Chinese Zodiac

A long time ago, the Jade Emperor decided mankind needed a calendar to measure the passing of time. Each year of the cycle would be represented by an animal. To decide the order, the Emperor would host a swim race across a river wide and deep. Back in those days, Rat and Cat were the best of friends. They were the most intelligent and resourceful of all the animals, but also the worst swimmers. Ox lined up on the bank with the other animals in the race. As he entered the icy water, Rat and Cat asked if they could ride on his back. Being good-natured and kind, Ox obliged. Rat was desperate to win the race. He wanted to be the best animal in the eyes of the Emperor. Cat had always been Emperor’s favourite. Rat resented that, and would often see Cat rolling on her back and smiling widely in Rat’s direction while the old man stroked her belly.

Usually amiable and kind, in that moment on the back of Ox something changed. Ambition coursed through his rat veins and a treacherous thought ran across his rat mind. Ox was making good progress across the river, pulling ahead of Tiger and Rabbit. Cat, who was scared of water, was looking nervously across the water to the bank on the other side. Rat glared at his friend. Now was the moment. In a flash, Rat charged at Cat. Off balance, Cat fell off Ox’s back and into the river, sinking into the murky depths. As they neared the bank, Rat scampered down Ox’s bovine spine, on to the tip of his nose, and to dry land. Rat had won the race. A bewildered Ox took second, followed by Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Much later, a half-drowned Cat staggered onto the bank. She would never be a sign of the Zodiac and never forgive Rat’s treachery.

So that’s how Rat became the first sign of the Zodiac. But in doing so, he had made Cat an enemy forever.

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923
1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935
1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040 2041 2042 2043