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 When does Chinese New Year start? Chinese New Year in 2025 starts on Wednesday, Jan. 29. When does Chinese New Year end? Chinese New Year in 2025 lasts until the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. 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 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 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. The year follows the Chinese lunar calendar. The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year signifies the end of one year, and the start of the next. 2025 – Year of the Snake. 2026 – Year of the Horse. 2027 – Year of the Goat. Chinese Zodiacs – Which one are you? Chinese Zodiac Calculator 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 order of occurrence on the Chinese Animal Zodiac, there was a cunning rat, a hardworking ox, a restless tiger, a fortunate rabbit, a fiery dragon, a secretive snake, an obstinate horse, a cautious goat, a vain monkey, a brave rooster, a loyal dog, and a reliable pig. The Great Race placed importance not on the winner, but on the order in There are many Chinese zodiac stories, and the Great Race of the 12 animals is the most famous one. The race made the zodiac order, and rat won; thus, ranked No. 1. The Great Zodiac Animals Race. Long ago, the Jude Emperor (ruler of heaven) would like to measure time by twelve different animals. He told animals that he would hold a great race on his birthday, the prize was twelve positions on the Chinese zodiac calendar. The one who arrives at the Heaven Gate first will be named for the first zodiac year. Most of us are familiar with the Chinese Zodiac and how it differs from the Western Zodiac. 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. But where does this belief come from? As with all forms of folklore, myths exist in multiple form and variation, and this narrative is no exception, with various titles and strands referring to the Chinese New Year Animals Story and The Great Race; a colourful and enduring description of how the 12 animals achieved eternal calendric status and their immutable order of rat, ox Because the dates of Chinese New Year change every year, individuals born in January or February will need to pay special attention to their birth date in addition to their birth year. Chinese Zodiac Calculator. If you don’t know your Chinese zodiac use our calculator below to quickly find your animal sign by entering your birthday, and be Everything you need to know about the Chinese zodiac calendar and its new year traditions.Playlists:Shorts - A look into the Chinese Zodiac and its significance in the Lunar New Year, and in life. The Lunar New Year, which this year falls on February 1, marks the beginning of a new yearly cycle presided over by one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. In 2022, we usher in the Year of the Tiger. Here’s a look at how the Chinese zodiac came to be Happy Chinese New Year , and welcome the Year of the Fire Monkey ! Chinese New Year falls on Monday, February 8th this year, and I thought it would be fun to share the story behind the Chinese zodiac animals . The mythological story is about a great race, during which the order of the 12 zodiac a Exploring the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals is not just an engaging way to celebrate Chinese New Year but also an opportunity to teach kids about Chinese culture, language, and traditions. Whether you’re learning through storytelling, crafting, or playing games, we hope these activities will help bring the magic of the Chinese Zodiac to life for The Chinese zodiac is also important when being compatible with a lover, or considering whether you should have a child. The year you were born in will affect your future and many future parents will consider dates before trying for a baby if the current year is not a positive one. The Order of the Chinese New Year Animals We celebrate the Lunar New Year by saying goodbye to the Year of the Dragon and ushering in the Year of the Snake, the 6th zodiac animal in the twelve-year lunar calendar. Have you ever wondered what the twelve animals are and how their place in the order was determined? One of the most popular stories about this is c This fun PowerPoint has your children guessing the Chinese New Year animal based on the cryptic clues. This would be an exciting way to round up your lesson on the Chinese New Year animals story and would help to reinforce your children's knowledge of the different animals of the zodiac. KS1 Dragons in the City: Chinese New Year Lesson Ideas
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |