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world4h ago
What is the Chinese zodiac? How the ancient calendar shaped life for centuries
- The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle linking birth years to animals and personality ideas.
- Tradition places animals in a fixed order from Rat to Pig, tied to yearly cycles and fate beliefs.
- The cycle is deeply rooted in Chinese history, codified by the 550s CE and used in folk tradition.
- Other calendar systems like the Twenty-Eight Mansions and Stems-and-Branches exist alongside the zodiac.
- In modern culture, a person’s zodiac year is tied to beliefs about luck and destiny in daily life.
- The zodiac’s influence persists beyond China, with Korea using sheep and Vietnam replacing the ox with a water buffalo.
- The zodiac shapes everything from naming to matchmaking and even hiring decisions in some regions.
- The upcoming Year of the Horse (2026) is linked to responsibility and opportunity in the zodiac.
- Historical theories suggest Jupiter’s motion may have inspired the cycle, per scholars cited.
- The zodiac remains a popular folk tradition, influencing beliefs and cultural practices today.
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