CHINESE ASTROLOGY

You could be an energetic rat, a majestic tiger, a flamboyant dragon. Neelabh helps you figure out which one it is. Chinese astrology differs from other traditional forms of astrology in that, instead of using stars and planetary positions to determine a person's zodiac sign, as the other systems do, it relates to 12 animals -- the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Cat, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, The Dog and the Pig. So how did this happen?

One legend says that Buddha invited all the animals on earth to a gathering

before his final departure, and these 12 were the only animals that showed up. As

a token of his appreciation, Buddha named a year after each of them in the

order in which they arrived.

Another legend has it that the Jade Emperor held a race to determine the fastest

animals on earth. The Emperor had decided the first 12 animals to cross the

chosen river would represent the 12 earthly branches that make up the cyclical

order of years on the lunar calendar and that is how these 12 animals landed

up in Chinese astrology.

HERE'S A CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE 12 ANIMALS IN CHINESE ASTROLOGY. PICK THE YEAR YOU WERE BORN LISTED IN THE TABLE BELOW AND MATCH IT WITH THE ANIMAL IT REPRESENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF.

RAT 1900 1912 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008

OX 1901 1913 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009

TIGER 1902 1914 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010

RABBIT 1903 1915 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011

DRAGON 1904 1916 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012

SNAKE 1905 1917 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013

HORSE 1906 1918 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014

GOAT 1907 1919 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015

MONKEY 1908 1920 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016

ROOSTER 1909 1921 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017

DOG 1910 1922 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018

PIG 1911 1923 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE - 2001

The Chinese New Year that began on January 24th, 2001 at 14.38 hrs is the Chinese Golden Snake Year or the year of the Snake. This is a negative year and the element is metal and it ends on 11-2-2002. Snakes are associated with the coiled up wisdom and power that lies buried deep within, and

needs a conscious awareness and effort to come to the surface. This year is the perfect period for reflection, planning and seeking solutions. This is a favourable year for commerce and industry, though there will be some negative forces at play too. This is also a

good time for all creative and artistic pursuits like art, fashion, music, theatre etc. A wonderful year for romance and relationships that could also result in scandals. The year of the snake indicates two extremes: one is deep contemplation, philosophical insight and wisdom and the

other is that of underhand, secretive, clandestine dealings that will come to light only at the opportune time.

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THE RAT

Considered quick-witted, versatile and perfectionists, rat personalities are often accused of being

opportunists. Charm and tenacity are their hallmarks. They're generally active and restless people

with a nervous temperament and need to learn to relax. They have a wide circle of acquaintances

and have very few close friends in spite of being very social creatures. They do not open up to

strangers due to their inherently cautious nature. They're also meticulous, organised and well

planned in their activities. They are creatures of instinct and generally have a very strong sense

of intuition.

THE OX

Hard working, persistent and tireless, these earthy souls invariably carry a heavy burden in terms

of their share of responsibilities. Quiet and aloof, they are often homely and put a high premium

on privacy. Self-made and determined, they have a lot of resilience and patience. Family-oriented,

conservative and faithful, they are generally easygoing people. They make wonderful friends, and

loyalty and trustworthiness are virtues that win their heart.

THE TIGER

Fearless, daring and magnificent, the tiger is the born leader of the Chinese zodiac. Powerful,

intense and dynamic, a tiger personality has overpowering charisma and commands awe and

respect. These people are authoritative and reserved on one side and can be extremely confident,

warm hearted and generous on the other hand. Mysterious and unpredictable, the tiger loves

excitement and thrill and people who rub them the wrong way find themselves on the receiving end

of their wrath at some point in their life.

THE RABBIT

Kind, gentle, refined and calm by temperament, rabbits are very affable and charming people.

Popular and admired for their artistic tastes, they love all the good things of life and are

trendsetters in their own right. Many known socialites belong to this family and like to surround

themselves with beauty, refinement and luxury. With them, intimacy or closeness never goes

beyond a point - they are friendly yet reserved and aloof.

THE DRAGON

This is the most charismatic, dramatic and prominent sign of the Chinese zodiac. They have a

larger than life aura around themselves and are grand and magnanimous in their approach and

style. Dragons have tremendous faith and belief in their abilities, and have the power to turn their

dreams into reality. Creative and innovative, these people are always experimenting and hate to be

subjected to a monotonous routine. They are perfectionists, self reliant and resourceful and

nothing is impossible for them. And though they're often considered to be egotistical, they can be

very genuine people.

THE SNAKE

There's a lot of mystique and symbolism attached to a snake personality. Knowledgeable and

enlightened, they are only two ways with them; they are either revered or feared. Deadly and

dangerous, they're known for their vengeance (especially when provoked). These people have

philosophical and religious insights, are instinctive and have clairvoyant powers. These people also

have wonderful powers of rejuvenation. They're quick to discard redundant ideas and adopt new

ways and mores.

THE HORSE

These intelligent and enthusiastic souls breeze through life at their own pace. They prioritise

independence and freedom, and like maintaining control at all times. Warm, sociable and

enthusiastic, they also need to withdraw into their private space very often. They are go-getters

and capable of successfully finishing any work at hand because of their enthusiastic and energetic

nature.

THE GOAT

These people are very sensitive, homely and dedicated to their loved ones. They also have an

amazing capacity for hard work. Emotional and psychic, they have creative and artistic talents, and

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generally make a name for themselves in the fields of creative art, music or literature. But on the

flip side, they tend to go overboard and become obsessive, especially when the negative side of

their temperament surfaces. They also run the risk of being unstable, nervous and indecisive.

Their lives revolve around the people they love.

THE MONKEY

Highly energetic, these individuals have a wonderful sense of humour and are extremely

intelligent. There are two extremes in a monkey personality on one hand they can be very wise and

sensible yet on the other hand, the mischievous element in their personality can make them nasty

pranksters. Friendly and affectionate, they can also bowl you over with their charm. However,

they do tend to overdo it, and can be hypocritical at times. They are also highly strung, restless

and like to keep themselves busy.

THE ROOSTER

This is considered the most attractive sign of the 12. They have an inherent sense of style and

class and are impeccably dressed as a rule. Rooster personalities can be a little vain and fickle as

their superficial appearance means a lot to them. This can also lead them to lose sight of the

deeper and more meaningful things in the pursuit of beauty. They are also society's front-runners

who often make news on page three. They have their head in the clouds and can get a little carried

away at times but otherwise they are sensible and achievement oriented.

THE DOG

Simple and faithful, their priorities are very clear, and home and loved ones get the largest share

of this personality's attention. They are happy to be followers and have no ambition of being in

the spotlight. Most dedicated social workers belong to this sign. They are very helpful and never

turn away from the needy if they can help in any way. They are very hard working and like to lead

modest, simple and meaningful lives.

THE PIG

Practical, earthy, simple and straight, pigs may not appear very active and energetic, but they have

hidden reserves of energy and strength that will carry them through any crisis in life. Nothing is

impossible for them once they have made up their mind about it. These people are generally quiet

and stable, but when they lose their temper they are totally uncontrollable, so it's often a bad

idea to provoke them. They’re also known to never let down those who trust them. They love all

the good things of life whether it is good food or other sensual pleasures.

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