The Chinese zodiac is a classification scheme that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. The 12-year cycle is an approximation to the 11.85-year orbital period of Jupiter.[1] Based in China, the zodiac and its variations remain popular in many Asian countries, such as Japan,[2] South Korea,[3] Vietnam,[3] Cambodia,[4] and Thailand.[5]
Identifying this scheme using the generic term "zodiac" reflects several superficial similarities to the Western zodiac: both have time cycles divided into 12 parts, each labels at least the majority of those parts with names of animals, and each is widely associated with a culture of ascribing a person's personality or events in his or her life to the supposed influence of the person's particular relationship to the cycle.
Nevertheless, there are major differences between the two: the animals of the Chinese zodiac are not associated with constellations spanned by the ecliptic plane. The Chinese 12-part cycle corresponds to years, rather than months. The Chinese zodiac is represented by 12 animals, whereas some of the signs in the Western zodiac are not animals, despite the implication of the etymology of the word zodiac.
The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs in order, each with its associated characteristics (Earthly Branch, yin/yang force, Trine, and nature element).[6]
Rat – 鼠, shǔ (子) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Ox – 牛, niú (丑) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Tiger – 虎, hǔ (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Rabbit – 兔, tù (卯) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Dragon – 龙/龍, lóng (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Snake – 蛇, shé (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Horse – 马/馬, mǎ (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Goat/Sheep – 羊, yáng (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Monkey – 猴, hóu (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Rooster – 鸡/雞, jī (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Dog – 狗, gǒu (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Pig – 猪/豬, zhū (亥) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)
In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent how others perceive you or how you present yourself. It is a common misconception that the animals assigned by year are the only signs, and many Western descriptions of Chinese astrology draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month (called "inner animals"), by day (called "true animals") and hours (called "secret animals"). The Earth is all 12 signs, 5 seasons.
While a person might appear to be a Dragon because they were born in the year of the Dragon, they might also be a Snake internally, an Ox truly, and a Goat secretively.
A conflict between a person's zodiac sign and how they live is known as Tai Sui or kai sui.
Within the Four Pillars, the month is the pillar representing information about the person's parents or childhood. Many Chinese astrologers consider the month pillar to be the most important one in determining the circumstances of one's adult life.
The 12 animals are also linked to traditional Chinese agricultural calendar, which runs alongside the better known Lunar calendar. Instead of months, this calendar is divided into 24 two week segments known as Solar Terms. Each animal is linked to two of these solar terms for a period similar to the Western month. Unlike the 60 year Lunar calendar, which can vary by as much as a month in relation to the Gregorian calendar, the agricultural calendar varies by only one day, beginning on the Gregorian calendar on February 3 or 4 every year. Again unlike the cycle of the lunar years, which begins with the Rat, the agricultural calendar begins with the Tiger as it is the first animal of spring. Around summer days are longer than winter days, because it occurs differences of perihelion and aphelion.[clarification needed]
As each sign is linked to a month of the solar year, it is thereby also linked to a season. Each of the elements is also linked to a season (see above), and the element that shares a season with a sign is known as that sign's fixed element. In other words, that element is believed to impart some of its characteristics to the sign concerned. The fixed element of each sign applies also to the year and hour signs, and not just the monthly sign. The fixed element is separate from the cycle of elements which interact with the signs in the 60-year cycle.
Identifying this scheme using the generic term "zodiac" reflects several superficial similarities to the Western zodiac: both have time cycles divided into 12 parts, each labels at least the majority of those parts with names of animals, and each is widely associated with a culture of ascribing a person's personality or events in his or her life to the supposed influence of the person's particular relationship to the cycle.
Nevertheless, there are major differences between the two: the animals of the Chinese zodiac are not associated with constellations spanned by the ecliptic plane. The Chinese 12-part cycle corresponds to years, rather than months. The Chinese zodiac is represented by 12 animals, whereas some of the signs in the Western zodiac are not animals, despite the implication of the etymology of the word zodiac.
The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs in order, each with its associated characteristics (Earthly Branch, yin/yang force, Trine, and nature element).[6]
Rat – 鼠, shǔ (子) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Ox – 牛, niú (丑) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Tiger – 虎, hǔ (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Rabbit – 兔, tù (卯) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Dragon – 龙/龍, lóng (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Snake – 蛇, shé (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Horse – 马/馬, mǎ (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Goat/Sheep – 羊, yáng (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Monkey – 猴, hóu (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Rooster – 鸡/雞, jī (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Dog – 狗, gǒu (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Pig – 猪/豬, zhū (亥) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)
In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent how others perceive you or how you present yourself. It is a common misconception that the animals assigned by year are the only signs, and many Western descriptions of Chinese astrology draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month (called "inner animals"), by day (called "true animals") and hours (called "secret animals"). The Earth is all 12 signs, 5 seasons.
While a person might appear to be a Dragon because they were born in the year of the Dragon, they might also be a Snake internally, an Ox truly, and a Goat secretively.
A conflict between a person's zodiac sign and how they live is known as Tai Sui or kai sui.
Within the Four Pillars, the month is the pillar representing information about the person's parents or childhood. Many Chinese astrologers consider the month pillar to be the most important one in determining the circumstances of one's adult life.
The 12 animals are also linked to traditional Chinese agricultural calendar, which runs alongside the better known Lunar calendar. Instead of months, this calendar is divided into 24 two week segments known as Solar Terms. Each animal is linked to two of these solar terms for a period similar to the Western month. Unlike the 60 year Lunar calendar, which can vary by as much as a month in relation to the Gregorian calendar, the agricultural calendar varies by only one day, beginning on the Gregorian calendar on February 3 or 4 every year. Again unlike the cycle of the lunar years, which begins with the Rat, the agricultural calendar begins with the Tiger as it is the first animal of spring. Around summer days are longer than winter days, because it occurs differences of perihelion and aphelion.[clarification needed]
As each sign is linked to a month of the solar year, it is thereby also linked to a season. Each of the elements is also linked to a season (see above), and the element that shares a season with a sign is known as that sign's fixed element. In other words, that element is believed to impart some of its characteristics to the sign concerned. The fixed element of each sign applies also to the year and hour signs, and not just the monthly sign. The fixed element is separate from the cycle of elements which interact with the signs in the 60-year cycle.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق