The Chinese Zodiac, Its Legends and Meanings

This book covers the themes including Chinese zodiac， festivals， Chinese classics， poetry appreciation， tourist attractions， Chinese cuisine， non-genetic inheritance， etc.， aiming to help readers introduce Chinese culture and show Chinese style to the world. The Chinese chapters are short and informative， making it an excellent source for reading， writing， and translating for teenagers and English lovers.

Talk about Chinese Culture in English

21st Century Newspaper

China Water amp; Power Press

May 2022

58.00 （CNY）

Do you know why the cat is the enemy of the rat？

Chinese folklore has it that the rat and cat made an appointment to attend a competition held by the Jade Emperor. It would decide the zodiac animals. However， the quick-witted rat did not wake the cat up and finally won by riding on an ox’s back to sneak ahead.

Thus， the rat ranked first on the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and became an enemy of the cat. So when Chinese people talk about the rat， they are likely to see it as greedy and dishonest. For example， there is the expression “a thief’s eyebrow and a rat’s eyes” to describe someone who looks untrustworthy.

In the real world， rats are known for spreading diseases. It was regarded as one of the “four pests” in China in the 1960s.

Rats have also long been blamed for spreading the Black Death， which took the lives of an estimated 25 million people in Europe in the 14th century.

Nevertheless， there’s another side to the rat.

Chinese literature has some positive views of rats. In the novel Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio， written by the Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling， a courageous， smart and faithful rat， smaller in size and weaker in strength， battles with a fierce snake to save its companion.

There is also folklore treating the rat as a great hero. It is said that the rat created the world by taking a bite of heaven， bringing light to humans. It helped people survive by stealing firewood and grain seeds. As a result， many people worship the rat by offering sacrifices and praying for success.

Since rats live together in societies and have many offspring with a high survival rate， they also represent collaboration and reproduction.

With all these qualities， it is believed that people born in the Year of the Rat are smart and good at making money.

Celebrating the Ox

Do you know why the ox was chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs？

Centuries ago， most people earned their living through farming. The ox was used to help plow， cultivate， and carry heavy goods.

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese poets and writers frequently described the ox in literature. In the Classic of Poetry， the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry， the animal was mentioned in nine of the 305 pieces.

The ox is considered a symbol of diligence and earnestness in Chinese culture. To this day， the phrase “the spirit of an ox” still refers to conquering anything that may present itself as an obstacle. The spirit is highly praised， and many people follow it as their work ethic. When someone achieves a great accomplishment through hard work， people often use niu （niu means ox in Chinese）， meaning awesome， to describe him or her.

Oxen seldom bully the weak or fear the strong. They work hard and make sacrifices.

This is reflected in a couplet from a poem by Lu Xun （1881—1936）： “Fierce-browed， I coolly defy a thousand pointing fingers; Head bowed， like a willing ox I serve the children，” which fully expresses the poet’s loyalty to the people.

Naturally， those who were born in the Year of the Ox are often expected to be hardworking， reliable， and loyal. “They never seek to be the center of attention and do not look for praise，” the website China Highlights said.

Year of the Tiger

The tiger is regarded as the top animal in the Chinese zodiac because the marking on its forehead resembles the Chinese character for king （wang）. It’s the king of animals – awe-inspiring and brave.

But the Chinese aren’t the only people who respect it. In a 2004 survey by Animal Planet， an American satellite and cable television channel， more than 50，000 viewers worldwide voted for the tiger as their favorite animal. And it took the World’s Favorite Animal honor， beating man’s best friend， the dog.

The animal has various cultural meanings in various parts of the world. In many parts of the Asia， it’s regarded as a sacred creature.

For South Koreans， it may have been the most adored animal throughout the country’s history. After all， South Korea was previously called a “nation of tigers” since it provided a good habitat for the Siberian tiger.

In ancient times， the tiger was considered a magical guardian， one that could avoid evil spirits and bring good luck. Our ancestors used tiger patterns as a talisman， sometimes using it on army uniforms. They also associated the tiger with wealth， status， and fame.

In India， the Bengal tiger is the national animal. Its combination of grace， strength， and enormous power has earned it the place of pride.

In the US， the tiger is often used as a mascot for school sports， because of its vigor and menacing appearance. Some professional baseball teams have used the tiger as an official name， such as the Detroit Tigers.

The animal is also loved because it’s a member of the cat family and is seen as a beautiful， sleek animal. Americans really like to keep cats as pets or personal companions， so there’s an emotional bond with the tiger.

In Europe， tigers have been used by artists such as Salvador Dalí to symbolize sexuality and desire， because of its unfeigned behavior.

Personality

How about people born under the sign of the Tiger？

According to Chinese astrologers， they’re clever and attentive but also on the lookout for the bigger picture. They’re born competitors and plan things well， which often leads to success and happiness. However， sometimes they act without thinking or react too strongly and are affected by their temper. Because of their cheerful outlook， passion， and independence， they can recover quickly from temporary problems. In general， tiger people are easily liked because of their charisma and straightforward personality.

Happy Year of the Rabbit

Most Chinese people’s first impression of rabbits is when they first gaze into the sky. Children are told that there is a white rabbit on the moon， accompanying the goddess Chang’e， who never grows old.

Though the US and Chinese landing on the moon has proved no rabbit has ever lived there， the lucky image has never faded.

In India 3，000 years ago， wise men regarded the rabbit as the symbol of the moon. The rabbit represented longevity and goodwill. In many Korean and Japanese cartoons， two rabbits on the moon make medicine by grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle. Sometimes they give guidance to people on Earth.

In oriental culture， rabbits are portrayed as timid， romantic creatures. However， in the West， rabbits present a different face. They may be shown as funny， cunning or tricky.

Let’s start with Bugs Bunny， a cartoon character loved by millions. Bugs Bunny has many enemies. All try to bully or threaten him. But Bugs always wins， sometimes in violent ways. Then he’ll give the viewer a victorious wink.

Bugs is a cultural icon in the US and an inspirational figure of hope and optimism. His laid-back attitude endeared him to Americans during and after World War II.

Bugs has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has appeared on a US postage stamp， the first cartoon character to be so honored.