Pelfy’s Journey Of Love

A cultural sidelight of the animal signs in Chinese folklore is that horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West have been developed for the different moon signs such as Pisces, Aries and Scorpio.

There are two versions of the Chinese horoscopes. One: Buddha once asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, thus he named a year after each one. He also announced that the people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality. For example, those born in the year of the rat tends to be leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming (yes!), passionate (yes!), charismatic (yes!), practical (err..) and hardworking (exactly!). Err.. did I tell you I was born in the year of the rat? Geez.

Mini cups with the 12 Chinese horoscopes.

Another legend states that one day, twelve animals quarreled as to who was to head the cycle of the years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever reaches the opposite of the river bank would be first, followed by the second till the last.

On the contest day, all the twelve animals gathered at the river. Being the smallest animal, the rat befriended the ox and promised that he would allow the ox to head the cycle if they win. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox’s back and won the race. As for the pig, he ended last. That explains the reason rat is the first animal in the cycle, followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.