The Chinese Zodiac and Lunar Years

One of the most charming and well-known aspects of the Chinese calendar is the Chinese zodiac (生肖 shēngxiào). Even if you’re new to lunar birthdays, you’ve probably heard of “Year of the Rat,” “Year of the Tiger,” and so on. The zodiac is a cycle of twelve animal signs assigned to years, and it plays a big role in traditional culture and personal identity in East Asia.^[1] Let’s explore what the zodiac means and how it relates to the calendar.

The Twelve Animals of the Zodiac

The Chinese zodiac is comprised of 12 animals in a fixed order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.^[2] According to lore, these animals were chosen in ancient times for their symbolic significance. A popular legend tells of the Jade Emperor’s Great Race, in which the animals competed to arrive at the Emperor’s party or cross a river, determining their order in the calendar. The clever Rat came in first (by riding on the Ox’s back and jumping ahead at the finish), the Ox second, Tiger third, and so on, with the good-natured Pig arriving last. This folk tale is taught to children and explains why the cycle begins with the Rat and follows that particular sequence.^[1] Each animal is believed to have certain attributes (for example, the Tiger is brave, the Rabbit is gentle, the Dragon is powerful), and in traditional astrology, a person born in that animal’s year might be thought to share those qualities.^[1] (This is somewhat analogous to Western sun signs, though the system and cultural context differ.)

Zodiac Years: In the traditional calendar, the year is labeled by its zodiac animal (along with a number in a 60-year cycle, as mentioned). For example, 2023 was a Rabbit year, 2024 a Dragon year, 2025 a Snake year, 2026 a Horse year, and so on, cycling every 12 years. These zodiac year labels actually start at Chinese New Year, meaning if you are born in January 2025 before Lunar New Year, you would still be in the Year of the Dragon by the lunar calendar’s count, not yet the Snake. (This is why some sources say the zodiac year “begins with Spring Festival” or even at the “Start of Spring” solar term; there are slightly different schools of thought, but the common practice is to use Lunar New Year as the divider.)

Across East Asia, the zodiac animals are used in similar ways, with some local variations. In Vietnam, for instance, the 12 animals are almost the same, but the Rabbit is replaced by the Cat, and the Ox is often depicted as a Water Buffalo.^[3] (So 2023 was celebrated in Vietnam as the Year of the Cat, not Rabbit.) In Japan, the zodiac (十二支 jūnishi) was adopted historically and the same animals were used (though Japan now uses the Gregorian calendar and only the zodiac for cultural festivities or fortune-telling). Korea and China share the same set of 12 creatures. These animals appear in art, folklore, and daily speech. For example, a Chinese person might playfully tease a friend by their animal (“You’re an Ox, so hardworking!”) similar to how someone in the West might reference a zodiac sign. It’s meant in fun, though some take zodiac compatibility and fortunes seriously as cultural belief.^[1]

Beyond personality traits, the zodiac can influence major life events. Even today, many people consider the zodiac when selecting wedding dates or evaluating romantic compatibility (certain animal signs are traditionally seen as either harmonious or in conflict). It’s also common to decorate with the year’s animal during Lunar New Year celebrations; for example, households put up paper cuttings or figurines of the Tiger during a Tiger year for good luck.

Zodiac and the 60-Year Cycle

As mentioned earlier, the 12 animals combine with the 5 classical elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and their Yin/Yang polarity to form a 60-year cycle (12 animals × 5 elements = 60 combinations). This means each animal appears in either a Yang or Yin form of each element once every 60 years. For example, a Fire Tiger year or a Water Rabbit year. In Chinese terminology, 2024 is Jiǎchén (Wood Dragon), 2025 Yǐsì (Wood Snake), 2026 Bǐngwǔ (Fire Horse), and so on.^[4] While everyday folks might not memorize all stem/branch names, the sexagenary cycle is used in traditional fortune-telling and was historically used to record years in official documents for millennia.^[4]

One implication of this cycle is the special significance of reaching your 60th birthday. Turning 60 means you have lived through every animal and element combination and returned to the same zodiac sign and element as when you were born. In Chinese culture (and Korean, Japanese, etc.), the 60th year (called a “jiazi” 甲子 in Chinese, hwangap in Korean, kanreki in Japanese) is a major milestone.^[5] It symbolizes completion of a life cycle and the start of a new cycle, often marked with a large celebration. We’ll talk about this in the traditions section, but it’s fascinating how the structure of the calendar/zodiac system ties into how people celebrate age.

Another zodiac-related belief is one’s 本命年 (běnmìngnián), or the return of your birth sign year. Every 12 years, when the zodiac animal of the year matches the one you were born under, it’s considered your personal zodiac year. You’d think having your own animal year would be lucky, but traditionally in Chinese superstition it’s seen as a year of challenges or unstable luck.^[6] Many people wear red undergarments or talismans during their benmingnian to ward off bad luck. It’s a common cultural trope. For example, if you were born in a Rabbit year, the year of the Rabbit (when you turn 12, 24, 36, etc.) is your benmingnian. Friends and family might playfully remind you to be careful that year. Of course, this is not taken too seriously by most, but it remains part of folk custom.^[6]

The zodiac adds a rich layer of meaning to the calendar. It transforms the abstract counting of years into a cycle of vibrant symbols that people can identify with. When you discover your lunar birthdate, you’re also reconnecting with your zodiac sign in its original context, based on the year of the traditional calendar in which you were born. So if you celebrate your birthday by lunar date, you’re essentially celebrating according to your birth zodiac year’s calendar each time. In Chinese, one might say “I was born in the Year of the Dragon, on the 5th day of the 8th lunar month.” It’s a way of situating oneself in the traditional cosmology of time.

Next: Lunar Birthday Traditions in Chinese Culture →