The Chinese Zodiac, also known as the 十二生肖（shi er sheng xiao), consists of twelve animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. These are in chronological order as determined by "The Great Race": the story of "The Great Race" originates from a mythological story that was about a race of animals called by the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven. The order of the animals was determined based on their order upon reaching the finish line.  

These twelve animals are associated with the 12-year cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar--each animal represents one year on the cycle. 

When someone is born, their respective year of birth will be the animal of the year. Not only are the animals a source of timekeeping, but they also serve as important symbols in Chinese culture, as each animal represents different strengths, personalities, and relationships.

From this artwork, we can see each of the twelve animals all in a sitting position, with a couple holding staffs, fans, and other items. It must have taken a long time for these artifacts to be created due to the very dense and hard material of jade, which makes it very difficult to mold and shape. To shape jade, countless hours need to be put in to shape it into the right shape.

Each jade zodiac animal has significant attention to detail, as the wrinkles of their cloaks and facial features are very clear. Jade is also a very valuable material in historical times so these most likely belonged to someone of wealth.

Given the craftsmanship and intricacy of these jade figures, they must have been owned by a member of the imperial family or a high-ranking official.   

From the collections of: The Met 

Made by Bowen Hu