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,
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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.

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.

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 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
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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
 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
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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.