Chinese Zodiac

Origin and Culture of Chinese Zodiac

It’s a mystery that which country created the zodiac first. According to the historical literature, the 12 animals in China used today including the animal selection and their orders were originated in the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). The order of the animals is most explained with a folk-tale about how the animals were summoned to heaven by the Jade Emperor who ruled the heavens of China.

Why is the Chinese zodiac system so important to the Chinese? As an important part of the traditional Chinese Culture, the Chinese Zodiac culture has long been recognized, accepted, taken by consensus and penetrated into the daily lives of the Chinese people. Everyone, from the date of birth, has his unique animal sign accompanying him with the life long time. It is the birth symbol and mascot with different symbolic meanings for each one affecting their behaviours, characters and destiny. People show their strong belief in fortune and luck through the animal signs. As each animal sign has unique personality traits, the Chinese people like to predict people’s relations and more according to this. For example, when finding their mates, Chinese people hope to find the person with the animal sign that compatible with his best. Also the zodiac provides guidance on how people live their lives. For example, according to Chinese astrology, in different animal years, people under different signs should pay attention to different things in order to go smoothly in the year. All in all, the Chinese zodiac is an important component of China’s ancient culture, reflecting the rich psychology of the Chinese people vividly.

Chinese Zodiac Compatibility

Different people born under each animal sign have different characters. Ancient Chinese people calculated the compatibility for love between animals based on this. Nowadays, many people are keen on checking compatibilities to gain guidance in life, for love or for marriage although there is no scientific evidence. If you are interested in this, test the compatibility between you and your partner by using our tool below to test or find through the chart by clicking Chinese Zodiac Compatibility.

Chinese Zodiac

According to Chinese zodiac, 2016 is the Year of the Monkey starting from February 8, 2016 (the Lunar Chinese New Year or Chinese Spring Festival) and lasting to January 27, 2017. In Chinese astrology, Monkey year will be a fortunate year bringing luck and good things.

Chinese zodiac (生肖 – shēngxiào) is based on a twelve year cycle, each year in the cycle related to an animal sign. Each one has his own animal sign according to his year of the birth (calculated according to the Chinese lunar calendar).

The Introduction of 2016 Year of The Monkey

The Common Personality of People Born in Monkey Year
The monkey is a kind of wise and flexible creature, looks like the human most. The biologist Charles Darwin has written in his book On the Origin of Species that Humans are evolved from apes. So, the monkey can be as clever as the humans to some extent. You can also get this from the Monkey King, the main character in one of the four famous Chinese novels – Journey to the West. By using his wisdom, the Monkey King defeats the evil spirits and ghosts, helping his companions finish the journey to the West successfully.

The people born in the year of the monkey are of great intellects and skilful. They are usually good leaders. Quick and intelligent as they are, they can win prizes frequently from childhood, thus, often appreciated by parents and teachers. Besides, they are most in good physical conditions. Not only good in fortune when they are young, but also perfect after middle ages. As they are good at saving up money, they usually live lives without worrying about food and clothing.

The people under the sign of the monkey are sometimes a bit quick-tempered. This may hinder them from getting success. So, they should learn to be patient to overcome. They also like to project themselves to attract others. As they have extraordinary ability to distinguish between things, they can always make good decisions. In their families, they are usually considerate and thoughtful.

The monkey people born in different periods of a day have different personalities and fortune:

The Monkey people born in the morning usually treat others kindly and politely. They would not like to push themselves forward. When dealing with things, they are usually actively to round off their work. However, they regard their interests much more important than work. Sometimes, they may give up a good job in order to have more time on their hobbies. So, when finding jobs, they had better choose one that they are interested. However, like the monkey scampering in the trees in nature, the Monkey people are not steady. They are fond of social activities and circulate among many friends. Nevertheless, they have few bosom friends.

The Monkey people born at noon give full play to their intelligent character trait. So they have sharp eyes and predictive power to view things accurately. The Monkey men are active, outgoing and proactive. They would like to try everything they want and can get good results. The Monkey women are mostly great mothers who are independent and good-tempered.

The Monkey people born in the evening are honest, loyal to friends, zealous, well favoured and always give alms to the poor. These make them get help from others more easily. They are the persons who will finish what they start. In work, they are faithful in the performance of their duties and can get appreciation by the supervisor. In fortune, they are late bloomers who suffer lot in their early youth and turn to be better from the middle ages. If they try to handle affairs more steadily when young, life can be smooth.

Best Birth Months for the Monkey
March, April, July and August are auspicious birth months for the Monkey people.

March: The Monkey people born in March are extremely intelligent. They are usually popular among others, have a bright future, and also marry well and happily.
April: With the birth month of April, the Monkey people usually could enjoy a glorious life. During their life, they can usually do things at their will and lucky to get help from others. There is no problem of food, clothing and health for them.
July: Born in July, the Monkey people usually could enjoy a safe, free and easy life.
August: The Monkeys born in August usually have boundless prospects. They could get great success in career. Besides, they have good moral character and usually could own a harmonious family.

Note: The months here refer to the Chinese lunar month. Please use the Gregorian-Chinese Calendar Converter tool on Chinese calendar page to find the Chinese lunar month.

12 Chinese Zodiac Animal Signs and Years

The Chinese Zodiac consists of twelve animal signs. People under different signs have unique characters and fortune. You can find out your animal signs quickly according to the zodiac years below. You can also learn detailed information about the personality traits, lucky numbers, colours, compatible animals of persons under different signs. And peek your horoscope of Career, Wealth, Love and Health in 2016, the year of Monkey.

Rat (鼠Shǔ)

1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008

zicon-ratRanking the first in the Chinese zodiac, rat represents wisdom. Personality traits for the people born in the year of the Rat are intelligent, charming, quick-witted, practical, ambitious, and good at economizing as well as social activities. The weaknesses are that the Rats are likely to be timid, stubborn, wordy, greedy, devious, too eager for power and love to gossip.
Lucky Numbers: 2, 3; Avoid: 5, 9
Lucky Flowers: Lily, African Violet, Lily Of The Valley
Lucky Colors: Blue, Golden, Green; Avoid: Yellow And Brown
Famous People Born in the Year of Rat:
George Bush, Engelbert Humperdinck, Charles Prince of Wales, Diego Maradonna, Zinedine Zidane, prince Harry, Connor Ball.

Ox (牛niú)

1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009

zicon-oxRanking the second in the Chinese zodiac, Ox is the symbol of diligence in Chinese culture. People under the sign of the Ox are usually hard working, honest, creative, ambitious, cautious, patient and handle things steadily. On the negative side, Ox people might be stubborn, narrow-minded, indifferent, prejudiced, slow and not good at communication.
Lucky Numbers: 1,9; Avoid: 3, 4
Lucky Flowers: Tulip, Evergreen, Peach Blossom
Lucky Colors: Blue, Red, Purple; Avoid: White, Green
Famous People Born in the Year of Ox:
Margaret Thatcher, Antony Hopkins, Arsene Wagner, Barack Obama, Peter Andre, Christiano Ronaldo.

Tiger (虎Hǔ)

1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010

zicon-tigerRanking as the third animal in the Chinese zodiac, Tigers are the symbol of brave. People born in the year of the Tiger are friendly, brave, competitive, charming and endowed with good luck and authority. With indomitable fortitude and great confidence, the tiger people can be competent leaders. On the other side, they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, overindulged and love to boast to others.
Lucky Numbers: 1, 3, 4; Avoid: 6, 7, 8
Lucky Flowers: Cineraria
Lucky Colors: Blue, Grey, White, Orange; Avoid: Golden, Silver, Brown, Black
Famous People Born in the Year of Tiger:
Queen Elizabeth, Terry Wogan, Richard Branson, Tom Curise, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga.

Rabbit (兔Tù)

1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011

zicon-rabbitRabbit represents longevity, discretion and good luck. It has the fourth position in the Chinese Zodiac. People born under the sign of the Rabbit are kind-hearted, friendly, intelligent, cautious, skillful, gentle, quick and live long. They dislike fighting and like to find solutions through compromise and negotiation. On the negative side, Rabbit people might be they have the potential to be superficial, stubborn, melancholy and overly-discreet.
Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 9; Avoid: 1, 7, 8
Lucky Flowers: Snapdragon, Flower Of Fragrant Plantainlily, Nerve Plant
Lucky Colors: Red, Pink, Purple, Blue; Avoid: Dark Brown, Dark Yellow, White
Famous People Born in the Year of Rabbit:
Roger Moore, Tina Turner, Louis Van Gaal, Michael Jordan, Tiger Wood, Lionel Messi.

Dragon (龍Lónɡ)

1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012

zicon-dragonAs the symbol of Chinese nation, dragon represents authority and good fortune. It has the fifth position among the Chinese zodiac animals. People born in the year of the Dragon are powerful, kind-hearted, successful, innovative, brave, healthy courageous and enterprising. However, they tend to be conceited, scrutinizing, tactless, quick-tempered and over-confident.
Lucky Numbers: 1, 6, 7; Avoid 3, 8, 9
Lucky Flowers: Bleeding Heart Vine, Larkspur
Lucky Colors: Golden, Silver, Yellow, Hoary; Avoid Red, Green, Purple
Famous People Born in the Year of Dragon:
Bruce Forsyth, Bruce Lee, Louis Walsh, Boris Johnson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adele.

Snake (蛇Shé)

1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013

zicon-snakeAmong the Chinese Zodiac animals, Snake has the sixth position. Snake is regarded to be pliable. Some of the positive characteristics of the people born in the year of the Snake are wise, discreet, agile, attractive and full of sympathy. On the other hand, there is a tendency for them to be lazy, greedy, arrogant and indulging in self-admiration.
Lucky Numbers: 2, 8, 9; Avoid: 1, 6, 7
Lucky Flowers: Orchid, Cactus
Lucky Colors: Red, Light Yellow, Black; Avoid: White, Golden, Brown
Famous People Born in the Year of Snake:
Audrey Hepburn, Alex Ferguson, Tony Blair, JK Rowling, PSY, Gareth Bale.

Horse (馬Mǎ)

1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014

zicon-horseHorse has an indomitable spirit and is always moving toward a goal. It ranks the seventh in the Chinese Zodiac. People born under the sign of the Horse are clever, active, energetic, quick-witted, fashionable, agile, popular among others and have the ability to persuade others. On the other side, they might be some selfish, arrogant and over-confident.
Lucky Numbers: 2, 3, 7; Avoid 1, 5, 6
Lucky Flowers: Calla Lily, Jasmine, Marigold
Lucky Colors: Brown, Yellow, Purple, Red; Avoid: Blue, White, Golden
Famous People Born in the Year of Horse:
Sean Connery, Paul McCartney, Jackie Chan, Gordon Ramsey, Nicole Scherzinger, Emma Watson.

Sheep (Goat/Ram) (羊Yánɡ)

1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015

zicon-sheepRanking the eighth position of all the animals in Chinese zodiac, Sheep (also Goat or Ram) represents solidarity, harmony and calmness. People born in the year of the Sheep are polite, mild mannered, shy, imaginative, determined and have good taste. On the negative side, they are sometimes pessimistic, unrealistic, short-sighted and slow in behavior.
Lucky Numbers: 3, 9, 4; Avoid: 6, 7, 8
Lucky Flowers: Carnation, Primrose, Alice Flower
Lucky Colors: Green, Red, Purple; Avoid: Golden, Coffee
Famous People Born in the Year of Sheep (Goat or Ram):
James Dean, Mick Jagger, Bill Gates, Nicole Kidman, Andrea Pirlo, Ed Sheeran.

Monkey (猴Hóu)

1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016

zicon-monkeyMonkey ranks ninth position in the Chinese Zodiac. They are cheerful and energetic by nature and usually represent flexibility. People under the sign of the Monkey are wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal, inventive and have leadership. The weaknesses of the Monkeys are being egotistical, arrogant, crafty, restless and snobbish.
Lucky Numbers: 1, 7, 8; Avoid: 2, 5, 9
Lucky Flowers: Chrysanthemum
Lucky Colors: White, Golden, Blue; Avoid: Red, Black, Grey, Dark Coffee
Famous People Born in the Year of Monkey:
Elizabeth Taylor, George Lucas, David Copperfield, Daniel Craig, Steven Gerrad, Neymar.

Rooster (雞Jī)

1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017

zicon-roosterRooster ranks the tenth among the Chinese zodiac animals. In Chinese culture, Rooster represents fidelity and punctuality, for it wakes people up on time. People born in the year of the Rooster are beautiful, kind-hearted, hard-working, courageous, independent, humorous and honest. They like to keep home neat and organized. On the other side, they might be arrogant, self-aggrandizing, persuasive to others and wild as well as admire things or persons blindly.
Lucky Numbers: 5, 7, 8; Avoid: 1, 3, 9
Lucky Flowers: Gladiola, Impatiens, Cockscomb
Lucky Colors: Golden, Brown, Brownish Yellow, Yellow; Avoid White, Green
Famous People Born in the Year of Rooster:
Michael Caine, Rod Stewart, Martin Luther King, Jennifer Aniston, Beyonce, Naill Horan.

Dog (狗Gǒu)

1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018

zicon-dogRanking as the eleventh animal in Chinese zodiac, Dog is the symbol of loyalty and honesty. People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They are honest, friendly, faithful, loyal, smart, straightforward, venerable and have a strong sense of responsibility. On the negative side, they are likely to be self-righteous, cold, terribly stubborn, slippery, critical of others and not good at social activities.
Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 9; Avoid: 1, 6, 7
Lucky Flowers: Rose, Oncidium, Cymbidium Orchids
Lucky Colors: Green, Red, Purple; Avoid: Blue, White, Golden
Famous People Born in the Year of Dog:
Judith Dench, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Naomi Campbell, Kate Middleton, Justin Bieber.

Pig (猪Zhū)

1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

zicon-pigOccupying the last position in 12 Chinese Zodiac animals, Pig is mild and a lucky animal representing carefree fun, good fortune and wealth. Personality traits of the people born under the sign of the Pig are happy, easygoing, honest, trusting, educated, sincere and brave. The possible dark sides the Pig people are stubbornness, naive, over-reliant, self-indulgent, easy to anger and materialistic. They are sometimes regarded as being lazy.
Lucky Numbers: 2, 5, 8; Avoid 1, 3, 9
Lucky Flowers: Hydrangea, Pitcher Plant, Marguerite
Lucky Colors: Yellow, Grey, Brown, Golden; Avoid: Red, Blue, Green
Famous People Born in the Year of Pig:
Elvis Presley, Stephen King, Simon Cowell, David Tennant, Kim Jong-Un, Nicola Peltz.

Rat

The sun shines again after the bad year. For the rat, the year of the horse is a year of success, which will run at full gallop.

Ox

The year of the horse will be a good year for the ox. Will achieve much success and successfully completed their projects.

Tiger

The year of the horse will be a year full of successes and failures. In the first six months must take into account the tiger had many failures and few successes. The next six months will be better. But here too the tiger has to suffer some setbacks among the successes.

Rabbit

The Rabbit is likely to be overwhelmed by the hoofs of the horse. Sporting elite and warriors win this year, since they can download on the opponent their negative energy. But employees, state officials, workers, artisans may have a tough year ahead of them, because the negative energies are hindering in the workplace.

Dragon

The year of the horse is a good to very good year for the dragon. There should be no major problems. The first half of the year is satisfactory and you can be satisfied with the result. Even the second half of the year continues as normal.

Snake

The snake is very successful in this Horse year. You must want to look for a failure. For the snake, it is one of the best years. January is a month still quiet, for the snake, but towards the middle of the year comes a success after success. The 2 nd half of the year starts very well. But this year was too good and the envious are stationed around the corner.

Horse

Its own year is challenging for the horse. The race obstacles must be well prepared. Otherwise, the horse is unable to overcome too many obstacles. This among other things is the last of the years still acceptable for the horse. Because then followed by 3 bad years.

Goat

For the goat the year of the horse is a very good year. The first problems arise only at the end of the year. Beware the winter. For this reason, the goat would have to conclude, during the autumn, all his plans and intentions. Then you should look for a quiet place.

Monkey

The year of the horse is a good year up to very good for Monkey. The monkey will have much activity and achievements.

Rooster

The Rooster will not have much activity. It will be a boring year without much success. It can be considered a year of calm and mean.

Dog

The year of the horse will be a year which is more seriously for the dog. During this year, the dog will not be very active, but what starts it will succeed

Pig

The year of the horse is the biggest success and the most perfect. This year will fall manna from heaven. Playing a little ‘to the lot would not be bad.