The Chinese Zodiac
Watch and Learn
What’s your sign? In Western astrology, it’s a constellation determined by the day of your birthday in a year. The Chinese zodiac (生肖) assigns an animal to your birth year. There are many myths explaining these animal signs and their arrangement, the most famous one is The Great Race.
Summary (click on the arrow on the right to see)
The Jade Emperor organised a race so that the first 12 animals to cross the river would earn a spot in the zodiac. Some animals were sneaky, like the rat (who won first place thanks to the gentle ox) and some were soft-hearted, like the dragon who helped the other animals. In order, the 12 Chinese horoscope animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
Questions to think about:
What are the five elements of the Chinese zodiac?
What does this story tell us about Chinese culture?
How has the Chinese zodiac changed as it spread through Asia?
Writing prompt:
Do you think that your zodiac actually represents who you are? Why or why not?
Featured literary device: diction
Diction is what you call the choice of words. Each word has a specific meaning and authors have to make the decision which words to use, creating significance. In the video, the ox is described as "kind-hearted", which suggests that the ox is a caring animal, compared to the "powerful" tiger. The words are being used to show the difference between the animals and to give them personality, bringing the story alive.
For further reading:
A more complete guide to the Chinese zodiac: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/story.htm
What your Chinese zodiac mean: https://www.insider.com/explanation-chinese-zodiac-meaning-2017-1
Why the Cat didn't make the Zodiac: https://www.hutong-school.com/origin-chinese-zodiac-why-cats-and-rats-are-sworn-enemies
Image: https://cf.ltkcdn.net/horoscopes/images/orig/253816-1600x1030-chinese-zodiac-signs.jpg