What is the Significance of the chinese new year animals?
I will try to make this easy. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, relying on the sun and the moon and is thought to have been utilized from 3,000BC, but true events dating started in 841BC. anyways, Chinese Astronomers used the 12 year Jupiter cycle as a marker for the 12 months of the year, which was later expanded to counting years. In the Shang dynasty, ppl believe that there were 10 heavenly suns, each associated with a concept of yin, and yang, and 5 Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Now to the animals, the legens says there was an Emperor who told the animals that they had to cross the river the fastest, who would be the fastest would be allocated a year. The Ox couldnt see well, so he made a deal with the rat who would ride on his back…as they approached the shore, the rat jumped off and arrived first followed by the OX….like this for all other animals. The correct order is : Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Boar. Each anima
