In the Chinese zodiac, the 12 signs are represented by animals associated with certain years. Depending on the year you are born, your personality traits reflect the animal you are associated with, but that's not all. To codify the "four pillars of destiny" you have to go back to the time you were born. Go to the first step to know your destiny.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Understanding the Signs of the Zodiac
Step 1. Find your pet
Consult the table below and search for the year you were born to find out which animal represents you. Chinese astrology determines the sign based on the day of your birthday in the Chinese calendar, which begins every year around the 4th of February. Years of birth and corresponding zodiac animals:
- 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 - MOUSE
- 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 - OX
- 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 - TIGER
- 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 - RABBIT
- 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 - DRAGON
- 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001 - SNAKE
- 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 - HORSE
- 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 - GOAT
- 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 - APE
- 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 - ROOSTER
- 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 - DOG
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1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 - PIG
- Remember to consider the calendar Chinese. The new year begins around February 4th, so if you were born before that date, it means that your pet matches that of the previous year. Check the exact day of the Chinese New Year for the year you were born.
- Some often use "sheep" instead of "goat".
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 2 Step 2. Read the traits and character traits of the animals of the zodiac
As happens in Western astrology, a series of characteristic traits correspond to each Chinese zodiac sign. Here are some details about each sign:
- Mouse: this sign has wit, humor, promptness, delicacy, adaptability and vitality. People of this sign are joyful, sociable and ambitious, they often have health and success. However, they are also shy, sometimes lack concentration and stability and often fail to fill the position of leader.
- Dragon: this sign is joyful, self-confident and romantic. People under this sign are vital, intellectual, energetic and exciting. They are good leaders, always aiming for perfection. However, they can be arrogant and impatient, and often turn out to be overconfident.
- Ape: this sign is incredibly smart. People under this sign are vital, they adapt well to any circumstance and are very good at problem solving. They are also very generous! Weaknesses? They can be jealous, devious and selfish.
- Ox: this sign is intelligent, self-confident and was born to be a leader. The oxen are honest, hardworking, patient, and above all they do things consistently. They put a lot of effort into their work, no matter what they do. However, they can sometimes be very modest, stubborn and have communication difficulties.
- Snake: this sign is charming and gifted with good communication skills while speaking little. Snakes have strong morals and are very wise. For most of them, money is not a problem. However, they can sometimes be jealous and often tend to overdo what they do.
- rooster: Roosters reflect intensely on things, and are usually seen as honest, bright, good talkers and generous. They have high self-esteem and tend to be independent. However, they often have trouble relating to others and think they are consistently right.
- Tiger: individuals under the sign of the tiger are tolerant, courageous, intelligent and respectful. They love changes and are good at expressing their personality. They often don't care about things and are very touchy.
- Horse: horses are cheerful, sharp and kind to others. They love adventurous things and are very often intuitive and talented, which makes them natural entertainers. Sometimes, however, they can be impatient, resulting superficial.
- Dog: people under the sign of the dog are loyal, courageous, loving, responsible, ingenious and realistic. They can inspire trust in others. However, they lack stability and can hurt with words, and they also complain very often.
- Rabbit: those born under this sign are kind, sensitive, compassionate, lovable and modest. Rabbits have a good sense of humor and are able to give a nice touch of spice to life, mainly because they can't stand static things. However, they tend to waste their money and be very stubborn.
- Goat: people under this sign are tender, polite, intelligent, kind and loving. They appreciate art and beauty and prefer to live in tranquility. However, they can be shy, pessimistic and moody.
- Pig: those born under this sign are diligent, courageous, honest, and gallant. They are tolerant, calm and optimistic. They hate conflict and rarely lie. However, they can be naive, impulsive, and often don't know when to stop.
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 3 Step 3. Know the details of your sign
In this section we will deal with three elements associated with the sign: luck, personal number and category (you can be yin or yang). You will find a more detailed description later on the concept of yin and yang, for now you just need to know that each person has both, but that one of the two is prevalent (depending on the sign).
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Mouse:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 2, 3
- Lucky colors: blue, gold, green
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Dragon:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 1, 7, 6
- Lucky colors: gold, silver, gray
-
Ape:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 1, 8, 7
- Lucky colors: white, gold, blue
-
Ox:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 9, 1
- Lucky colors: blue, red, purple
-
Snake:
- Yin
- Lucky numbers: 2, 8, 9
- Lucky colors: red, light yellow, black
-
rooster:
- Yin
- Lucky numbers: 7, 5, 8
- Lucky colors: gold, brown, mustard, yellow
-
Tiger:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 1, 3, 4
- Lucky colors: blue, gray, white, orange
-
Horse:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 2, 3, 7
- Lucky colors: brown, yellow, purple
-
Dog:
- Yang
- Lucky numbers: 3, 4, 9
- Lucky colors: green, red, purple
-
Rabbit:
- Yin
- Lucky numbers: 1, 4, 9
- Lucky colors: red, pink, purple, blue
-
Goat:
- Yin
- Lucky numbers: 3, 9, 4
- Lucky colors: green, red, purple
-
Pig:
- Yin
- Lucky numbers: 2, 5, 8
- Lucky colors: yellow, gray, brown, gold
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 4 Step 4. Compatibility between signs
The Chinese zodiac predicts that some signs pair well (or badly) with other signs. Here are the pairings that create the best (or worst) relationships:
- Mouse: the most compatible signs are dragon, monkey and ox. The least compatible are goat, horse and rabbit.
- Dragon: the most compatible signs are mouse, monkey and rooster. The least compatible are ox, rabbit and dog.
- Ape: the most compatible signs are mouse, monkey and snake. The least compatible are tiger and pig.
- Ox: the most compatible signs are mouse, snake and rooster. The least compatible are horse, dog and goat.
- Snake: the most compatible signs are ox and rooster. The least compatible are tiger and pig.
- rooster: the most compatible signs are ox, dragon and snake. The least compatible are mouse, rabbit and dog.
- Tiger: the most compatible signs are horse and dog. The least compatible are snake and monkey.
- Horse: the most compatible signs are tiger, goat and dog. The least compatible are mouse, ox and rabbit.
- Dog: the most compatible signs are tiger, rabbit and horse. The least compatible are dragon, goat and rooster.
- Rabbit: the most compatible signs are goat, pig and dog. The least compatible are mouse and dragon.
- Goat: the most compatible signs are rabbit, horse and pig. The least compatible are ox and dog.
- Pig: the most compatible signs are goat and rabbit. The least compatible ones are snake, monkey and pig.
Part 2 of 2: Understanding the Four Pillars of Destiny
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 5 Step 1. Don't just stop at the zodiac sign
Chinese astrology is much more complex than it seems, and is not based only on animals. There are also the Four Pillars of Destiny, which are linked to the zodiac, but go much deeper, since they are based not only on the year, but also on the month, day and time of your birth. It is similar to the birth chart of Western astrology, but much more accurate. As a result, it offers much more accurate predictions on personal life, as well as on the sign.
- The four pillars are these four temporal factors. They are combined together with yin, yang and the five elements (water, earth, wood, metal, fire). All of this is believed to be capable of determining fortune, wealth, longevity, happiness and health year after year.
- Chinese astrology works on 60-year cycles. If you are good at math and have nothing better to do you can divide the pattern of these conceptions into sexagesimal cycles.
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 6 Step 2. Get to know your "inner" animal
Let's go beyond the zodiac sign: your inner animal is determined by the month in which you are born. It is thought to determine the coming years or information about parents. Here's how to link it to the western calendar:
- February 4 - March 5: Tiger
- March 6 - April 4: Rabbit
- April 5 - May 4: Dragon
- May 5 - June 5: Snake
- June 6 - July 6: Horse
- 7 July - 6 August: Goat
- 7 August - 7 September: Ape
- 8 September - 7 October: rooster
- 8 October - 6 November: Dog
- November 7 - December 6: Pig
- December 7 - January 5: Mouse
- January 6 - February 3: Ox
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 7 Step 3. Learn how the pillar for the day works
It is the third pillar, and traditionally determines information about your adult life day in and day out. Is very important! It is good to remember that it is based on sexagesimal cycles that begin when the sun reaches 315 ° of celestial longitude and ends when it reaches 330 °. This is why each year is slightly different from the other.
Since it would be ridiculous to list the entire sexagesimal cycle on this page, it is best to look for a site that automatically calculates the zodiac sign and the symbol associated with the day of birth. But if you want, you can map the entire cycle yourself
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 8 Step 4. Identify your secret pet
In the Four Pillars of Destiny, the hour you are born represents the final and most personal pillar, which also determines your "secret animal". It is said that this is the most real representation of oneself, underneath the various layers provided by education and the environment. It is used to know information about their children in adulthood. Here's how to find out:
- 1:00 - 03:00: Ox
- 3:00 - 5:00: Tiger
- 5:00 - 7:00: Rabbit
- 7:00 - 9:00: Dragon
- 9:00 - 11:00: Snake
- 11:00 - 13:00: Horse
- 13:00 - 15:00: Goat
- 15:00 - 17:00: Ape
- 17:00 - 19:00: rooster
- 19:00 - 21:00: Dog
- 21:00 - 23:00: Pig
- 23:00 - 1:00: Mouse
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 9 Step 5. Find out if you are yin or yang
A couple of factors need to be considered:
- Each year can be yin or yang. Odd years are yin, while even years are yang.
- Each sign in turn can be yin or yang. Go back to find out what your sign is. That is the side of your personality that often has the most power, although it is always possible to change depending on your astral alignment.
- The yin is associated with passivity, cold, it is the feminine, submissive side, dark energy. Yang represents activity, warmth, masculinity, aggression, and is clear energy. Before you think about the worst, know that each of us has both parts, which proceed in a cycle. One can be yin in the spring and yang in the fall. Consider that the years are also yin or yang.
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 10 Step 6. Discover your element
We're almost done! Now you need to find out the element associated with your zodiac sign. It's very simple, just take the last number of the year of birth!
- 0 or 1: Metal
- 2 or 3: Waterfall
- 4 or 5: Wood
- 6 or 7: Fire
-
8 or 9: Land
- What does it mean? It's a cycle, like the one before, but this one focuses on movements and changes. It is thought that the element of the year is the dominant one, for this reason some years are more "favorable" while others are less so, in a cycle of harmony and disharmony.
- According to tradition, there are two cycles: the cycle of creation and the cycle of destruction.
- For example: water destroys fire, but creates wood, and so on. Each element interacts with the others in a different way, creating a perfect balance.
- The elements are thought to be aligned with the 4 seasons. Wood is strongest in spring, fire in summer, earth in transitional seasons, and so on.
- Each element is dominant for two years in a row. The cycle repeats every 10 years (five elements repeated twice).
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 11 Step 7. The Ten Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Earthly Branches
It's not just the signs that are complicated, the years also have many factors that make them more detailed. Each year it is mated to one branch. The 2002, for example, has a "Yang Stem of Water" on the "Horse Branch". The horse branch has not only to do with yin fire, but also with yin earth. Here's how they mate:
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The Ten Heavenly Stems combine with yin, yang and the five elements. Consequently, the possible choices are Wood Yang, Wood Yin, Fire Yang, Fire Yin, Earth Yang, Earth Yin, Metal Yang, Metal Yin, Water Yang and Water Yin.
They develop over a 60-year cycle, as explained above. Year one is the Yang Wood Mouse, and the same goes for year 61
- The Twelve Earthly Branches are the animals of the zodiac that we have already talked about in the first section.
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 12 Step 8. Think about your cycles
Remember that it is a map, it cannot be changed, but there is nothing to fear! The Chinese believe that this knowledge makes you stronger. Thanks to these you will be able to overcome any obstacles more easily and seize opportunities when they arise. Put simply, you can always do the right thing at the right time.
Remember that luck and good things don't happen by coincidence. This table serves to understand that certain periods are particularly fortunate. You have to catch them when the moment is right! By knowing it, you will know when to make the right move by following the alignment of the stars
Read Your Chinese Horoscope Step 13 Step 9. Talk to an astrologer or feng-shui master
To find out what are the more or less favorable phases of the year, it is necessary to speak to an astrologer who knows the Chinese zodiac well. Only a qualified person is able to tell you exactly which are the lucky times and which are the unlucky ones. Some stages (even daily) can be much better than others (especially for important decisions).
- Always keep a lucky charm with you. Let's take an example: you are from the Goat and this is a particularly unlucky year for you, but not for the Ox. Carry a small Ox lucky charm with you to deflect the negative influences around you.
- If you want to quickly calculate all the details of your zodiac sign, you can use an online calculator. Remember to consider the Chinese time, some calculators also provide for the change of time zone. And don't forget the Chinese New Year!
Advice
- Always remember to compare your date of birth with the Chinese New Year indicated in the Chinese lunar calendar. The day falls six weeks before the spring equinox (mid-March) and runs from the end of January to the first week of February. So remember that your zodiac sign is based on the lunar calendar. Example: 1985 is the year of the Ox, the beginning of spring in that year fell on February 4th. So if you were born on February 3, 1985, your zodiac sign is not Ox, but Rat.
- There are many daily Chinese horoscopes on the internet, but they are not as accurate as the pattern proposed in this article.
- Consider an alternative point of view. These teachings reflect Buddhist principles, which provide for the acceptance of one's destiny. Everything will eventually return to the beginning!
