year in which someone was born.
If someone asks you about your Chinese Zodiac animal, you may respond with:
我属 wǒ shǔ +ANIMAL
Let's look at this example:
Friend: 你属什么？ nǐ shǔ shén me （What's your Chinese Zodiac sign?）
You: 我属蛇。 wǒ shǔ shé (My Chinese Zodiac sign is the Snake.)
About the Author
Eden has been learning Chinese since 2008. She fell in love with the language, food, and culture and never looked back! Eden lived in China for six years, including in Harbin, Beijing, and Dali.
