The following story reveals legendary reasons, and some of the characteristics of the 12 animals. 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 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. 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. In Chinese zodiac history, there are many legends and mythology related to Chinese zodiac and there are various versions and stories popular in different regions. 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. 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 Introduction to the 12 Zodiac Animal Signs. Listed below are all the 12 zodiac animals with detailed information, check out which animal sign you belong to and get lucky in the coming year! Year of the Rat; Year of the Ox; Year of the Tiger; Year of the Rabbit; Year of the Dragon; Year of the Snake; Year of the Horse; Year of the Goat; Year of 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. It’s entertaining to read and also helpful in learning the dynamics of the qualities of the The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them. The Ox helps the Cat and the Rat All the animals lined up along the river bank. The Story of Chinese New Year Resource Pack. This comprehensive resource pack contains everything you need to teach the Chinese New Year animals story. It includes a PowerPoint about the story of Chinese New Year, as well as a variety of fun activities to reinforce learning. Simply download to kickstart your lessons on this topic! The real story of the chinese zodiac is that god decided to have a banquet to celebrate the year and he invited all the animals to come and join him, (1)Rat, (2)Cat, (3)Tiger, (4)Hare, (5)Dragon, (6)Snake, (7)Horse, (8)Ram, (9)Monkey, (10)Rooster, (11)Dog, (12)Boar, (13)Ox.Anyway the party was supposed start the following evening, but the rat decided to play a trick of the cat, he told the cat 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. 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 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. The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them. The Ox helps the Cat and the Rat All the animals lined up along the river bank. A traditional story for Chinese New Year explaining the use of animals in the calendar. 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 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 What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, marks the start of a new zodiac cycle based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Each year, the date shifts within the Gregorian calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world, particularly in Asian countries like China, shown here (Beijing). Every year, a heavenly stem (one of five elements, which fall into the yin or yang category) is paired with an earthly branch (one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals). This year the heavenly stem is The story goes that a race was organised by the Jade Emperor - one of the most important gods in traditional Chinese religion - who invited all the animals in the world to take part.
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