The Chinese Horoscope

The Chinese moon horoscope exists for over 5000 years and represents one of the ancient traditions of the world. It deviates from occidental astrology in significant aspects, but it derives similarly as well.

Every 60 years appears the same combination

The complete Chinese cycle continues within 60 years. Every single combination is divided into 12 minor cycles and is closed by the engaged periods of five times the 12 years limited period. Each year of the 12-year cycle has a single zodiac animal. Chinese zodiac animals are in order of their appearance: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

Following the 12 zodiac signs appear similar types of characters within each decade plus two, which represents a dozen years.
Complemented with various elements is achieved further differentiating. Each year has a particular zodiac sign and primordial element, which has significance for human beings in general. The five primordial elements are represented by metal, water, wood, fire, and earth. Each of them has a positive and negative representation.

Caused by the year of birth, a person might be a metal monkey, wood monkey, water pig or earth pig - and so on. Only every 60 years such a congruent version is possible.

The ascendant is determined by the hour of birth

Further distinction based on detailed facts about the place and time when the birth was given - the precise date and hour of birth are regulated. Humans are shaped by the zodiac signs and their particular elements; both are complemented by the ascendant. Maybe you might be confused by the term, but it is not the description of the star which rises on the eastern horizon at the moment of somebody’s birth. This term expresses something different: Each zodiac sign of the Chinese horoscope rules about 2 hours of every single day. This minor subordinated cycle starts at 11 p.m. and lasts until 1 a.m. and is represented by the rat. In the case of a midnight birth, someone’s ascendant is the rat - and its proper characteristics adopt his personality.

So far: one of the crucial items refers to the non-consideration of the constellation of the solar system. Occidental consideration based on the solar system’s constellation and – in contrary – oriental astrology disregards this topic. On the one hand, there is a similarity towards the Chinese stem branches and earthly branches calendar – known as the lunar calendar.