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 (no moon). For 2008, Chinese new year is on February 7th.

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, 2008 (after Feb 7) corresponds to the Chinese year 4705.

February 7th, 2008 also begins the year of the Rat. In Chinese astrology, the zodiac is represented by a 12-year cycle of 12 animals (see below for list of animals).

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 1^st on the list and Ox 2^nd.

One story says that Snake was curled around Horse's leg, as Horse approached the finish line, Snake quickly sprang forward and arrived before Horse. That is why Snake is 6^th on the list and Horse is 7^th. See more about Chinese zodiac from wikipedia.com's Chinese astrology.

Chinese astrology is a 60-year cycle because it involves 12 zodiac animals and 5 Earthly elements (5 x 12 = 60). In fact, your horoscope is determined by many aspects related to when you were born:

• odd-numbered years are "Yin" while even-numbered years are "Yang"
• 5 elements (metal, water, wood, fire, earth)
• 12 animals represent the year you were born
• the same 12 animals represent the month you were born
• and the same 12 animals represent the hour you were born
  (2 hours per animal: 2 x 12 = 24 hours).

Thus, two people born in the same year do not share the same fate because their fortune is also determined by the month and hour in which they were born.

Origami Diagrams:

Rat (years ... 2008, 2020, 2032,...) Little Mouse (F Scalambra) Loitering Mouse (F Shingu) La Petit Souris (R Donachie) Rata (FM Salinas) Mouse (J Koppel) Mouse (CY Hung) Mouse (the art of japan) Raton/Rat (JA Iranzo) Rata/Rat (E Joisel) Ox (years ... 2009 2021, 2033,...) Cow (S O'Hanlon) Buffalo crease pattern (N Miyajima) $Bull (A Anseimo) $Bull: 1, 2 (P Bailey) Tiger (years ... 2010, 2022, 2034,...) Tiger (Origami-Instructions.com) Tiger (TP Kong) Tiger crease pattern (N Miyajima) Tiger crease pattern (H Komatsu) Rabbit (years ... 2011, 2023, 2035,...) Bunny (T Stamm) Ballon Bunny (F Shingu) Rabbit (CY Hung) Rabbit (the art of japan) simple Bunny (R Katz) Hare (S O'Hanlon) Running Rabbit (AF Barbour) Dragon (years ... 2012, 2024, 2036,...) Compact Dragon (P Bailey) Dragon (D Abbey) Dragon (S O'Hanlon) Dragon (H Pereira) Dragon (J Niemeyer) Drake (M Case) Eastern Dragon (J Wu) $Fan Tailed Dragon (P Bailey) Flapping Dragon (E Tan) Ian's Dragon 1 (I Mitchell) Proud Dragon (AF Barbour) Rearing Dragon (J Allison) Snake (years ... 2013, 2025, 2037,...) Cobra (J Koppel) Snake (L Stringer) Snake (A Anselmo) Snake (origami-club.com) Origami Snake (Origami-Instructions.com) $Serpent (C Randall) Horses (years ... 2014, 2026, 2038,...) Horse (S O'Hanlon) Horse (CY Hung) Horse (D Dimitris) Caballo/Horse (JA Voyer) Caballo/Horse (M Maya) Horse (D Brill) Horse (N Miyajima) Sheep (years ... 2015, 2027, 2039,...) Sheep (S O'Hanlon) Sheep (A Carpenter) Sheep (origami-club.com) Sheep crease pattern (N Miyajima) Goat (CY Hung) Monkey (years ... 2016, 2028, 2040,...) Monkey (R Glynn) Monkey (CY Hung) Monkey 2 (CY Hung) Monkey Head (R Glynn) Monkey crease pattern (N Miyajima) Rooster (years ... 2017, 2029, 2041,...) Rooster (TP Kong) Good Morning Rooster (L Stringer) Rooster (E Binzinger) Easy Rooster (RHC Bristle) Gallo/Rooster (P Gallo) Le Coq/Rooster (C Boudias) Dog (years ... 2018, 2030, 2042,...) Basset Dog (FH Rojas) Dog (CY Hung) Begging Dog (E Corrie) Puppy Dog (E Corrie) easy Origami Dog Head (activityVillage) Nodding Dog (P Jackson) Puppy (M Case) Sitting Dog (J Villemaire) Pig (years ... 2019, 2031, 2043,... ) Pig (D Petty) Pig (S O'Hanlon) Pig/Schwein (S Weber) Pig (CY Hung) Origami Pig (M Case) Origami Pig Head (ActivityVillage) Origami Pig Head (S Harris) Little Piggy... (R Katz) World's Largest Origami Pig (Zmolek-Smith)

Books about Chinese Astrology

• Chinese Astrology Kit: Discover Your Personality, Compatibility and Destiny by Walters & Jones
• Chinese Horoscopes: an Easy Guide by D Burns
• The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology by Walters
• Chinese Astrology by S Wu
• See these books in: USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France

Books about Chinese Zodiac Origami

• Mythological Creatures and the Chinese Zodiac in Origami by John Montroll.
  See this book in: USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France
• Origami Bible by Robinson & Brill.
  See this book in: USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France

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