Chinese zodiac years are represented by 12 animals. 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, 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. 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. With Chinese New Year approaching, some may wonder why 2025 year is the Year of the Snake. Learn which Lunar New Year animal represents your birth year. 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 The Chinese zodiac years are a repeating cycle of 12 years; each year is represented by a different animal. The Chinese zodiac years are based on the Chinese lunar calendar. The starting and ending dates are a little different from the Gregorian calendar. 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. The beginning of a New Year in China is marked with elaborate celebrations as people usher in the start of a New Year animal. The Chinese New Year Animals Rat . The rat is one of the 12 animals found on the Chinese zodiac. According to the Chinese zodiac, the years which are defined as “the year of the rat” include 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 The Chinese New Year animals change annually on a twelve year cycle but there are also five different types of each animal represented by the five elementary elements from Chinese culture - earth, wood, fire, water and metal. 2024 was the year of the Wood Dragon and 2025 is the year of the Wood Snake. Rat Below are listed the Chinese zodiac 2026 ruling animals and elements for each month of the year.* According to the Chinese New Year 2026 calendar, February 17, 2026 is the Lunar New Year celebration day, which marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse 2026 (the Horse being the ruling animal of the year 2026) and the first day of the Month Bidding farewell to the mythical Dragon, the world welcomes the Year of the Snake on January 29 — the first day of the Lunar New Year. For those who celebrate this ancient festival, starting the Every Chinese zodiac year from 1900–2031, full table and broken down by each zodiac. Find your year, animal, dates and element (metal, water, wood, fire, earth). The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) usually falls during 21 January and February 20, if your birthday is during this period in Gregorian date, you may belong to the zodiac sign of the last year. In the following table, the years’ starting and ending dates are clearly shown which help you determine your animal sign correctly. There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac With Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year) quickly approaching, some may wonder why this coming year is the Year of the Snake, why each year is represented by an animal and the story behind it all Chinese zodiac, annual classification system in Chinese culture following the Chinese lunar calendar Each year is represented by a different animal, and these animals hold special significance in Chinese astrology and culture. In this guide, we will delve into the lunar new year animals and their meanings, providing a deeper understanding of this fascinating zodiac cycle as we approach the year 2023. The Chinese zodiac is a system based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal sign. These animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 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. Why does Chinese New Year fall on different dates? 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 Use these Chinese New Year animals to teach children about the story behind the tradition. There's a cut-out for each animal, an explanation of the story, an image of the zodiac and more. You could use these in your teaching to bring the story to life and engage your children. Chinese New Year: Guess the Animal of the Chinese Zodiac PowerPoint Traditionally, Chinese people believe that each zodiac sign has fated personality traits and each different zodiac year has a lot to do with personal horoscopes. Below is our Chinese zodiac calculator .
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