Chinese Zodiac

There are some newer astrological texts which follow the Chinese Agricultural Calendar (the jie qi), and thus place the changeover of zodiac signs at the solar term li chun (beginning of Spring), at solar longitude 315 degrees. (See Chinese calendar) The Chinese New Year is determined by the start of the Lunar calendar, however the annual division between the signs is not the Chinese New Year. Rather, it is the beginning of spring, which is the 4th or 5th of February of each year. This is a very complex concept. In this calendar, Combination Element is the result of the Elements movement.
Begin     End     Heaven Element     Combination Element     Sign
1960 Feb 4     1961 Jun 3     金 Metal 庚     earth     鼠 Rat
1961 Feb 4     1962 Jun 3     金 Metal 辛     earth     牛 Ox
1962 Feb 4     1963 Jun 3     水 Water     Gold     虎 Tiger
1963 Feb 4     1964 Jun 3     水 Water     Gold     兔 Rabbit
1964 Feb 4     1965 Jun 3     木 Wood     fire     龍 Dragon
1965 Feb 4     1966 Jun 3     木 Wood     fire     蛇 Snake
1966 Feb 4     1967 Jun 3     火 Fire     water     馬 Horse
1967 Feb 4     1968 Jun 3     火 Fire     water     羊 Sheep
1968 Feb 4     1969 Jun 3     土 Earth     earth     猴 Monkey
1969 Feb 4     1970 Jun 3     土 Earth     earth     雞 Rooster
1970 Feb 4     1971 Jun 3     金 Metal     Gold     狗 Dog
1971 Feb 4     1972 Jun 3     金 Metal     Gold     豬 Pig
1972 Feb 4     1973 Jun 3     水 Water     wood     鼠 Rat
1973 Feb 4     1974 Jun 3     水 Water     wood     牛 Ox
1974 Feb 4     1975 Jun 3     木 Wood     water     虎 Tiger
1975 Feb 4     1976 Jun 3     木 Wood     water     兔 Rabbit
1976 Feb 4     1977 Jun 3     火 Fire     earth     龍 Dragon
1977 Feb 4     1978 Jun 3     火 Fire     earth     蛇 Snake
1978 Feb 4     1979 Jun 3     土 Earth     fire     馬 Horse
1979 Feb 4     1980 Jun 3     土 Earth     fire     羊 Sheep
1980 Feb 4     1981 Jun 3     金 Metal     wood     猴 Monkey
1981 Feb 4     1982 Jun 3     金 Metal     wood     雞 Rooster
1982 Feb 4     1983 Jun 3     水 Water     water     狗 Dog
1983 Feb 4     1984 Jun 3     水 Water     water     豬 Pig
1984 Feb 4     1985 Jun 3     木 Wood     Gold     鼠 Rat
1985 Feb 4     1986 Jun 3     木 Wood     Gold     牛 Ox
1986 Feb 4     1987 Jun 3     火 Fire     fire     虎 Tiger
1987 Feb 4     1988 Jun 3     火 Fire     fire     兔 Rabbit
1988 Feb 4     1989 Jun 3     土 Earth     wood     龍 Dragon
1989 Feb 4     1990 Jun 3     土 Earth     wood     蛇 Snake
1990 Feb 4     1991 Jun 3     金 Metal     earth     馬 Horse
1991 Feb 4     1992 Jun 3     金 Metal     earth     羊 Sheep
1992 Feb 4     1993 Jun 3     水 Water     Gold     猴 Monkey
1993 Feb 4     1994 Jun 3     水 Water     Gold     雞 Rooster
1994 Feb 4     1995 Jun 3     木 Wood     fire     狗 Dog
1995 Feb 4     1996 Jun 3     木 Wood     fire     豬 Pig
1996 Feb 4     1997 Jun 3     火 Fire     water     鼠 Rat
1997 Feb 4     1998 Jun 3     火 Fire     water     牛 Ox
1998 Feb 4     1999 Jun 3     土 Earth     earth     虎 Tiger
1999 Feb 4     2000 Jun 3     土 Earth     earth     兔 Rabbit
2000 Feb 4     2001 Jun 3     金 Metal     Gold     龍 Dragon
2001 Feb 4     2002 Jun 3     金 Metal     Gold     蛇 Snake
2002 Feb 4     2003 Jun 3     水 Water     wood     馬 Horse
2003 Feb 4     2004 Jun 3     水 Water     wood     羊 Sheep
2004 Feb 4     2005 Jun 3     木 Wood     water     猴 Monkey
2005 Feb 4     2006 Jun 3     木 Wood     water     雞 Rooster
2006 Feb 4     2007 Jun 3     火 Fire     earth     狗 Dog
2007 Feb 4     2008 Jun 3     火 Fire     Gold     豬 Pig
2008 Feb 4     2009 Jun 3     土 Earth     fire     鼠 Rat
2009 Feb 4     2010 Jun 3     土 Earth     fire     牛 Ox
2010 Feb 4     2011 Jun 3     金 Metal     wood     虎 Tiger

Legends and mythology are a big part of Chinese culture, especially in relation to the Chinese Zodiac. The 12 animals that appear on the Chinese Zodiac calendar include a rat, buffalo (ox), tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. It’s an unusual combination of animals for sure, and their appearance on the Chinese Zodiac is the topic of countless legends and is deeply embedded in Chinese mythology.
An unlikely gathering

Origin of Chinese Zodiac

The Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
In ancient times, Chinese ancestors counted the years with 10 celestial stems and 12 terrestrial branches. Thus the animals that influenced people’s lives were chosen to symbolize the terrestrial branches: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
Legend
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.