By Alexa Boyce
The Chinese zodiac is a form of astrology based on the Chinese calendar, a 12-year cycle of animals. Ancient Chinese astrologers called the five major planets by the name of the element that it was associated with. Venus corresponds to Metal (gold); Jupiter to Wood; Mercury to Water; Mars to Fire; Saturn to Earth. It is said that the position of these planets, along with the positions of the Sun, Moon, any comets in the sky as well as time of birth and Zodiac Sign can determine a person's destiny according to Chinese Astrology.
Chinese astrology is different from Western astrology because while there are eighty eight constellations named in Western astrology, the Chinese have only twenty eight. In the fortune telling system, There is a binary Yin Yang cycle, which enlarges the five element cycle to a cycle of 10 (seen below). Even years are yang, odd years are yin. Since the zodiac animal cycle of 12 is divisible by two, every zodiac can only occur in either yin or yang: the dragon is always yang, the snake is always yin, etc. This combination creates a 60-year cycle, starting with Wood Rat and ending with Water Pig. The current cycle began in the year 1984.
Many fairy tales and myths are associated with the stars and the telling of Chinese fortunes. Many legends exist to explain the beginning of the zodiac. One of the more popular ones explains why the cat is not one of the zodiac animals. It says that the Jade Emperor holds a royal banquet to select animals, but the Rat tricks the Cat into believing the banquet is the day after it actually is. When the Cat finds this out, he vows to be the Rat's natural enemy for ages to come.
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