One of the most famous Chinese myths involving dragons tells of a devastating drought that was ravaging China. As is well known, dragons occupy a special seat in traditional Chinese folklore. Of all the animals present, only dragons are mythical. The Dragon in Chinese cultureĭragons hold a unique place in the Chinese Zodiac. Knowing that someone was born in the Year of the Dragon will allow you to guess their exact age. Famous Chinese people who were born in the year of the dragon include the three richest billionaires of Chinese origin: Jack Ma, Lee Shau Kee, and Li Ka Shing. As is often the case in life, the strengths of those born under the dragon sign are wrapped up with their weaknesses.ĭue to their incredible capacity to perform at a high level, dragons will often have little patience for incompetence, which can make them seem aggressive and irritable.Ī couple of famous Western individuals born under the sign of the dragon are Martin Luther King Jr., Vladimir Putin, Che Guevara, Bruce Lee, Salvador Dali, and John Lennon. The flip side of these positive traits is a tendency to have a legendarily short temper and an inability to take criticism. Their charismatic and dominant personalities make them natural CEOs, start-up founders, politicians, and military commanders.īlessed as they are with tenacity and intelligence, dragons are equally renowned for reveling in challenges, taking pleasure in spending countless hours working towards conquering whatever opposes them. Thanks to their intimate connection to the regal dragons that inhabit the celestial realm according to Chinese mythology, those born under the sign of the dragon are said to be, first and foremost, self-assured leaders. The Chinese zodiac, to the contrary, consists of only animals. The Chinese zodiac, on the other hand, has no relation to the stars.įinally, the Western zodiac utilizes a range of disparate symbols representing animals, objects and humans. The Western zodiac derives from stellar constellations. The Western zodiac uses birth month as its unit for assigning signs whereas the Chinese zodiac is based on year. However, there are also substantial differences between the two. Both zodiacs also use these signs to predict behavioral patterns and make relationship suggestions. The most obvious overlap is that both systems categorize people using 12 distinct signs based on the time and date of their birth. Similarities and differences with the Western zodiac There are a number of similarities between the Chinese zodiac and the Western zodiac, which forms the basis of Western astrology and horoscopes.

Zodiac animals and the Chinese calendar.Similarities and differences with the Western zodiac.

The Chinese year, which is based on a lunisolar calendar, begins and ends in January or Februrary of the Gregorian calendar. Leap years in the Chinese calendar happen approximately every three years when a leap month is added. In fact, the Chinese calendar's origins can be traced as far back as the 14th century BCE. This calendar is older than the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most countries today. The animal signs in the Chinese zodiac are calculated in accordance with the Chinese calendar, which is lunisolar and is based on astronomical observances of the Sun's longitude and the Moon's phases. Setting off firecrackers is hugely popular, and children get hongbao, little red gifts with money inside, from older family members. Couplets are poetic lines about spring and prosperity written in gold or black on red paper.

Traditionally, people give their house a big spring clean and hang couplets on their doors. In China, the start of a new year is celebrated with a Spring Festival, the biggest holiday of the year. Not only is one's personality affected by the animal associated with their birth year, but the compatibility of their relationships also depends on their zodiac. Zodiac and Human ConnectionsĪccording to the Chinese zodiac, your birth year tells you more than just your age. The Year of the Tiger in 2022 is associated with water. Sincere, tolerant, hard-working, honest, optimistic 12 Animals and 5 ElementsĮach of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac cycle is represented by an animal and is associated with one of five elemental signs: wood, earth, fire, water, and metal. Business Date to Date (exclude holidays).

Chinese animal age