Chinese Astrology

According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day to see who was the cycle of years at the helm. The gods were asked to decide and they have a contest: who was to get across the river would be first, and the remaining animals would receive their years according to their arrival.

All the twelve animals gathered at the river and jumped in without the knowledge of an ox, the rat jumped on his back. Since beef is about to jump ashore, the rat jumped back beef, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended last.

This is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the last pig.
The Chinese animal signs a 12-year cycle used for dating the years. They represent a cyclical concept of time, rather than the Western linear concept of time.

In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February The Chinese adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions like Chinese New Year. Many Chinese calendars both the solar dates and the Chinese lunar dates to print.

A hatch cultural signs of animals in Chinese folklore is that horoscopes are developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West for the different moon signs, Pisces, Aries is developed, etc. For example, a Chinese horoscope predictions a person born in the Year of the Horse would be cheerful, popular, and loves to compliment others. These horoscopes are amusing, but not taken seriously by the Chinese people.