The Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year The Chinese Zodiac The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar; thus, new year day is usually in late January or early February, and it is on a day with a new moon (ie: no moon). For 2021, Chinese New Year is on 12 February - Year of the Ox. No one knows when the Chinese calendar officially began, but it is generally accepted that Year One corresponds to the time when Emperor Huang Di began ruling China (equivalent to 2697 BC). Thus, 2020 (after Jan 25) corresponds to the Chinese year 4718. In Chinese astrology, the zodiac is represented by a 12-year cycle of 12 animals – these are the Rat, Ox, Snake, Horse, Rabbit, Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, and the Sheep. Of all the animals in the world, why were these 12 chosen? There are many stories explaining this and they all share a similar theme: there was a race and the first 12 animals who arrived at the finish line were chosen. Rat is small but he is clever. He convinces Ox to give him a ride, but just as Ox approaches the finish line, Rat jumps ahead of Ox making Rat first on the list and Ox second. The Great Race There exists a story, in Chinese mythology, of a great race that decided which animals made it into the Zodiac and in what order. The Jade Emperor, the ruler of all gods within Chinese mythology, hosted the race. To finish the race and become one of 12 animals in the calendar, the animals had to cross a river.
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