Zodiac Shǔxiàng 属相

Home , Cat (zodiac), Earthly Branches, Goat (zodiac), Heavenly Stems, Ox (zodiac), Rabbit (zodiac)

◀ Zhuang Comprehensive index starts in volume 5, page 2667.

Zodiac Shǔxiàng 属相

In China the zodiac is based on a calendrical system rather than on the stars. In a repeat- ing sixty-year cycle twelve earthly “branches” operate in conjunction with ten heavenly “stems.” Each earthly branch has an animal associated with it; each stem is associated with one of the two primordial, complementary forces of Chinese cosmology.

hereas the Western zodiac is determined by the constellations that travel through the plane of the Earth’s orbit against the celestial sphere, the Chinese zodiac is connected more closely with the Chi- nese calendrical system than with the stars. An ancient Chinese system of measuring time made use of a repeat- ing sixty-year cycle whose component years combined ten heavenly “stems” and twelve earthly “branches.” Each of The ox, not surprisingly a symbol of hard the earthly branches has an animal associated with it— work and dependability, can also be stubborn. hence, the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The year 2009 is the Year of the Ox. From the The first earthly branch is symbolized by the rat (or Kailun Zodiac Collection of books. Berkshire mouse). The second is symbolized variously by the ox, Publishing. the cow, or the water buffalo. The third is symbolized by the tiger. The fourth is symbolized by the rabbit (or the cat). The fifth earthly branch is usually symbolized by the animals and why they appear in the order they do. One dragon. The sixth earthly branch is symbolized by the story explains how the cat came to be left out of the zo- snake; the seventh by the horse; the eighth by the goat or diac (it was because of trickery on the part of the rat) and sheep; the ninth by the monkey; the tenth by the chicken explains the mortal enmity between the two. Interest- (cock); the eleventh by the dog; and the twelfth by the pig. ingly enough, in Vietnam the cat takes the rabbit’s place Stories explain how the various animals became zodiac in the zodiac.

A Chinese Horoscope of the 14th Century

The following is an excerpt from China scholar Joseph Needham’s entry on the Chinese zodiac, referring to the diagram at right.

Chinese horoscope of the 14th century. The nine- A teenth of a series of 39 sample horoscopes indicat- ing all kinds of fortunes in life; here a person who is destined to achieve fame. ... Favorable features of the horoscope are shown in the top right hand box, unfa- vorable ones opposite on the left. Immediately under- neath and at the bottom corners are shown the celestial influences governing 42 different aspects of life and health. ... The outer ring of the disc itself gives con- stellation names, the third gives hsiu, and the seventh cyclical characters. Segment significances are defined by the fifth ring. They concern, counting counterclock- wise from the right (at half-past two), fate (i.e., longev- ity), wealth, brothers, landed property, sons, servants, marriage and women, illness, travel, official position, happiness, and bodily constitution. The order and nature of these twelve segments show at once that they are none other than the twelve houses or cusps (loci, topoi) of Hellenistic astrology. ... The houses were so many immobile divisions of the celestial sphere, and horoscopes were cast according to the positions occupied Source: Adapted from Needham, J., & Ling Wang. (1956). Sci- by zodiacal constellations, planets, and certain stars ence & civilisation in China: History of scientific thought, Vol. II. at the time of the individual’s birth. London and New York: Cambridge University Press, 352.

These twelve earthly branches operate in conjunc- branches, for a total of sixty years in the overarching tion with the ten heavenly stems. The stems are divided cycle. into the two basic, primordial, complementary forces The way the stems and branches combine is such that of Chinese cosmology (a branch of metaphysics that each animal in the Chinese zodiac is either always yin deals with the nature of the universe): yin (hot, dry, or always yang: The rat, tiger, dragon, horse, monkey, masculine, etc.) and yang (cold, wet, feminine, etc.), and dog are yang; the ox, rabbit, snake, sheep (or goat), which are further modified by each of the five Chinese chicken (cock), and pig are yin. The animals are also di- elements. (The ancient Greeks thought of four fun- vided into four groups of three: the rat, dragon, and mon- damental elements—earth, air, fire, and water—but key; the ox, snake, and chicken (cock); the tiger, horse, the ancient Chinese thought in terms of five: fire, wa- and dog; and the rabbit, sheep (goat), and pig. Each group ter, wood, metal, and earth.) The stems combine with shares similar strengths, weaknesses, and other charac- the branches in six cycles of stems and five cycles of teristics, although the characteristics of a zodiac animal

in any given year will also be modified by the element for worst) time to travel, begin building a house, or perform the year—so that, for instance, the fire horse is said to be certain religious rituals. a particularly potent horse. The Editors Thus, a year has a yin or yang designation, an elemen- tal designation, and an animal designation. Most of 2000, Further Reading for example, was a yang metal dragon year. This style of Aslaksen, H. (2006). The mathematics of the Chinese calen- designation can also be used for days or months—and, dar. Singapore: Department of Mathematics, National indeed, can be related to (or used to represent) stars, di- University of Singapore. rections, seasons of the year, landscape features, foods, Walters, D. (1998). The Chinese astrology workbook: How flavors, parts of the body, and many other things. The zo- to calculate and interpret Chinese horoscopes. Welling- diac is thus linked to astrology, geomancy (divination by borough, U.K: Aquarian Press. means of figures or lines or geographic features), health, Walters, D. (2005). The complete guide to Chinese astrology. diet, selection of a marriage partner, and the best (or London: Watkins Publishing.