ASSIGNMENT NO # 01

Tale of 12 Chinese Zodiac

The Myth:
The story goes that a race was organised by the Jade Emperor - one of the most important gods in
traditional Chinese religion - who invited all the animals in the world to
take part According to myths, the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac
were selected through a race. This race is meant to create a time
measurement for the people. There could only be twelve winners and in
order to win, the animals had to cross a rapid current river and reach the
finish line on the shore.

Originally, there was a cat and a rat, who hated each other with a
passion. It’s hard to believe that they were once friends. These two were
the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom, but they were both smart.
They discovered that the fastest way to the river is to hop on top of the
ox. The generous ox agreed to carry them across the river. However, the
rat was so eager to win that he pushed the cat into the water; thus the cat
never forgave the rat, and wasn't included in the race. Other variations
of the story say that the rat just never told the cat about the race and did
not even compete at all.
Afterwards the ox and the rat made it to shore. The rat jumped in front of the ox and came first in the
race. The ox came in second and the tiger finished in third.
The order of the lunar calendar follows the outcome of the race, where the rat is the first animal to start
the sequence, and the pig is the last. After the pig, the sequence starts over again. The lunar calendar has
been a significant calendar for China and the Chinese zodiac. Many parts of the world are also familiar
with this calendar.
Following is the order of the contestants of the race:
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Personality Traits of 12 Signs:

RAT
Year of Rat

1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

Personality Traits

Quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind

People with this zodiac sign are:

quick-witted, smart, charming, and persuasive

OX
Year of Ox

1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Personality Traits

Diligent, dependable, strong, determined

People with this zodiac sign are:
patient, kind, stubborn, and conservative

TIGER
Year of Tiger

1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Personality Traits

Quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind

People with this zodiac sign are:

authoritative, emotional, courageous, and intense

RABBIT
Year of Rabbit

1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Personality Traits

Quiet, elegant, kind, responsible

People with this zodiac sign are:

popular, compassionate, and sincere
DRAGON
Year of Dragon

1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

Personality Traits

Confident, intelligent, enthusiastic

People with this zodiac sign are:

energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic

SNAKE
Year of Snake

1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

Personality Traits

Enigmatic, intelligent, wise

People with this zodiac sign are:

charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart

HORSE
Year of Horse

1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026

Personality Traits

Animated, active, energetic

People with this zodiac sign are:

energetic, independent, impatient, and enjoy traveling

GOAT
Year of Goat

1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027

Personality Traits

Calm, gentle, sympathetic

People with this zodiac sign are:

mild-mannered, shy, kind, and peace-loving

MONKEY
Year of Monkey

1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028

Personality Traits

Sharp, smart, curiosity

People with this zodiac sign are:

fun, energetic, and active

ROOSTER
Year of Rooster

1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029

Personality Traits

Observant, hardworking, courageous

People with this zodiac sign are:

independent, practical, hard-working, and observant

DOG
Year of Dog

1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030

Personality Traits

Lovely, honest, prudent,

People with this zodiac sign are:

patient, diligent, generous, faithful, and kind

patient, diligent, generous, faithful, and kind

PIG
Year of Pig

1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Personality Traits

Compassionate, generous, diligent

People with this zodiac sign are:

loving, tolerant, honest, and appreciative of luxury

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PERSONAL OPINION
Although the Chinese lore about the Jade emperor seems unrealistic and amusing the influence of animal
personality trait upon birth year felt strong to me. With minor discrepancies the personality traits have
been a great match for me and my family which is fun to assess.
Like most Chinese myths and folklores, it was very entertaining to finally know the mystery behind who
came first, the egg or the chicken and why was Tom always chasing Jerry. Nevertheless, the folklores had
their loopholes like how did the small mice manage to push the big fat cat into the river? And how did the
hungry rat managed to eat the earth?
The Chinese zodiac is a mathematical cycle of 12 animals. Each animal represents one year. According to
the Feng Shui Institute, while your Western sign and horoscope are based on the positions of the stars,
your Chinese astrology chart will actually consider both your situations here on earth (your birth date,
time, and year) and an analysis of heavenly forces at work to determine your destiny and future luck.