As you may already know, the Chinese calendar is based on the phases of the moon. and when a new year begins, it brings with it one of the 12 Chinese zodiac. Every 12 years, the sequence begins again. This year (2018) for example, is the Year of the Dog which will not come around again until 2030. 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 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. 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. 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 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 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. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the 2025 Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on Jan. 29, 2025. This day marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which will last until Feb. 16 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. 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 Chinese New Year is a perfect time to introduce children to the fascinating traditions and stories of the Chinese Zodiac. The 12 animals each carry unique characteristics, making them an exciting topic for young Chinese learners. Here are some fun activities to help your kids learn more about thes 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. 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 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. 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. 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. (Picture: Getty) The story behind the Chinese zodiac animals. One version of the legend says that the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven and the Earth, decided to hold a race to pick the animals What are the animals of the zodiac? Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals — the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — measure the cycles of time. Legend has it that in ancient China, there was a ferocious monster called 'Nian', which had horns, lived deep in the ocean all the year, and went onshore only on the New Year's Eve to eat animals and hurt human. The Significance of the Zodiac Animals in Chinese New Year The Significance of the Zodiac Animals in Chinese New Year I. Introduction to Chinese Zodiac The Chinese zodiac is a classification system based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a specific animal. This fascinating system not only serves as a means of []
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