There are 12 Chinese zodiac signs, in the following order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each sign is named after an animal, and each animal has its own unique characteristics. Do you know why the 12 Chinese zodiac animals are in the sequence above? A legend tells how the 12 zodiac animals in Chinese astrology competed in a heavenly race, and what your zodiac animal means for your personality. 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? And how did the ancient Chinese pick the 12 animals? What do they represent? It all dates back to the Zhan Guo period (5th century BC) and the story of the Great Race. The Chinese Zodiac and the Great Race Chinese zodiac years are represented by 12 animal signs and begin at Chinese New Year. Find Chinese zodiac year dates from 1948 to 2031. Why were there twelve animals in the zodiac calendar and how did the Chinese zodiac order form? Below are the most well-known stories, as an important part of Chinese zodiacal culture. We also make a video of the wide spread story: Chinese Zodiac Rankings Race. 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 animals was determined. According to the Chinese zodiac signs, each year in the lunar cycle is associated with a particular animal. This is a 12-year cycle that repeats itself. This is a 12-year cycle that repeats itself. Every person is represented by the animal of their year of birth, as the graphic here shows. 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 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. 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 春节快乐 Happy Chinese New Year 2023The Jade Emperor in China decides that there must be a way to measure time. So he comes up with a plan for a Great Race. The The Chinese Zodiac consists of 12 animals that signify each year, tracing their origins to a race set by the Jade Emperor. Each animal embodies distinct traits and is linked to five elements 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. Learn how the Zodiac years were named by the Jade Emperor.Visit CBeebies at to find even more fun games and videos for your pre 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. 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 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 In Chinese culture, the zodiacs work in a 12-year cycle that links each year to an animal sign. The 12 animal signs are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog Just as the ox was about to win the race, the rat leapt on his head and on to the bank to finish first. 'Well done,' said the Jade Emperor to the proud rat. 'The first year of the zodiac will be named after you.' The poor ox had been tricked into second place and the second year of the zodiac was named after him. If you’re interested in Chinese New Year animals and you’d like to find out what your zodiac sign is, then you’ll be pleased to know that it's an easy process! The zodiac Chinese New Year animals follow a 12-year cycle, in accordance with the lunar calendar. At the start of each lunar new year, a new animal represents this new cycle. This
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