The Chinese zodiac signs are determined by the lunar year in which you were born. The Chinese believe the animal ruling one's birth year has a profound influence on personality, and destiny. The saying is: "This animal hides in your heart." Unlike Western astrology, it does not look at the heavenly constellations or planets to predict one's destiny. Rather, Chinese astrology deals with divining sciences of the five elements earth, fire, water, metal, and wood; Yin and Yang, Chi, and the cycles of time. Legend has it that inception of the Chinese zodiac signs began when the Buddha beckoned all the animals to bid him farewell before his departure from the Earth. Only twelve arrived at his summoning, and so those were given a place of honor in a year being named after each.
Rat
Element: Water | Good
Partners: Dragon and Monkey
Characteristics:
Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive,
intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd.
Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal,
obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming.
Ox
Element: Water | Good
Partners: Snake and Rooster
Characteristics:
Dependable, ambitious, calm, methodical, born leader, patient, hardworking,
conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, and tenacious. Can be
stubborn, dogmatic, hot-tempered, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, and
demanding.
Tiger
Element: Wood | Good
Partners: Horse and Dog
Characteristics:
Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive,
vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, and generous. Can
be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish,
aggressive, and moody.
Rabbit
Element: Wood | Good
Partners: Sheep and Boar
Characteristics:
Gracious, good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amiable, elegant,
reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute,
compassionate, lucky, and flexible. Can be moody, detached, superficial,
self-indulgent, opportunistic, and stubborn.
Dragon
Element: Earth | Good
Partners: Rat and Monkey
Characteristics:
Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct,
dignified, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering,
artistic, generous, and loyal. Can be tactless, arrogant, imperious,
tyrannical, demanding, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, and brash.
Snake
Element: Fire | Good
Partners: Rooster and Ox
Characteristics:
Deep thinker, wise, mystic, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent,
shrewd, elegant, cautious, responsible, calm, strong, constant, and purposeful.
Can be loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful,
mendacious, suffocating, and cold.
Horse
Element: Fire | Good
Partners: Dog and Tiger
Characteristics:
Cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative,
agile, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, and open-minded. Can be fickle,
arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, and stubborn.
Sheep
Element: Earth | Good
Partners: Boar and Rabbit
Characteristics:
Righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, shy, artistic, creative,
gentle, compassionate, understanding, mothering, peaceful, generous, and seeks
security. Can be moody, indecisive, over-passive, worrier, pessimistic,
over-sensitive, complainer, and weak-willed.
Monkey
Element: Metal | Good
Partners: Dragon and Rat
Characteristics:
Inventor, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible,
innovative, problem solver, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite,
dignified, competitive, objective, factual, and intellectual. Can be
egotistical, vain, arrogant, selfish, reckless, snobbish, deceptive, manipulative,
cunning, jealous, and suspicious.
Rooster
Element: Metal | Good
Partners: Snake and Ox
Characteristics:
Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative,
critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, and responsible.
Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud,
opinionated, and given to empty bravado.
Dog
Element: Earth | Good
Partners: Tiger and Horse
Characteristics:
Honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play,
attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic,
moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, and easy going. Can be cynical,
lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, and quarrelsome.
Boar
Element: Water | Good
Partners: Sheep and Rabbit
Characteristics:
Honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working,
trusting, sincere, calm, understanding, thoughtful, scrupulous, passionate, and
intelligent. Can be naive, over-reliant, self-indulgent, gullible, fatalistic,
and materialistic.
