Tales of Old Japan
The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve year cycle in Chinese astrology, and each year in that cycle is related to an animal sign. These animal signs are;
A long, long time ago, a god stated to all animals that you will be the boss of the year in each twelve year cycle on a first-come-first-served basis in the morning of 1st January.
Animals across the country started to go before daylight, to be the first. However cat didn't go because rat told him that it's on "2nd January". Dog and monkey were side by side, running together at first, but they started to have a fight on a bridge.
When the first sun of the year raised, a ox appeared at first. But a rat on the back of ox said "A happy new year, my god." and jumped off the back into the front of the god. That's why rat is the first. Ox was chagrined at the second position with crying "moo, moo."
And tiger, rabbit, dragon came one after another. Kaeru (frog) was 13th, so it went back home (Kaeru). Kaeru wa kaeru (A Frog is Going Home) ; Kaeru can be 'go home' or 'frog' in Japanese.
The god and twelve animals started to have a celebration party, but dog and monkey was still arguing each other. The cat appeared furiously in the party and chased after the rat. That's why it is said cat chase rat, and dog and monkey are dog-and-monkey relationship (cat-and-dog relationship).
For that reason, I am petite, short, shifty and shrewd:) Also my first coin purse was this:)
- Rat; Rat years include 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008.
- Ox; Ox years include 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009.
- Tiger; Tiger years include 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010.
- Rabbit; Rabbit years include 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011.
- Dragon; Dragon years include 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012.
- Snake; Snake years include 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013.
- Horse; Horse years include 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014.
- Sheep; Sheep years include 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015.
- Monkey; Monkey years include 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016.
- Rooster; Rooster years include 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017.
- Dog; Dog years include 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018.
- Boar; Pig years include 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019.
A long, long time ago, a god stated to all animals that you will be the boss of the year in each twelve year cycle on a first-come-first-served basis in the morning of 1st January.
Animals across the country started to go before daylight, to be the first. However cat didn't go because rat told him that it's on "2nd January". Dog and monkey were side by side, running together at first, but they started to have a fight on a bridge.
When the first sun of the year raised, a ox appeared at first. But a rat on the back of ox said "A happy new year, my god." and jumped off the back into the front of the god. That's why rat is the first. Ox was chagrined at the second position with crying "moo, moo."
And tiger, rabbit, dragon came one after another. Kaeru (frog) was 13th, so it went back home (Kaeru). Kaeru wa kaeru (A Frog is Going Home) ; Kaeru can be 'go home' or 'frog' in Japanese.
The god and twelve animals started to have a celebration party, but dog and monkey was still arguing each other. The cat appeared furiously in the party and chased after the rat. That's why it is said cat chase rat, and dog and monkey are dog-and-monkey relationship (cat-and-dog relationship).
For that reason, I am petite, short, shifty and shrewd:) Also my first coin purse was this:)
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