Today is the Chinese New Year.
The Chinese live by a Lunar Calendar so their New year begins at 12 Midnight tonight on the 31st January.
Their year is 4712. This year will be the year of the Horse.
The Chinese zodiac goes by the year you were born rather than the month.
What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Below is a description of the Chinese zodiac signs.
RAT:
A bit of a charmer, the rat is usually welcome anywhere; however, generally has few close friends.
The rat is intelligent, quick-witted and hardworking.
Somewhat ambitious, with a tendency to be frivolous with material possessions.
The rat is strongly family oriented, enjoys thrills but is easily bored.
A little insecure and can lack boldness.
The rat is an opportunist who lives for the moment and rarely plans for the future.
All rats have a propensity for aggression; however,
this is seldom expressed physically, but rather in fretting over details and being overly concerned about trivialities.
The always thrifty Rat, counts their pennies and knows how to spot a bargain.
Impatient with those of slower wit or actions, this soul needs a bright partner
willing to lend an ear with a good sense of humor.
The talkative Rat is also a natural writer and critic with an eye for details.
OX:
Also known as the Buffalo,
the ox is both patient and meticulous with strong principles,
and as such tends to be very stubborn.
The ox is extrememly strong, and an excellent worker.
However, these traits also make the ox stubborn,
and their sense of self reliance makes it difficult for them to ask for or to receive assistance.
Don't go looking for an evening of scintilating conversation from an ox
as they are poor conversationists, and unfortunately don't have much of a sense of humour either.
Oxen are ruled by conviction, and they are not often swayed from their beliefs.
The ox's ability to criticise others for their own shortcomings is well known.
The ox is not very good at coping with its emotions,
and can become introverted and self-destructive when they fail to find a way of expressing their feelings.
TIGER:
The tiger is adventurous, confident and enthusiastic.
Because of this they are often successful in their chosen careers.
Tigers are excellent at seeing problems, but not so good at finding solutions.
They tend to rush in without sufficient consideration.
Their strong sense of independence means that they hate to take orders.
Tigers often go to extraordinary lengths to prove themselves, and hate to be ignored.
They are often noticed, and as such tend to rise to prominent positions.
However, tigers rarely make it to the very top, preferring to be second in command.
Romantically, tigers are somewhat reckless, and can risk everything in pursuit of their heart's desires.
As a friend they are extremely generous, and tend to give everything all at once.
However, lasting friendships are few and far between.
Excellent as parents, tigers teach their children by example.
RABBIT:
The rabbit is very sensitive, lucky, smart and creative.
Their creativity extends to a love of all things beautiful,
and accordingly they place great value on establising a beautiful home.
This combines with a good nose for a bargain, to make rabbits 'collectors' of beautiful things.
The love of beauty is also expressed in their dress sense,
and female rabbits are said to have wonderful hair.
The rabbit is reserved and discreet, not particularly caring for the troubles of the world.
Rabbits have an aversion to suffering which often
means that they will shut out the cruelties of the real world,
and retreat to their home and families.
The rabbit is a good listener, and this, combined with its discretion makes it an excellent shoulder to cry on,
as well as a very good diplomat.
Strategists by nature, rabbits will set a plan and follow it through.
They are not given to acting on impulse.
The rabbit prefers a routine lifestyle that only changes slowly over time.
In business, they keep their word and avoid making promises they can't keep.
DRAGON:
Dragons have strong personalities.
They are self -assured and confident in their own abilities.
They do not suffer fools easily, and become impatient with people
who they perceive throw in the towel too readily:
for their own part, they can put up quite a fight.
Dragons are honest, and often speak their minds, even when this is not appropriate.
They are popular if somewhat inconsistent, full of energy,
charismatic and colourful, strong, enthusiastic and inspiring.
The dragon is averse to any form of routine, preferring the freedom to pursue his or her own agenda.
Should a dragon feel imprisoned either mentally or physically they will become very erratic.
Once in decline, a dragon tends to become lazy, fat and bitter.
The outspoken nature of the dragon, and their tunnel vision may make him or her appear brash.
However, by nature the dragon is a romantic.
SNAKE:
The snake is a great thinker and philosopher,
but conversely often makes decisions purely based upon intuition.
Snakes are charming people with a strong sense of responsibility and a good sense of humor.
On the downside the snake is a bit of a miser, and doesn't like to spend money.
The snake is endowed with immense intuition, and is somewhat enigmatic.
Graceful and soft-spoken, the snake is a lover of the arts, fine books, food, music, the theater.
The snake has a natural penchant for the finer things in life.
Snakes are famous for their beautiful skin and good looks.
The snake has the annoying habit of shunning advice and relying on their own counsel -
annoying because, more often than not, they are correct!
Snakes make good teachers and although somewhat ill-disciplined themselves,
require obedience and discipline both in the home as well as in the workplace.
HORSE:
Horses are hardworking people who are generally well liked and admired.
As well as working hard, they play hard.
Horses are independent, and are well known for their individuality.
They intuitively gravitate towards tasks to which they are well suited.
This, together with their hard working nature invariably leads to success.
The horse is a strong masculine sign, and both male and female horses are fairly laid back and easy going,
while at the same time being direct.
Asked for an opinion, the horse will give it, and where factual matters are concerned,
the horse is a good source of reliable information.
The horse is a placid person; however, if their passions are brought to the boil,
the result is not easily forgotten - wild horses are hard to calm down.
In the home the horse is a steady partner,
although they are likely to give as much attention to their work as to their families.
Horses easily fall in love, but there are many passing relationships before a long-term partner is found.
*SHEEP:
Also known as the Goat and the Ram, The Sheep is a gentle person, caring and compassionate.
They are quiet when hurt, are strongly family oriented and being born under the sign of art,
love beautiful things. The sheep is the most feminine of the twelve animal signs.
Sheep are thought by the Chinese to be harbingers of peace.
Sheep are pacifist by nature, only becoming militant in order to restore harmony,
and are quick to react against conflict to bring peace.
Sheep love the good life,
and their dislike for aggression and love for peace
stems more from their love of fine things and the realisation that to enjoy these things, peace is required.
As aesthetic people, rams love to make a show of things.
They make ideal performers, and are seldom bashful in front of a crowd -
indeed, rams thrive when all eyes are turned on them.
They have a strong tendency to roam,
and for this reason need guidance, or in extreme cases, tethering!
MONKEY:
Charming, cheeky, mischievous and ingenious,
monkeys have little respect for authority, and often find themselves in trouble.
Monkeys are born under the sign of fantasy and of all the twelve signs,
monkeys are the nearest to mankind.
Monkeys are blessed with great intelligence, and having a high regard for knowledge,
they are capable of thinking through even the most complex problems.
Monkeys are not the best business people in the world.
They are opportunistic, and often end up chasing profits rather than following through any business strategy.
However, their quick wits and intelligence often brings them through,
and they may make a fortune from nothing.
A powerful memory coupled with a cool temperament when under pressure
all give the monkey extremely strong survival skills.
The Chinese warn that the charm of the monkey,
together with its tendency to fantasise can result in them telling extraordinary tales
which you end up believing, however improbable.
This helps them get out of difficult situations, and often helps them escape punishment for their mischief.
The monkey is a bit of a thrill seeker, and is always looking for a new experience.
As such they find long term relationships somewhat elusive.
ROOSTER:
Roosters are organised, excellent time keepers and hard workers.
They are faithful as friends, and very strongly family oriented.
Despite this they can be somewhat headstrong,
and not a little arrogant in giving advice, particularly of the sort that is not asked for!
Although outwardly showy, at heart the rooster is somewhat insecure,
by nature conservative and old fashioned.
The Chinese believe there are two types of rooster characters.
The first is the sunrise/sunset rooster.
Born during the sunset or sunrise hours, these are extrovert roosters who live for the moment.
Money is seen as functional, its function being for spending - and they will spend with abandon.
They are no strangers to overdrafts.
The other group, those born outside of the sunrise/sunset ours, are the opposite.
Very tight-fisted, they will go to the supermarket just before closing
to find the items that have been reduced in price.
They save money with great determination, only to squander it in an unguarded moment.
Of all the signs they are the most outspoken and blunt.
Roosters enjoy keeping records
and are forever writing notes on bits of paper which are then filed and put away.
They also tend to build castles in the air, which leads to another prominent feature of their personality;
to promise more than they can deliver.
A little short of initiative at times, once Roosters find a task that fits their rigid temperament
nothing will stand in a Roosters way.
Although blunt, the roosters honesty makes for stable relationships.
Their tendency to point out faults in other sometimes loses them friends,
especially as they themselves do not take criticism easily.
DOG:
Dogs are born under the sign of idealism, and as a result they are loyal and caring, hating injustice.
They can be somewhat headstrong, and patience is not one of their strong points.
Brave by nature, they do not shy away from danger.
The dog is a complex person, and not easily categorised, and come in all shapes and sizes.
They are strongly influenced by a sense of fairness and of equality, and are often found to be promoting social reform.
Stubborn, watchful and often defensive,
dogs find it hard to understand the general indifference people have to the wrongs of the world.
They are quick to point out this fault, and to criticise our lack of concern for the world's injustices.
The dog's main ambition is to please.
The desire to please often leads the dog to periods of anxiety,
worrying that they are not doing their best.
What other people think is important to a dog,
and this can also lead to anxiety,
and they can become very pessimistic when things aren't going well.
Dogs are often materially successful, and can make large sums of money;
however, their cares for the world often means that their wealth does not bring happiness,
which is brought about by personal relationships.
PIG:
Also known as the Boar, the pig is a peace-lover, strong and straightforward.
They can be seen as pure people who enjoy a quiet life.
Although they can be quick to lose their tempers,
they are just as quick to make up, forgive and forget.
They are born under the sign of honesty.
Although they have a bad reputation in the West, the pig is highly regarded by the Chinese.
No other animal works harder or plays harder.
Well informed and social, the robust and hearty pig loves company.
Another great love is clothing. Pigs dress to impress, and are masters of power dressing in work situations.
On the social scene, the pig is the trend setter,
not being simply well dressed, but being impressively dressed.
Despite their strong dress sense, pride in appearances does not always extend to the home!
If pigs are messy in the home, then they are really messy.
It is a strange trait of the pig that these two characteristics can run side by side.
However, some pigs are just as flashy in their domestic set-ups as they are in their dress sense.
Pigs are greater talkers, and love gossip.
At the same time they ensure that their voices are heard in debates,
though only after gauging their own position first: they will not generally offer their opinion first.
Having voiced their opinion the pig will take the attitude,
'take it or leave' it, and again, is not really concerned with what others think.
In romance, this trait is reflected with a tendency to fall in love very quickly,
often before more self-conscious people would dare to reveal their feelings.
