Chinese Astrology
The Chinese Astrology was introduced into China approximately 5,000 years ago through the trade routes from the west. Whether the original influences came from Babylon, Egypt or India (or all three), the Chinese adopted astrology in a unique way and developed it into a highly complex system.
The Chinese astrologers believe that the universe is divided into five “palaces”, a center point and four cardinal regions. In addition, there are five elements: Wood, Fire, Metal, Water and Earth. There are also the influences of the five inner planets, the Sun, and the Moon. All of the parts of this elaborate structure are interrelated. Finally, everything is either Yang (male, bright and mobile) or Yin (female, dark and unmoving).
Yin and Yang, Negative and Positive
Chinese astrology maintains that everything in the universe is balanced by its opposite. Day and Night, Birth and Death, Love and Hate, Positive and Negative, Male and Female, etc. These opposites, Yin and Yang, have been compared to the poles of a magnet: opposites attract when brought together, similar forces repel each other. Using this concept, Chinese astrologers have excelled in the ability to predict compatibility between people. Compatible and incompatible relationships are identified for each animal sign.
In the same way that the signs are divided between negative and positive in the west, the signs of the Chinese zodiac are divided between yin and yang. We regard the fire and air (see elements below) signs as positive or masculine, the earth and water signs as negative or feminine. Chinese astrology does not divide the twelve signs of its zodiac into elements, but each sign is either yin or yang.
The Chinese Elements
In Chinese astrology, the five elements, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth, affect the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Learn now about the five elements.
Each sign has the nature of one of these elements. Chinese astrology holds that the five cosmic elements, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth, add an extra level of meaning to the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
A person’s Chinese element is determined by the Chinese Year of his birth, in the same way as his Chinese zodiac sign is determined. The Chinese elements help lead to a deeper understanding of the characteristics of people born under the Chinese zodiac signs.
The elements link and interact with each other. Air is needed for fire to exist. It is also needed to interpret (air) the divine spark (fire) so that fire can relate to earth. Likewise earth needs the emotions (water) to reconnect with meaning (fire) when life is flat and dreary.
There are several periods being a base for Chinese zodiac.
10-years cycle means five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. They are also perceived as five stages of changes. Wood forms a daily routine with dignity and peacefulness. Fire sets goals with energy and dynamics. Earth creates stability with constancy. Metal makes risk with fairness and objectivity. Water sets free and makes expect new things with prudence and fruitfulness.
These are the relation between different elements which can also tell about compatibility of people.
1. Wood causes Fire and can be destroyed by Metal.
2. Fire creates Earth and can be destroyed by Water.
3. Earth gives birth to Metal and can be destroyed by Wood.
4. Metal gives birth to Water and can be destroyed by Fire.
5. Water gives birth to Wood and can be destroyed by Earth.
Wood burns – fire – leaving ash – earth – from which metal can extracted, which when smelted flows like water. Water can extinguish fire which melts metal which can chop wood. It follows that two people are likely to relate better if they belong to neighbouring elements. Air (Chi or qi) is considered to be the life force itself, so it is not counted as one of the elements.
Each of these elements takes two years: ‘Yin’ and ‘Yan’. These are two mutually complementary principles. ‘Yin’ means feminine, non-creative, taking care, and passive principles. Moon, shadows, Earth, as well as even numbers apply to ‘Yin’. ‘Yan’ means masculine, active, dynamic, productive, and creative principles. Sun, light, sky and day, as well as odd numbers apply to ‘Yan’. According to the theory about Yin and Yan, they alternate directions for human society actions. It is considered that Yin year lets people use the accumulated forces and resources, and be concentrated on finishing the unfinished issues. Yan year activates people in new matters and makes move on and on.
This division into Yin-Yan qualities in Chinese and Japanese cultures is completely different. So, it is incorrect to consider the Chinese Horoscope to be like the Japanese one. These are two fundamentally diverse philosophies.
A shade of the element depends on such Yin-Yan directions (the color of the year). So, each element has its color: Wood – green, Water – blue or black, Metal – white or golden, Earth – ochre or brown, Fire – red.
12-years cycle is taken from the Jupiter orbit cycle which is almost 12 years. Chinese zodiac is a scheme where each year corresponds to an animal and its characteristics according to the 12-year cycle. These characteristics give qualities to people being born this year.
Each animal of Chinese zodiac has a positive, a neutral and a negative element. Whatever animal rules the year, it has its own element or quality which will remain of it creating successful or negative combinations of events. In other words, it is not necessary at all that the year with “your” animal will be the most successful for you.
60-years cycle is the result of interaction between the 10-years and 12-years cycles. Each year is characterized by Yin/Yan, an element and an animal. For example, each cycle begins with Wooden Rat and continues until the next Wooden Rat. Parity of the number 12 leads to the fact that each zodiac animal is met only in one Yin-Yan form. For example, Dragon is always Yan, Oz is always Yin. So, the cycle lasts exactly 60 years, not 120.
Each of the five Chinese elements governs a two year period in turn. The first year of the pair is associated with the Yin, or female, element of Yin-Yang, and the second year with the Yang, or male, element. Consequently, there is a ten year cycle of these combinations.
The current cycle of Chinese New Years associated with the elements started in 2014, and the next one starts in 2024. These cycles are:
- 2014: Year of the Horse – Yin Metal
- 2015: Year of the Sheep – Yang Metal
- 2016: Year of the Monkey – Yin Water
- 2017: Year of the Rooster – Yang Water
- 2018: Year of the Dog – Yin Wood
- 2019: Year of the Pig – Yang Wood
- 2020: Year of the Rat – Yin Fire
- 2021: Year of the Ox – Yang Fire
- 2022: Year of the Tiger – Yin Earth
- 2023: Year of the Rabbit – Yang Earth
Each Chinese element is associated with one of the major planets:
- Metal – Venus
- Water – Mercury
- Wood – Jupiter
- Fire – Mars
- Earth – Saturn
Each Chinese element is associated with a color:
- Metal – White
- Water – Black
- Wood – Green
- Fire – Red
- Earth – Yellow
People born in a Year of the Metal Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Metal element tend to have these characteristics:
- determination to follow their dreams
- enjoyment of the luxuries of life
- self-controlled, particularly in forging their own future
- unheeding of others opinions, their own way is right
The metal elements are strong-willed and have forceful personalities. They are energetic, ambitious and have definite views of what they want to achieve in life. They can occasionally appear reserved and aloof, but it is because they are into their thoughts. They have a quick and alert mind and are particularly shrewd in business matters. They have excellent taste and know how to appreciate the finer things in life. They have considerable financial acumen and invest their money well. On the surface they appear cheerful and confident but deep down they worry a lot. They have high moral values and are help in great esteem by their friends and colleagues.
People born in a Year of the Water Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Water element tend to have these characteristics:
- serene and peaceful
- calm, with a charm that attracts admiration and makes them natural leaders
- creative
- a tendency to be misled
All water signs are intelligent, intuitive, have an active mind, and are keenly aware of the feelings of others. Water signs have excellent memories. Because of their highly intuitive awareness they are a good judge of character and have persuasive personalities. Their family holds them in high regard. They are profound thinkers and can express their thoughts with clarity. They enjoy a challenge and like to learn new and different things. They make excellent writers or can be gifted speakers when they concentrate on one thing at a time.
People born in a Year of the Wood Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Wood element tend to have these characteristics:
- becomes stronger as they grow older
- strong understanding of life, making them good advisers or counselors
- a strong friend, always helping others build on their strengths
- good business acumen
- open minded and willing to explore new ideas
The wood element has an outstanding personality, is lucky, popular and extremely intelligent. They have a good sense of humor, are interested in traveling and make gifted artists, whether it is writing or other forms of art. They are practical, imaginative and inquisitive. They love delving into all manner of subjects and can quite often come up with some highly original ideas. They are thinkers and doers and are committed into putting their ideas into practice. They are very astute in business matters as they have a good understanding of human nature. They have numerous interests and prefer to live in quiet, stable environments, even thought they have a large circle of friends. They enjoy the arts and derive much pleasure from collecting paintings and antiques.
People born in a Year of the Fire Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Fire element tend to have these characteristics:
- enthusiastic and emotional, commanding attention from others
- takes decisive action that attracts others to their ideas
- a source of new ideas and original solutions to problems
- not easily swayed from their chosen path
The fire element have a never-ending supply of energy and enthusiasm. They loved being involved in the action. The are original thinkers and do not like restrictions of any king. They are forthright in their views and can sometimes be carried away in the excitement of the moment. This is what gives them their child like quality. They have powerful and assertive personalities and have many leadership qualities. They usually reach positions of power and wealth. They receive much enjoyment from literature and the arts.
People born in a Year of the Earth Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Earth element tend to have these characteristics:
- wise, taking care about everything they undertake
- ethical, moral, and logical
- control of everything around them and the ability to see the unexpected
- a tendency to struggle to understand the unknown, and a fear of things they can not control
The earth elements are quieter and more reflective than other elements. They have a wide variety of interests and are keenly aware of what is going on around them. They have clear objectives and usually have little or no problem in obtaining support from others. They are astute in financial matters and often able to accumulate considerable wealth. They are good organizers and are conscientious and reliable in their work and approach everything in a level-headed and sensible way. They have many loyal and devoted friends.
Compatibility between Chinese Elements
Each Chinese element has a conducive, or affinity, relationship with another element, and has a controlling, or destructive, relationship withe another element:
- Metal gives Water, and Metal controls Wood
- Water gives Wood, and Water controls Fire
- Wood gives Fire, and Wood controls Earth
- Fire gives Earth, and Fire controls Metal
- Earth gives Metal, and Earth controls Water
The Chinese Signs
As in the west, the Chinese zodiac has twelve signs. These signs are named after the animals which, according to legend, attended the dying Buddha so he could bid them farewell. The Buddha thanked them by offering each a year, so each sign is effective for a year. In addition to this, each month and two-hour period is assigned an animal. Thus you may be born in the year of one sign, the month of another and at the time of yet another. As the sign changes from year to year, so does the element. Thus if you were born in a year of the tiger, someone born 12 years later in the next tiger year will have a different element.
Chinese personal zodiac is vastly more complex than just describing an individual from their year of birth. In the following pages we hope to help you understand some of the fundamental aspects of the Chinese system. However, in a broad sense, the personality types described by the annual system are mostly very accurate.
An interesting way to appreciate the Chinese system is to look at schools. Schools segregate pupils by age and, in an astrological sense, it is remarkable to look at the differences between the years. For example, in any school on the planet, the ten-year olds are Fire Tigers, the eleven-year olds are Wood Oxes, and the twelve-year olds are Wood Rats. If you look back on your own school years, you will probably remember the differences between the children of your year and those above and below you (talking to a teacher about this can be amusing!).
The Chinese lunar calendar has been in use for over 4,600 years. A full lunar cycle takes 60 years. We are currently in the early years of the 78th cycle. The lunar month commences with the New Moon every 29 1/2 days. An extra month is added every two and a half years to adjust the calendar. This produces a Lunar Leap Year every three years. These variations cause the Lunar New Year to occur between late January and mid-February.
What Chinese Zodiac Sign are you?
Legend says that before the Lord Buddha left this Earth, he summoned all the animals to come to him. Only twelve came. First was the Rat, then the Ox, followed by the Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar.
In appreciation of their loyalty, the names of the twelve animals were given to the years of the Chinese calendar. More importantly, their spirits were allowed to live in the hearts of those born in their particular years.
Chinese Zodiac Chart
Monkey
1920 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016 |
Rooster
1921 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017 |
Dog
1922 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 |
Pig
1923 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019 |
Rat
1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008 2020 |
Ox
1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 2021 |
Tiger
1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 2022 |
Rabbit
1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011 2023 |
Dragon
1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 2024 |
Snake
1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013 2025 |
Horse
1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 2026 |
Sheep
1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015 2027 |
To read about the characteristics that correspond to your Chinese Zodiac Sign, based on your year of birth, click the appropriate link.
Are Chinese and Western Astrology related?
Chinese Astrology shares many basic principles with its western counterpart, but the finer details are quite different. While the two differ, Western Astrology and Chinese Astrology are both based on a twelve-Sign system. Each Chinese Astrology Sign has a Western Astrology counterpart. Each Sign from each branch of Astrology is unique and special, but there are shared qualities. Once you’ve read about your Chinese Sign, add a new dimension to your intepretation by taking a look at the characteristics of its Zodiacal twin — or vice versa.
The Rat = Sagittarius
The Ox = Capricorn
The Tiger = Aquarius
The Rabbit = Pisces
The Dragon = Aries
The Snake = Taurus
The Horse = Gemini
The Goat = Cancer
The Monkey = Leo
The Rooster = Virgo
The Dog = Libra
The Pig = Scorpio
So – which works better, Chinese Astrology or Western Astrology?
The main difference between Chinese and Western (occidental) zodiac, at least as far as classifying personality types is concerned, is that the Chinese look at a “bigger picture”. Under the Western system, an individual is one of twelve basic types (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, etc.) with detailed analysis coming from the birth chart. The Chinese classify people as belonging to one of sixty distinct personality types: Earth Dragon, Water Snake, Fire Rat, etc. The Chinese classifications are annual, while the Western are monthly.
Last updated on December 12, 2017 at 1:19 am. Word Count: 2752