Gallery
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
The story is widespread (and widely varying) among Chinese. Though it is made up, it might be interesting for you to tell your children and friends. The Heavenly Gate Race Story - Reasons for Zodiac Rankings. Long, long ago, there was no Chinese zodiac. The Jade Emperor wanted to select 12 animals to be his guards. He sent an immortal being Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for Beside the tricks that rat played in the great race story of the Chinese zodiac, there are other legends about its priority in those animals. In Chinese mythology about the origin of world, the universe was in dark without form like an egg before the earth and heaven was separated. It was the rat that bit a crack and let the air in. The Chinese zodiac legend recounts how the rat, betraying the cat, won the Jade Emperors race, securing the first year. The zodiac's creation story explains the rivalry between cats and rats, influencing cultural traditions. As 2025 approaches, the Year of the Wood Snake promises creativity and transformation, reflecting historical tales of cleverness and unexpected turns. Chinese New Year and the Zodiacs. Each of these zodiac animals governs a whole year, which starts at Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar. This usually corresponds to January or February in the western calendar. When the current year has the same zodiac animal as the year you were born, you are said to be in Ben Ming Nian. Every year, the Lunar New Year marks the transition from one animal to another. The Year of the Dragon, which began on Feb. 10, 2024, ended Tuesday to begin the Year of the Snake. From snake-themed events to whether your luck is in: discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year in our Year of the Snake 2025 series. There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac The stories date back thousands of years. Read on to learn of a few popular and interesting Chinese New Year myths. The Monster and New Year’s Eve. In ancient times, there was a monster named Nián (年). It usually lived at the bottom of the sea and would come up once a year to feast on animals and humans. The Chinese zodiac includes 12 animal signs, in order they are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the transition from one animal to the next—2024 is the year of the Dragon, which began on February 10th, 2024, and ends on February 24th, 2024. Chinese zodiac, annual classification system in Chinese culture following the Chinese lunar calendar yingyang li (literally, “heaven-earth”) in which each year in a 12-year cycle is assigned an animal and each animal is associated with a personality that typifies the year and those born during that year. The cycle changes to a new animal The legend of the 12 animals in Chinese New Year comes from a poem about mythical creatures aiding spring's arrival. News Desk January 29, 2025. facebook twitter whatsup linkded email. Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the oldest traditional festival in China, but a few people concern the origin and story behind the holiday. Many existing customs and activities of the festival actually can be traced back to a popular story of the Monster Nian, which helps to explain why and how the festival is celebrated. The Chinese zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, features 12 animal signs in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. 2025 is the Year of the Snake according to Chinese zodiac, starting from the 2025 Chinese New Year on Jan. 29th and lasting to 2026 Lunar New Year's Eve on Feb. 16. 2026 is the Year of the Horse. 2025 marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake. Photo by Serpantine from the 2024 WildChina herpetological expedition. The legend of the white snake. One of the most beloved serpent stories in Chinese culture is Bai She Chuan Shuo (the legend of the white snake), where the snake spirit, Bai Suzhen, longs to experience human life. Transformed The Order of the Chinese New Year Animals There are many interesting myths relating to the 12 zodiac and where they came from, my favourite being the race between the animals, which gives us the order of the zodiac. NEW YORK, USA - JAN. 29, 2025: The festivities of the Year of the Snake, Chinese New Year begins on January 29, in Chinatown, Manhattan, New York, United States. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via The Chinese system is based on the lunar calendar and assigns an animal to each year within a 12-year cycle. It is said that people born each year receive some of that year’s animal’s reputed attributes. In the Chinese calendar, each year is depicted by one of twelve animals in a repeating cycle known as the Chinese zodiac. Each animal is believed to influence the personality traits, characteristics, and destiny of individuals born in that year. Chinese Calendar Years and Animals. Below is a handy graph to show you which of the Chinese year Furthermore, the traditions born from this myth serve as a reminder of hope and the promise of new beginnings as families gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year. VII. Nian in Contemporary Celebrations. Today, the story of Nian continues to resonate in Chinese New Year festivities around the world. Chinese New Year marks the beginning of the Chinese calendar year, and each year is named after an animal. This tale of the Chinese zodiac is an animal story based on the great race. Add it to your collection of short bedtime stories for kids.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |