As another year arrives, a new zodiac sign is welcomed in the Chinese New Year. For 2022 in the Lunar calendar it’s the year of the Tiger!
But a Chinese zodiac year doesn’t start on 1st January like it would in the Gregorian calendar, in fact, this year it begins on 1st February. Another fascinating fact is that each zodiac is associated with an element, such as metal (gold), earth, water, fire and wood and for 2022, it’s the Gold Tiger.
In Chinese astrology, the zodiac signs are presented by 12 animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. And we’ll go into a little bit of detail for all of them.
The 12 Chinese zodiac signs
Rat 🐀
The first zodiac animal represents the first month of the year. It’s said that it will be the time when you can expect to see many changes in your life, especially career-related ones. This is because the Rat is ruled by the planet Mars!
Ox 🐂
The second animal of the zodiac…
Its symbol is the ox and its colour is white. The Ox is considered to be very intelligent and patient and will help you achieve what you want in the shortest possible time! People who are born in the year of the Ox are said to also be good friends who help you through rough times.
Tiger 🐅
The third animal of the zodiac and its symbol is just like a tiger one. It represents power, strength and courage. You have to remember that there are two types of tigers: black and white. A black Tiger shows leadership and dominance while a white Tiger means peace and gentleness.
We are also in the year of the Tiger!
Rabbit 🐇
The fourth animal of the zodiac and its colour is pink! The Rabbit is regarded as an honest person who always keeps his or her word. They are usually very loyal friends and family members too!
Dragon 🐉
The fifth animal of the zodiac and represented by the colour red. In the Chinese zodiac, Dragons are known for their wisdom and intelligence and they make for great strategists and leaders too! Often seen as powerful enemies, even though they’re not really evil… However, some people believe that if the Dragon is angry, then those who are around them will feel fear.
Snake 🐍
The sixth animal of the zodiac whose colour is green and is known for being sneaky and manipulative. People don’t trust them because they think they are untrustworthy. But this is just a supposed character trait!
Horse 🐎
According to Feng Shui (and astrology), it is the seventh animal of the zodiac with yellow as its colour. It represents wealth, success and happiness and some people consider it to be a lucky omen if they find themselves next to a horse. They are also said to bring luck to the owner of the horse, how nice!
Goat 🐐
The eighth animal of the zodiac is represented by the colour blue. People born under the Goat zodiac are said to be very helpful and friendly, as well as being great at listening and forgiving. If someone has wronged you, he or she might apologize or make up for it later…
Monkey 🐒
The ninth animal of the zodiac and its colour is orange. They are known to be generally fun-loving people, who love to laugh and joke around! They show off their knowledge and skills to those who need help too.
Rooster 🐓
The tenth animal of the zodiac is represented by the colour is purple. A smart and responsible person, who is also a loyal friend. Many people say that a Rooster is a person who loves to talk too much!
Dog 🐕
The eleventh animal of the zodiac and its colours are brown and white. They represent loyalty, honesty, hard work, responsibility, and reliability. As well as being are trustworthy and great listeners too. Those born under the Dog zodiac are also extremely protective and kindhearted.
Pig 🐖
The twelfth and final animal of the zodiac represents the colour black. They are known for having a stubborn personality and showing laziness, but they do try their best to keep their promises! Also, they tend to take care of their health, which helps them become successful in life!
Interesting facts about the Chinese zodiac signs
- The birth year of the Chinese zodiac is said to be your unluckiest year. So, for instance, if you were born under the year of the Rat when this animal comes around again in the Chinese zodiac cycle, it’ll be an unlucky year for you. This is because it’s said it offends the God of Age, and some Chinese people will ward off the evil eye by going to a temple and giving offerings. Then they’ll go back after the year is over to offer their thanks!
- Many many years ago, the zodiac signs were a way to tell the time! With each animal representing 2 hours ⏰
- Monkey is considered to be the most intelligent zodiac sign, as they’re very intelligent animals in nature!
- It’s said that in China, asking for someone’s zodiac sign is a polite way of asking how old they are.
- Tiger and Dragon are said to be the most powerful zodiac signs, with the Tiger being king of all beasts, and the Dragon representing great power.
We hope to have given you an insight into the Chinese Zodiac signs and what they mean for those who follow the Lunar calendar!
Check out our other blog about Chinese New Year and other events:
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