Global InformationChinese zodiac information
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| Chinese | 生肖 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | shēngxiào | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 属相 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 屬相 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | shǔxiàng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Chinese zodiac is a traditional classification scheme based on the Chinese calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle.[1] In traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese zodiac is very important and exists as a reflection of Chinese philosophy and culture.[2] Chinese folkways held that one's personality is related to the attributes of their zodiac animal.[3] Originating from China, the zodiac and its variations remain popular in many East Asian and Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan,[4] South Korea,[5] Vietnam,[5] Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Thailand.[6]
Identifying this scheme using the generic term "zodiac" reflects several superficial similarities to the Western zodiac: both have time cycles divided into twelve parts, each label at least the majority of those parts with names of animals, and each is widely associated with a culture of ascribing a person's personality or events in their life to the supposed influence of the person's particular relationship to the cycle. The 12 Chinese zodiac animals in a cycle are not only used to represent years in China, but also believed to influence people's personalities, career, compatibility, marriage, and fortune.[7]
For the starting date of a zodiac year, there are two schools of thought in Chinese astrology: Chinese New Year or the Start of Spring.
- ^ "The Chinese Zodiac". Timothy S. Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Chinese Zodiac | Home". depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ Gao, Joh, Jinlin, Yoon-kyoung (April 14, 2019). "Chinese Zodiac Culture and the Rhetorical Construction of A Shu B, C" (PDF). Seoul National University: 2.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Abe, Namiko. "The Twelve Japanese Zodiac Signs". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
- ^ a b "Chinese Zodiac and Chinese Year Animals". astroica.com. Archived from the original on 2011-03-24. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
- ^ "Animals of the Thai Zodiac and the Twelve Year Cycle". Thaizer. 2011-09-08. Archived from the original on 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
- ^ "Chinese Zodiac: 2024 Year of Dragon, 12 Animal Signs, Calculator". www.travelchinaguide.com. Retrieved 2023-12-26.