How Chinese Astrology Works?

Chinese astrology is based and formulated on the ancient Chinese astrological beliefs and system and if you are also interested to know what your Chinese astrological sign is, all that you require to know is your year of birth. Just like every other astrological system total signs, there are also twelve signs in Chinese astrology. The Chinese astrology is also very commonly known with another name which is Sheng Xiao and it is based on twelve astrological signs which are represented by twelve animals. The Chinese astrology signs are represented by following animals as rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. As per the calculations of Chinese astrology, the current year of 2018 is the year of dog which has started from February 16 2018 and will last till the lunar New Year’s Eve which will fall on February 6, 2019.

To know your Chinese zodiac sign, you just have to know your year of birth and you will get to know your sign in Chinese zodiac horoscope. The Chinese astrological system is based on the belief that there is a relationship between humans and animals and it affects their life in some or the way. It is also based on the belief system that these animals which represent the twelve Chinese zodiac signs affect the major and minor characteristics of people just like in any other western astrological system.

The birth and origin of Chinese zodiac horoscope:

Just like the same and similar ten heavenly elements and stems and the other twelve earthly branches in any astrological system, the representation of animals in the Chinese zodiac system were also created with a purpose to count years as the formulated zodiac system, which is now very well universally accepted and is based on the principles of Gregorian calendar. However, it must be noted that the unique selection and order representation of different animals for each of the twelve zodiac sign that is symbolic of people’s characteristics and other habits by affecting their lives at a large scale was originated and adopted in the Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD) which works on the belief system of the each of the twelve animals depicting each Chinese zodiac horoscope very much influences and affects the habits and nature of the people falling in a particular Chinese zodiac horoscope.

The calculation and interpretation is done by following the old time division that is all related and observed by number 12 in which one ji is equal to 12 years just like one year has 12 months, it suggests that one day has twelve time periods which is called as shi chen. And, the Chinese ancient people also observed that there are a total of 12 full moons in the time span of a year. So, therefore, all the importance led to the observation and invention of a new zodiac system and belief system to read horoscopes and interpret the future and analyse the normal traits and habits of people in their life. Also, as per earlier Chinese zodiac signs and astrological belief systems, each animal zodiac sign was and still represented by an earthy branch and therefore all the animals zodiac signs were given the name as.

• Zi rat
• Chou ox
• Yin Tiger
• Mou Rabbit
• Chen Dragon
• Si snake
• Wu Horse
• Wi Sheep
• Shen Monkey
• You Rooster
• Xu Dog, and
• Hai Pig.

According to legends and extreme ancient Chinese beliefs, it was the God’s order that the animals should be selected and ordered as a zodiac sign of the year and astrological calculations and readings should be performed by interpreting the habits and traits naturally found in these twelve animals. And, there the selection and order of the twelve zodiac signs that are represented by twelve animals were done and formulated.

The Chinese Zodiac Year of Birth (Ben Ming Nian)

In the calculations of Chinese astrology, the year in which a person has taken birth ( the year of birth) is known as his/her Ben Ming Nian, that is the zodiac year of birth. This is decided by calculating the distinctive and different astrological a zodiac way of interpreting the year of the birth of the person which is done by overviewing and calculating the lunar calendar. It is the lunar calendar that decides that each time in each twelve year Chinese zodiacal cycle; people will meet their birth and zodiac signs.