12 animals of the east. Chinese animal horoscope

Last days the passing year and the eve of the new one always seem significant, special, and fulfilling to us. deep meaning. We dream of getting rid of the failures and worries that have bothered us over the past 12 months, and we look to the future with hope, trying to predict what it has in store for us? And, of course, we are curious: which symbolic animal will come into its own with the last strike of the clock on

Myths and legends

Let's look at what animals look like by year. Many legends and myths are associated with its origin. The most famous one says that one day Buddha called all the creatures of the earth to him. important matter. And those 12 who appeared before the eyes of the deity before the others received a wonderful reward: to rule over the destinies of peoples and states for 12 months. This is how the eastern animal calendar was created by year.

Astronomical data

It’s difficult to say now how everything actually happened. It is only known that it is based on the astronomical cycles of the two main ones for the Earth celestial bodies- The Sun and Moon, as well as Saturn and Jupiter. The Eastern animal calendar by year includes a periodicity of 12 years. This is exactly how long it takes Jupiter to make a full revolution around the Sun. And if you consider that in ancient times nomadic peoples, inhabiting the current territories of the East Asian region, revered Jupiter as their patron and endowed him with mystical properties, then it is clear why the eastern animal calendar by year is designed specifically for 12 years. The Chinese were the first to think of it. This was almost 4 thousand years ago. And now this calendar is the main one not only in the Middle Kingdom, but also in Japan, Korea, Kampuchea, Mongolia, Thailand and many other countries. Moreover, the signs of the Zodiac according to the eastern calendar are gladly recognized as symbols of the year in the Old and New Worlds. And in Russia too!

Star Zoo

Let's list those lucky ones whom Buddha noted with his special favor. It is known that the animals did not resort to him all at once, but one by one. As a result, preference was given to one or the other. The countdown of the new year began with the second full moon, which came after the winter - December in our opinion - solstice. According to the eastern calendar, they begin with the Rat. Next, in order, are the Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare) and Dragon, Snake and Horse. The last animal, by the way, is a symbol of the passing year, and we can hear the rhythmic clatter of its hooves for several more days. And the Horse, a restless worker with a noble but restive character, is being replaced by the melancholy, sometimes loving to stick out its horns and buck, but in general a peace-loving domestic Goat. Zodiac signs according to the eastern calendar are not the same in all Asian countries. The goat is revered in China. And in Japan they believe that 2015 a year will pass under the control of the Sheep. Next come the Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig (or Boar). This is such a heavenly zoo!

Elements and elements

Astrologers note that the symbols eastern calendar are not limited to just animals. They include the basic natural elements and elements. These are Fire, Wood, Earth, Water, Metal. Each one has a specific symbolic meaning. A tree is the personification of the East itself, the place from which the sun rises, the beginning of life, spring, youth, flowering, emergence, and the origin of all life processes. The main one among the Chinese - the Dragon - is located precisely in the eastern part of the house or temple. Fire is the South, it is associated with Metaphorically, the element of fire is equated with progress, prosperity, the revelation of one's own potentials in different spheres of existence, the growth of well-being and abundance. It is also associated with fame and self-realization. Thus, Fire is the manifestation of the most powerful and brightest flowering, the culmination of something.

Philosophy of the East

The table of the eastern calendar will be incomplete without the element of Earth - central to the eastern philosophical system. In the cosmic spheres, its correspondence is the North Star, the prototype of earthly imperial power. Consequently, the earthly element is associated with ordering, legitimizing any processes, manifestations of control and order, as well as confrontations because of them. And if the Tree was tied Chinese philosophers with spring, then the Earth is the middle of summer, the ripening of fruits and fruits, as well as the wise time of maturity human life. Metal is reliability, strength, fairness, hardness. The element is associated with the Sun, just setting, and is associated with the West - sunset. Metaphorically, it denotes the decline of human life, wise contemplation, “the time to gather stones” and reap the harvest. And water, flowing and changeable, is considered the most incomprehensible and mysterious by Eastern sages. It is connected with the North, old age and its inherent wisdom, rejection of false illusions, and peace.

Koza-Dereza

But let us return to the present day, to our pressing affairs. The coming year, according to the eastern calendar, is the year of the Goat. What interesting things can you learn about him from his astrological characteristics? In the 21st century, we will meet the “bearded beauty” for the second time - the first occurred in 2003. In Russian folklore, a goat is a rather capricious and crafty animal. It’s hard to please her, Dereza is so good at mischief, that’s why she’s beaten and her sides are ragged. At the same time, a goat is a nurse, a kind, unpretentious, very clean animal, its milk is healthier and more valuable than cow's. In the East, especially among the poor, Dereza was highly valued. But the attitude towards goats was somewhat different: they are dissolute, and stupid, and pugnacious. And for some reason “old”. The abusive expression “old goat” wanders from people to people, from one national culture to another.

Symbol of the year

What is characteristic of the Year of the Goat according to the eastern calendar? If we take into account the fact that goats love affection very much and respond to it with pleasure, then from the years whose totem it is, one should also expect calmness, goodwill, peace and wise resolution of many global and minor conflicts. Calmness and stability, without sudden leaps and changes, should please everyone who is tired of crises and changes and is a follower eternal values. Therefore, if you treat others with sincere friendliness and cordiality, the support of the Goat-Dereza is guaranteed to you! The ruler of the cosmic mysteries in 2015 will be Jupiter - the planet that brings with it world harmony and order, the highest justice and establishes the most important laws of human coexistence and mercy. It is no wonder that many people associate hopes for positive changes in their lives with the “year of Jupiter”.

Pastoral with sheep

According to the eastern calendar, the Sheep shares the New Year's throne with the Goat. The inhabitants of the Country chose her as a totem Rising Sun. Sheep, as we know, are extremely peaceful and sweet animals. Some people think they are stupid, it’s true, but in Christian mythology Christ himself was compared to a lamb - a meek and defenseless lamb. Nature, indeed, did not make sure that the sheep could stand up for themselves - they have neither strong hooves, nor sharp horns, nor fierce fangs. That's why they are so dependent on humans. But the year of the Sheep, in this case, should not be warlike, with cataclysms and natural disasters. On the contrary, the meek Sheep should bring peace and tranquility.

"Horned" varieties

It is not for nothing that we noted the connection of the Chinese calendar not only with the animal world, but also with natural elements and elements. Indeed, in accordance with them, each totem resides in one form or another. Thus, the past years of 1931 and 1991 and the coming 2051 decades later belong to the Metal Goat. The Water Goat was 1943, 2003 and will be 2063. The Wooden Goat walked around the world in 1955, will return a few days later - in 2015, and then nod its horns welcomingly in 2075. The reign of the Fire Goat occurred in 1907 and 1967, then will begin in 2027. And finally, the Earth Goat greeted the world with its “mecking” in 1919 and 1979, and we will hear it again in 2051. Happy New Year, friends? Yes, Happy New Year!

Chinese astrology predates Western astrology and differs from it in many ways. Western astrology, when analyzing, is limited only to the character of a person, and does not predict his fate.

On the other hand, much of Chinese astrology focuses on predicting life path person, with accuracy to such an extent that she can make a prediction about happy and tragic events that can happen in a person's life.

It is interesting to note that Chinese astrology and feng shui are closely intertwined - astrological characteristics of a person are used in many schools of feng shui to determine the optimal placement of home furniture and accessories that are specifically designed for that person.

There are 12 zodiac signs in the Eastern calendar, similar to the 12 zodiac signs in Western astrology. Graphically, this represents pie chart of 12 sections, each section with an image (picture) of an animal represents one zodiac sign.

The 12 signs of the zodiac symbolize the 12 animals in the eastern calendar: rat, bull, tiger, rabbit, snake, sheep (goat), monkey, rooster, and pig (boar). Just as in the West, a person’s character traits depend on his zodiac sign, in Eastern astrology, in the same way, a person’s character depends on what year and under what sign he was born. The difference is that Western astrology is based on the annual solar cycles of the 12 zodiac signs. In the Chinese calendar, although the periods last a full cycle, starting with a new one and ending with a full one, one animal is a symbol for the entire year. Thus, a full cycle takes 12 years. For example, if you were born in the year of the goat (sheep), your sign will be this animal and you can celebrate your birthday every 12 years.

12 zodiac signs by year in order

Characteristics of 12 animals, zodiac signs of the eastern calendar

We present to your attention brief description 12 animals, zodiac signs of the eastern calendar, many of these characteristics correspond to the character of people born under the sign of a particular animal according to the eastern calendar.

Rat: charming, aggressive, secretive, sharp and witty, stubborn, good politician and a businessman, one might say, a perfectionist

Bull: good memory, hardworking, loyal to family, talented, responsible, self-confident, impulsive, creative person.

Tiger: leader, courageous, strong, possessive, predatory, generous and selfish, passionate, likes to work alone, dynamic.

Rabbit: good-natured, conservative, with artistic taste, sentimental, emotional, monogamous, romantic, peaceful, shy, soft.

Dragon: tyrant, regal, lucky, leader, in the spotlight, powerful, aggressive, dynamic, selfish, snob.

Snake: charming, popular, possessive, self-centered, intelligent, well-mannered, lazy, romantic, unreliable.

Horse: loving, rebellious, energetic, selfish, possessive, cunning, low self-esteem.

Sheep (goat): creative, lazy, disorganized, charming, well mannered, dreamy, pessimistic, artistic, romantic, restless.

Monkey: charming, witty, smart, emotional, cunning, gourmet, with a sense of humor, lucky.

Rooster: honest, loyal, dreamer, likes to bargain, observant.

Dog: loyal, conservative, sincere, intelligent, subjective, serious, nervous, loves solitude.

Pig or boar: caring, knight, sincere, honest, trusting, believes in goodness, loves food, romantic, jealous.

It is interesting to note that real Chinese astrology differs significantly from its popular versions, which are concentrated on the zodiac sign. It is not limited only to their characteristics.

The eastern horoscope describes mainly not events, but relationships between people. From the point of view of the Eastern worldview, it is the relationships between people that determine the events that happen to us. And in fact, the ability to properly build relationships with your immediate environment guarantees your success, financial well-being, career, family harmony. This is often more important than choosing the right behavior.

Animals act as objects of a developed mythological system, as well as objects fine arts, play an important role in religious rituals.
The role of animals in the mythology of the peoples of the world is exceptionally great and is determined by the importance that animals had at the early stage of human development. Images of animals were used in epic, sculpture and graphics; the behavior of animals influenced the models of building the life of human society and connections with nature, primarily in terms of cyclicality and fertility. Little by little the animals eastern horoscope began to act as a mythological code in which individual elements have permanently assigned meanings: the correlation of animals with the cardinal points, seasons, elements, etc. is known. Animal images also encode months, days or years - usually in a 12-year cycle, in particular among the peoples of Central and Southeast Asia. Thus, in China, the months were successively associated with the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In Tibet and Mongolia - with a mouse, a cow, a tiger, a hare, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a sheep, a monkey, a rooster, a dog and a pig. IN Ancient Greece The conductors of the Sun were considered to be a cat, a dog, a snake, a crab, a donkey, a lion, a goat, an ox, a hawk, a monkey, an ibis, and a crocodile. Muslims associated ten animals with the sky: the ram, the donkey, the lapwing, the whale, the horse, the ox, the dove, the camel, the dog and the ant.
For example, in the legends of South American Indians, each of the constellations embodies the soul of one of the animals, and further development such myths leads to the construction of a system of correspondences between 12 constellations and the same number of animals. In its main features, this system is close to the system that existed in Ancient Babylonia, where the identification of 12 zodiac signs, later adopted by Greek and other European traditions, was based on it. These systems show similarities with ancient Chinese and other East Asian ones, on the one hand, and American Indian ones, on the other. Based on all these systems, which can be either the result of independent parallel development, or a consequence of the diffusion of the same set of ideas (as is assumed in relation to the ancient Chinese cycle of 12 animals of the Eastern horoscope, which apparently developed under the influence of the Western Asian) , a natural picture of the movement of heavenly bodies was constructed, described through mythological symbols - animals.

The main legends that are supposedly taken as a basis

The eastern calendar is based on the orbital period of Jupiter (the big planet solar system), which will make five revolutions during this time. A Jovian year is equal to 12 Earth years and is close to the period of change solar activity(about 11 years old). Chinese sages gave the number five special meaning. It corresponded to the five primary elements of the Universe: Fire, Wood (or sky), Metal, Earth, Water. These primary elements (or elements) formed ten “celestial trunks”. Each of them was combined with one of 12 animals - signs of the “earthly branches”, which gave the name to a particular year in the 60-year cycle.
If you multiply these numbers, you get a full cycle of 60 years.
Each element has its own color: Wood - green, Water - blue/black, Metal - white, Earth - yellow, ocher, Fire - red. The eastern horoscope is inextricably linked with the Chinese calendar.B lately The eastern horoscope is no less widespread than the European one that is already familiar to us.

The elements are arranged in a kind of circle, and the order of placement is not very difficult to remember: wood, when burned, produces fire; fire, burning, gives earth (ash); metal is extracted from the earth, from ores; water appears as droplets on cold metal; and water grows a tree, etc.
You can determine your element by the last digit of your year of birth:
- “4” or “5” - Tree (color green, blue);
- “6” or “7” - Fire (color red, pink);
- “8” or “9” - Earth (color yellow, lemon, ocher);
- “0” or “1” - Metal (white);
- “2” or “3” - Water (color black, blue).
The color given to the coming year is the color of one of these elements. The tree is green (or blue). Fire - red, Earth - yellow, Metal - white, Water - blue (or black).
In the East, it is customary to give the same color for two years in a row. Let's say the years 1980, 1981 are white; 1982, 1983 - blue (black); 1984, 1985 - green (blue); 1986, 1987 - red; 1988, 1989 - yellow, then again “white” and so on.
Finding out the color of any year (whichever year you want!) is quite easy to do. First, divide the number of the year by ten. For example, 1991 divided by 10 is 199 and the remainder is 1. The remainder is what is important to us. If the remainder is 0 or 1, this is a “white” year; if 2 or 3 - “blue” (black), Year of Water; 4 or 5 - “green” (blue), Year of the Tree; 6 or 7 - “red”, Year of Fire; 8 or 9 - “yellow”, Year of the Earth. It turns out that 1989 is the Year of the Yellow (earth) Snake, 1990 is the Year of the White (metal, iron) Horse, 1991 is the Year of the White Ram.
The interpretation of color in the East is as follows: blue refers to cold and fear, green - wind and anger, red - heat and joy, yellow - dampness and anxiety, white - sadness and dryness. In ancient times, it was believed that the “red” years - the Years of Fire - were always hot, and, for example, the “yellow” Years of the Earth were damp, with heavy rains.

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One day, Buddha invited all the animals who wanted to come to his holiday (according to other versions, Buddha invited the animals in honor of his departure from this world), and promised those who came to pay tribute by giving a gift. In addition, as a sign of honor and distinction, each of them was to receive a year, which henceforth would be called only by the name of one animal.

Only twelve animals responded to Buddha's call. But in order to get to Buddha, it was necessary to swim across a wide river, and Buddha suggested organizing a competition: whoever swims first will get the first year, whoever comes second will get the second, and so on.
The cat was very puzzled by this, as she was afraid of water, and asked the rat what she should do. Then a bull appeared nearby, suffering poor eyesight and also didn’t know what to do. The clever rat suggested that the cat ride on the back of the bull and control it so that it would not go astray. Everyone agreed, but when the crossing was being made, the calculating rat pushed the cat into the water, leaving her with nothing. Since then, the rat has been the mortal enemy of any cat.
Of course, the mighty Bull arrived first. But when he shook himself off to appear before the Buddha in proper form, he shook his tail, and a Rat flew off his tail, right at the feet of the Buddha! She bit him painfully on the tail so that the Ox would throw the Rat to the Buddha! So the Rat became the first of the twelve animals, and the Ox only the second! Tiger, who was in his third year, was a little behind the Bull. Since then, the Ox and the Tiger have always competed with each other!
The competition between the Ox and the Tiger so captivated the Buddha that he did not consider what kind of animal came in fourth! Or a Cat, or a Hare or a Rabbit. Over the years, it is impossible to establish the truth, and various eastern peoples still have different interpretations regarding the owner of the fourth year. The fifth was the Dragon, the sixth was the Snake, the seventh was the Horse. Here a strip of fog began to flow along the river, and again it was unclear who was eighth - the Goat or the Sheep (or maybe the Ram).
Ninth in line was the Monkey. Why did the nimble monkey come so late? She just didn't want to take any risks and kept a close eye on the swimmers. Only after making sure that the event was safe did she enter the water.
The Rooster came tenth (and maybe the Chicken, who can sort them out, wet ones). He was delayed because he told his large family at length and in detail how they should live in his absence.
The Dog galloped up eleventh. In the morning she had a lot of household chores to do, and, barely having managed with them, she - heated - rushed into the water. They say she coughed for a long time.
And finally, the last to appear was the Boar (according to other sources, he sent the Pig instead). He was not in a hurry: not very ambitious, not too picky. Buddha gave him the last, but most good year: The year of the Pig is characterized by abundance and tranquility.
Having become the owner for a whole year, the animal passed on its typical features to him. As for a person, now, depending on what year he was born, it was possible to determine his character and fate. A person born under one of these signs also acquired the typical traits of an animal - its strength or weakness, kindness or anger, pride or modesty.

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One day, the Jade Emperor from heaven sent his servant to earth to bring twelve of the most beautiful animals in the world to reward them. Having descended to the ground, the servant immediately saw the Rat and invited her to the emperor. The audience with the emperor was scheduled for six o'clock in the morning.

The joyful Rat immediately ran to preen itself before such an important meeting! After wandering around the earth, the servant decided that the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster and Dog were very beautiful animals, and he also invited them to the Emperor. It remains to choose the last animal. Traveling around the earth, he was told a lot about the beauty of the Cat, so he searched for him for a very long time.
But I personally couldn’t find it. Then the servant asked the Rat to find the Cat and give him the invitation! The Rat complied with the request and conveyed the invitation. And the Cat was very lazy, he loved to sleep, and did not like to get up early, he asked the Rat to wake him up in the morning. The rat agreed. And only then I realized that the cat is very beautiful! And he will definitely outshine the Rat in the eyes of the emperor. The Rat could not allow this to happen, and decided not to wake the Cat.
The next day, eleven animals gathered at the Emperor's, but the Cat was not among them; he was sleeping peacefully. The animals decided to put on a show for the Emperor. The Rat became the most cunning and inventive. She climbed onto the Bull's back and began to play the pipe, thereby conquering the king and causing a storm of delight in him. For this, the king awarded her first place. I gave second place to the Ox for his kindness, third to the Tiger, fourth to the Rabbit for his beautiful fur coat, fifth to the Dragon for his unusual appearance, sixth to the Snake for wisdom, seventh to the Horse, eighth to the Sheep, ninth to the Monkey for his dexterity, tenth to the rooster and tenth to the Dog. - eleventh. Then they noticed that the last twelfth animal was missing. The servant had to return to earth and urgently look for the last symbol of the year. The Pig was the first to catch his eye, although she was not beautiful, but the servant no longer had time to choose, and he invited her.
The legend says that the Cat woke up, realized that the Rat had fooled him and rushed as fast as he could to the Emperor's palace. The cat ran into the hall, but it was too late. All 12 Animals of the Year have been confirmed. And even despite the fact that the king really liked the cat, nothing could be changed.
They say that since then the Cat has been terribly offended by the Rat and there has been a long-standing irreconcilable enmity between them.

Material used:
Article by astrologer Valery "Animals of the Eastern Horoscope" and the vast expanses of the Internet http://lora-noc7.livejournal.com/

The Eastern or Chinese calendar consists of five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) and 12 animals (rat, bull, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig). The full cycle of such a calendar is 60 years. The current cycle began in 1984 - the year of the wood rat.

Let's figure it out: Why every year in Chinese calendar corresponds to a certain animal? Why exactly twelve of them? And why are they arranged in this order?

There are several legends about this:

Legend one

The first legend is about how the Jade Emperor - the supreme deity of the Taoist pantheon, the lord of heaven - chose twelve animals, each of which rules a year once every twelve years.

The Jade Emperor ruled the sky and everything in the heavens. And he never went down to earth, so he was interested appearance all creatures living on earth. One day the emperor summoned his chief adviser.

I have already for a long time“I rule the heavens,” the emperor said to the adviser, “but I have never seen these strange animals and I don’t know what they look like.” I would like to know them characteristic features and properties. I would like to see how they move and hear the sounds they make. How smart are they and how do they help people?

No, I can't waste that much time. Select twelve of the most interesting animals and bring them to me so that I can sort them by color and shape.

The adviser went through all the animals he knew in his head and decided, first, to invite the rat, but asked her to also convey the invitation to her friend the cat. He also sent invitations to the bull, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster and dog and ordered them to appear before the emperor tomorrow at 6 o'clock in the morning.

The Rat was very flattered by this invitation, she immediately went to convey good news friend's cat. The cat was also very happy, but was worried that at 6 am it was very early and he might oversleep. Therefore, he asked the rat to wake him up in time. All night the rat thought about how cute and sleek the cat was and how ugly she would look in comparison to him in front of the emperor. And she decided that the only way to make sure that the cat didn’t get all the praise was to not wake him up in the morning.

At six o'clock in the morning, all the animals except the cat lined up in front of the Jade Emperor, who began to slowly examine them. Having reached the last animal, he turned to the adviser and said:

All animals are interesting, but why are there only eleven of them?

The adviser could not answer and immediately sent a servant to earth, ordering him to deliver to heaven the first animal that he met. The servant went down the country road and saw a peasant carrying a pig to the market.

Please stop,” the servant begged. - I need your pig. The Jade Emperor wishes to see this creature immediately. Think of the great honor - after all, your pig will appear before the ruler of heaven himself.

The peasant appreciated the servant's words and gave him his pig. And she was immediately taken to heaven.

And at this time the rat, afraid that it would go unnoticed, jumped on the back of the bull and began to play the flute. The emperor liked this unusual animal so much that he gave him first place. The emperor gave second place to the bull - after all, he was so generous that he allowed the rat to sit on his back. The tiger received third place for its brave appearance, and the rabbit received fourth place for its delicate white fur. The emperor decided that the dragon looked like a powerful snake with paws, and placed him in fifth place. The snake received sixth place for its flexible body, the horse - seventh for its elegant posture, and the ram - eighth for its strong horns. The agile and restless monkey got ninth place, the rooster got tenth place for its beautiful feathers, and the vigilant guard dog got eleventh place. The pig stood at the end: it may not have been as interesting as the other animals, but it still made it to heaven and was therefore awarded last place.

When the ceremony came to an end, a cat ran into the palace and began to beg the emperor to evaluate him too, but it was too late: the emperor had already chosen twelve animals. Seeing the rat standing in first place, the cat rushed at it with the intention of killing it, due to the fact that it did not wake him up. That is why, to this day, the cat and the rat remain bitter enemies.

Legend two

One day Buddha invited him to his New Year all the animals that inhabit the earth. To those who came first to congratulate him and express their respect, he promised to give a whole year, which will henceforth be called by their names. The mouse was ahead of everyone. A bull came for her, then a tiger, a cat, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a goat, a monkey, a rooster, and a dog. The pig came twelfth. Having received its own year, each animal, as it were, passed on typical traits of its character to it, and man acquired the properties inherent in the animal in whose year he was born.

Legend three

Before Buddha left the Earth, he called all the animals to him to say goodbye to them. But only 12 of them came to this call: the cunning Rat, the diligent Ox, the brave Tiger, the quiet Rabbit, the strong Dragon, the wise Snake, the elegant Horse, the artistic Goat, the quick-witted Monkey, the colorful Rooster and the faithful Dog. The last one to run out into the sacred clearing was the happy Pig. She was a little late, but was not at all embarrassed by this circumstance.

Parting with the animals, the enlightened Buddha gave each of them one year of reign as a sign of gratitude for coming to say goodbye to him.

Sly Rat

Zealous Bull

Brave Tiger

Quiet Rabbit

Strong Dragon

Wise Snake

Elegant Horse

Artistic Goat

Smart Monkey

Colorful Rooster

Faithful Dog

Happy Pig

Let's figure it out: Why does each year in the Chinese calendar correspond to a certain animal? Why exactly twelve of them? And why are they arranged in this order?
There are several legends about this:
Legend one
The first legend is about how the Jade Emperor - the supreme deity of the Taoist pantheon, the lord of heaven - chose twelve animals, each of which rules a year once every twelve years.
The Jade Emperor ruled the sky and everything that was in the heavens. And he never went down to earth, so he was interested in the appearance of all creatures living on earth. One day the emperor summoned his chief adviser.
“I have ruled the heavens for a long time,” the emperor said to the adviser, “but I have never seen these strange animals and I don’t know what they look like.” I would like to know their characteristic features and properties. I would like to see how they move and hear the sounds they make. How smart are they and how do they help people?

“There are thousands of different creatures on earth,” the adviser answered the emperor, “some of them run, others fly, and others crawl.” It will take a very long time to collect all earthly creatures. Do you really want to see them all?
- No, I can’t waste so much time. Select twelve of the most interesting animals and bring them to me so that I can sort them by color and shape.
The adviser went through all the animals he knew in his head and decided, first, to invite the rat, but asked her to also convey the invitation to her friend the cat. He also sent invitations to the bull, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster and dog and ordered them to appear before the emperor tomorrow at 6 o'clock in the morning.
The Rat was very flattered by this invitation, she immediately went to convey the good news to her friend the cat. The cat was also very happy, but was worried that at 6 am it was very early and he might oversleep. Therefore, he asked the rat to wake him up in time. All night the rat thought about how cute and sleek the cat was and how ugly she would look in comparison to him in front of the emperor. And she decided that the only way to make sure that the cat didn’t get all the praise was to not wake him up in the morning.
At six o'clock in the morning, all the animals except the cat lined up in front of the Jade Emperor, who began to slowly examine them. Having reached the last animal, he turned to the adviser and said:
- All animals are interesting, but why are there only eleven of them?
The adviser could not answer and immediately sent a servant to earth, ordering him to deliver to heaven the first animal that he met. The servant went down the country road and saw a peasant carrying a pig to the market.
“Please, stop,” the servant begged. - I need your pig. The Jade Emperor wishes to see this creature immediately. Think of the great honor - after all, your pig will appear before the ruler of heaven himself.
The peasant appreciated the servant's words and gave him his pig. And she was immediately taken to heaven.
And at this time the rat, afraid that it would go unnoticed, jumped on the back of the bull and began to play the flute. The emperor liked this unusual animal so much that he gave him first place. The emperor gave second place to the bull - after all, he was so generous that he allowed the rat to sit on his back. The tiger received third place for its brave appearance, and the rabbit received fourth place for its delicate white fur. The emperor decided that the dragon looked like a powerful snake with paws, and placed him in fifth place. The snake received sixth place for its flexible body, the horse - seventh for its elegant posture, and the ram - eighth for its strong horns. The agile and restless monkey got ninth place, the rooster got tenth place for its beautiful feathers, and the vigilant guard dog got eleventh place. The pig stood at the end: it may not have been as interesting as the other animals, but it still made it to heaven and was therefore awarded last place.
When the ceremony came to an end, a cat ran into the palace and began to beg the emperor to evaluate him too, but it was too late: the emperor had already chosen twelve animals. Seeing the rat standing in first place, the cat rushed at it with the intention of killing it, due to the fact that it did not wake him up. That is why, to this day, the cat and the rat remain bitter enemies.
Legend two
One day Buddha invited all the animals inhabiting the earth to his place for the New Year. To those who came first to congratulate him and express their respect, he promised to give a whole year, which will henceforth be called by their names. The mouse was ahead of everyone. A bull came for her, then a tiger, a cat, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a goat, a monkey, a rooster, and a dog. The pig came twelfth. Having received its own year, each animal, as it were, passed on typical traits of its character to it, and man acquired the properties inherent in the animal in whose year he was born.
Legend three
Before Buddha left the Earth, he called all the animals to him to say goodbye to them. But only 12 of them came to this call: the cunning Rat, the diligent Ox, the brave Tiger, the quiet Rabbit, the strong Dragon, the wise Snake, the elegant Horse, the artistic Goat, the quick-witted Monkey, the colorful Rooster and the faithful Dog. The last one to run out into the sacred clearing was the happy Pig. She was a little late, but was not at all embarrassed by this circumstance.
Parting with the animals, the enlightened Buddha gave each of them one year of reign as a sign of gratitude for coming to say goodbye to him.

Wise Snake