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It is commonly agreed that the Chinese lunar calendar and its animals coincide generally with the Western astrology Sun signs. I've seen at least three different versions, and mine is different from the previous ones.

In making this correlation from the Sun signs to the animals, I used the meridians and their emotions as they related to the animals on the Time of Day Wheel as the criteria and found that this worked out best. If I had my druthers and could move the animals around as I pleased, I would make a few adjustments. But, we have an astrology wheel that has been handed down through the centuries that works. And, we have a Time of Day Wheel with the meridians and the animals, which has come down through time, and so we need to have them work together. Because there are different animals attributed to the Sun signs in other books, I felt the need to take a few pages and address the reasons why I chose the system I did.

Aries - the Rat

It has been written that, when the Chinese animals were called by the Buddha, the Rat came first, and Aries is the first sign. The Rat is very subjective and acts on his anger. Arians are known for their need to be first, also for their tempers and stamping their feet and demanding their own way as the baby of the zodiac might. They are hotheaded at times.

Taurus - the Ox

Well, the Ox fits here very well, as a surrogate for the Taurean bull. They are both very solid, sturdy. They till the soil and are one with Earth. They move slowly, but make steady progress. The meridian is the Liver, and the Ox may never take the yoke from around his neck and so feels repressed.

Gemini - the Tiger

While the elements of astrology and the elements of the meridians don't coincide, on the wheels, with the Tiger, the Lung meridian is in the metal or air element, and so is Gemini an air sign. The Tiger roars, much like the lion, and needs a lot of lung power to do it. He is one of the powers of the jungle and the Lung meridian deals with ego and pride ... and lung power.

Cancer - the Cat

The independent Cat may not seem like a true animal for the Cancerian sign, but we have all sorts of cats: alley cats, outdoor cats, and house cats. We have cats that always stay home and are never allowed outdoors. And, we should remember that, no matter how far he goes, the Cat will always find his way home. The Cat maintains his independence whatever path he's put on. The Large Intestine is the meridian and the emotions have to do with self-esteem, self-love, guilt, feeling clean about oneself . . . and developing self-love. Cancer meets the criteria of these symbols and emotions.

Leo - the Dragon

Ah! The roar of the Leo lion or the fire-breathing Dragon ... not much difference here. The Leo personality is larger than life, and so is the Dragon. Leo loves theater and make believe and the Dragon is a mythical character. The Stomach is the meridian for the Dragon, and Leo never wants to feel deprived, but always seeks to live greater and grander than us all. The Stomach meridian speaks to identity and the roles we take on in life, much as the Leo acts out roles on stage or in film.

Virgo - the Snake

The Snake has a tongue that lashes out, and Virgos are often criticized for having a vituperative tongue. Virgo is a mutable sign, which means it is fluid and moves with the energy flow. The snake moves by slithering along. The Spleen is the meridian for the Snake, and there is a perfectionism about the emotions of the Spleen. The Snake hates to be wrong, always has to be right, and has to have the last word. Virgos work so hard to make sure they do everything right and are shattered when they discover they haven't covered all the bases, or have interpreted wrongly.

Libra - the Horse

Librans seek to join with another and belong in a twosome. The primary emotion for the Heart meridian and its animal, the Horse, is to belong. The Heart resonates to touch and being touched, to truly belong and love. Love is a primary motivation for the Horse. The Heart meridian is in the fire element and this element is generally considered to deal with relationships.

Scorpio - the Sheep

Of all the animals, this coupling seems to be the one that doesn't work. The Sheep ... in relation to Scorpio? We can force a square peg into a round hole and say that Pluto/Scorpio energy deals with the masses, and the Sheep runs with the herd ... that it is important that humanity in general doesn't fall into a herd mentality and get swept away with any one concept. There is a saying, "like a sheep to slaughter," and certainly "slaughter" is a Scorpio word. It can also be attributed to the "poor me" aspect of the water sign personality that can be employed by Scorpios ... as long as it works for them. If it doesn't, then they can fall back on intimidation. The meridian is the Small Intestine, which deals with victim or victor and certainly the Scorpio energy can be intense and seeks to dominate and be victorious.

Sagittarius - the Monkey

The Monkey personality creates a form of reality he can live with. He really doesn't want anyone to challenge it. Sagittarians, too, tend to get hold of a dogma to which they ascribe. A dogma tends to override anything unlike itself, and the Monkey person override's signals from the body in order to maintain his truth. The Bladder is the meridian that has to do with control vs. faith in a higher source. Sagittarius is generally considered the home of organized religion, and religion believes in duty.

Capricorn - the Rooster

The Rooster decides that we shall wake up when the Sun comes up and cock-a-doodle-doos to make sure we do, just as Capicorns like to control their world and set the rules and regulations for the rest of us. Saturn and Capricorn rule the bones and skeletal system, and so does the Rooster and the Kidney meridian rule bones, teeth, and the skeletal structure.

Aquarius - the Dog

The Dog is a friendly animal and, like the Aquarian, can be open to all who treat him right. But the Aquarian also has an iconoclastic side, and retreats from humanity. He loves humanity as a whole, but may not like them on a one-to-one basis. So, too, the Dog can be open and guileless as a puppy, or get territorial and bark loudly and create a boundary through which no one is allowed unless invited. The Circulation-Sex meridian rules here, inclining people to be reserved, cautious, and shy, with sexual intimacy issues at times. Aquarians are known to love everyone, but be awkward in one-to-one relationships.

Pisces - the Boar

Pisces has been called the collective garbage can of the universe, encompassing all of the other eleven signs. Pisceans are known to have deep depressions that are hard to pull out of. The Boar deals with hope and hopelessness, and can fall into a bog of despair. He needs to rise to the heights of spirituality and light, and not stay in the darkness.

*****

As you can see, the correlation from the meridians to the signs works pretty accurately this way. I've tried to work the meridian emotions with the other Sun sign-animal systems that are in print, but they don't resonate as this system does.

If I were God and could move the wheels around, I'd tend to switch Virgo and Scorpio. I'd assign the Snake to Scorpio and the Sheep to Virgo. Certainly, the Snake has aspects of the Scorpio inclination to bide its time and get even, striking when the time is right. Scorpions don't like rejection and will wait to get even. It's a form of not being in the right.

We could also lay claim to Scorpio for the Monkey. In traditional astrology, the Bladder is a Scorpio organ, and certainly the Monkey is in control and will override anything in its way that it doesn't agree with.

But, in fact, we could probably write a sound argument for the animals reflecting most of Pluto's tendencies, since Scorpio/ Pluto rule the masses and are a motivational part of us all. My feeling with the Sheep being assigned to Scorpio in this system is that it's simply a matter of understanding the Sheep and it's psychological motivations more deeply. Certainly, Pluto is the planet of the masses, and our collective evolution and growth, and the Sheep would represent the herd or the collective consciousness that is in constant evolution and growth.

The Years of the Chinese Power Animals
(see below for specific dates within the years)

Rat: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Cat: 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake: 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse: 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Sheep: 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey: 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog: 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Boar: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947,1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Chinese Power Animals by year

1900 January 31, 1900 February 19, 1901 Rat
1901 February 19, 1901 February 8, 1902 Ox
1902 February 8, 1902 January 29, 1903 Tiger
1903 January 29, 1903 February 16, 1904 Cat
1904 February 16, 1904 February 4, 1905 Dragon
1905 February 4, 1905 January 25, 1906 Snake
1906 January 25, 1906 February 13, 1907 Horse
1907 February 13, 1907 February 2, 1908 Sheep
1908 February 2, 1908 January 22, 1909 Monkey
1909 January 22, 1909 February 10, 1910 Rooster

1910 February 10, 1910 January 30, 1911 Dog
1911 January 30, 1911 February 18, 1912 Boar
1912 February 18, 1912 February 6, 1913 Rat
1913 February 6, 1913 January 26, 1914 Ox
1914 January 26, 1914 February 14, 1915 Tiger
1915 February 14, 1915 February 3, 1916 Cat
1916 February 3, 1916 January 23, 1917 Dragon
1917 January 23, 1917 February 11, 1918 Snake
1918 February 11, 1918 February 1, 1919 Horse
1919 February 1, 1919 February 20, 1920 Sheep

1920 February 20, 1920 February 8, 1921 Monkey
1921 February 8, 1921 January 28, 1922 Rooster
1922 January 28, 1922 February 16, 1923 Dog
1923 February 16, 1923 February 5, 1924 Boar
1924 February 5, 1924 January 25, 1925 Rat
1925 January 25, 1925 February 13, 1926 Ox
1926 February 13, 1926 February 2, 1927 Tiger
1927 February 2, 1927 January 23, 1928 Cat
1928 January 23, 1928 February 10, 1929 Dragon
1929 February 10, 1929 January 30, 1930 Snake

1930 January 30, 1930 February 17, 1931 Horse
1931 February 17, 1931 February 6, 1932 Sheep
1932 February 6, 1932 January 26, 1933 Monkey
1933 January 26, 1933 February 14, 1934 Rooster
1934 February 14, 1934 February 4, 1935 Dog
1935 February 4, 1935 January 24, 1936 Boar
1936 January 24, 1936 February 11, 1937 Rat
1937 February 11, 1937 January 31, 1938 Ox
1938 January 31, 1938 February 19, 1939 Tiger
1939 February 19, 1939 February 8, 1940 Cat|

1940 February 8, 1940 January 27, 1941 Dragon
1941 January 27, 1941 February 15, 1942 Snake
1942 February 15, 1942 February 5, 1943 Horse
1943 February 5, 1943 January 25, 1944 Sheep
1944 January 25, 1944 February 13, 1945 Monkey
1945 February 13, 1945 February 2, 1946 Rooster
1946 February 2, 1946 January 22, 1947 Dog
1947 January 22, 1947 February 10, 1948 Boar
1948 February 10, 1948 January 29, 1949 Rat
1949 January 29, 1949 February 17, 1950 Ox

1950 February 17, 1950 February 6, 1951 Tiger
1951 February 6, 1951 January 27, 1952 Cat
1952 January 27, 1952 February 14, 1953 Dragon
1953 February 14, 1953 February 3, 1954 Snake
1954 February 3, 1954 January 24, 1955 Horse
1955 January 24, 1955 February 12, 1956 Sheep
1956 February 12, 1956 January 31, 1957 Monkey
1957 January 31, 1957 February 16, 1958 Rooster
1958 February 16, 1958 February 8, 1959 Dog
1959 February 8, 1959 January 28, 1960 Boar

1960 January 28, 1960 February 15, 1961 Rat
1961 February 15, 1961 February 5, 1962 Ox
1962 February 5, 1962 January 25, 1963 Tiger
1963 January 25, 1963 February 13, 1964 Cat
1964 February 13, 1964 February 2, 1965 Dragon
1965 February 21, 1965 January 21, 1966 Snake
1966 January 21, 1966 February 9, 1967 Horse
1967 February 9, 1967 January 29, 1968 Sheep
1968 January 29, 1968 February 16, 1969 Monkey
1969 February 17, 1969 February 5, 1970 Rooster

1970 February 6, 1970 January 26, 1971 Dog
1971 January 27, 1971 February 14, 1972 Boar
1972 February 15, 1972 February 2, 1973 Rat
1973 February 3, 1973 January 22, 1974 Ox
1974 January 23, 1974 February 10, 1975 Tiger
1975 February 11, 1975 January 30, 1976 Cat
1976 January 31, 1976 February 17, 1977 Dragon
1977 February 18, 1977 February 6, 1978 Snake
1978 February 7, 1978 January 27, 1979 Horse
1979 January 28, 1979 February 15, 1980 Sheep

1980 February 16, 1980 February 4, 1981 Monkey
1981 February 5, 1981 January 24, 1982 Rooster
1982 January 25, 1982 February 12, 1983 Dog
1983 February 13, 1983 February 1, 1984 Boar
1984 February 2, 1984 February 19, 1985 Rat
1985 February 20, 1985 February 8, 1986 Ox
1986 February 9, 1986 January 28, 1987 Tiger
1987 January 29, 1987 February 16, 1988 Cat
1988 February 17, 1988 February 5, 1989 Dragon
1989 February 6, 1989 January 26, 1990 Snake

1990 January 27, 1990 February 14, 1991 Horse
1991 February 15, 1991 February 3, 1992 Sheep
1992 February 4, 1992 January 22, 1993 Monkey
1993 January 23, 1993 February 9, 1994 Rooster
1994 February 10, 1994 January 30, 1995 Dog
1995 January 31, 1995 February 18, 1996 Boar
1996 February 19, 1996 February 6, 1997 Rat
1997 February 7, 1997 January 27, 1998 Ox
1998 January 28, 1998 - February 15, 1999 Tiger
1999 February 16, 1999- February 4, 2000 Cat

Reprinted with permission of the publisher,
Red Wheel Weiser.  ©2000. www.redwheelweiser.com

(Editor's Note: The following do not have the specific date. They are just offered as a general guideline. -- InnerSelf.com)

Addendum:

February 2000 - February 2001 Dragon
February, 2001 - January, 2002 Snake
January, 2002 - February, 2003 Horse
February, 2003 February, 2004 Sheep
February, 2004 January, 2005 Monkey
January, 2005 February, 2006 Rooster
February, 2006 January, 2007 Dog
January, 2007 February, 2008 Boar
February, 2008 February, 2009 Rat
February, 2009 January, 2010 Ox

January, 2010 - February, 2011 Tiger
February, 2011 - February, 2012 Cat
February, 2012 February, 2013 Dragon
February, 2013 January, 2014 Snake
January, 2014 February, 2015 Horse
February, 2015 February, 2016 Sheep
February, 2016 January, 2017 Monkey
January, 2017 February, 2018 Rooster
February, 2018 January, 2019 Dog
January, 2019 February, 2020 Boar

February, 2020 February, 2021 Rat
February, 2021 January, 2022 Ox
January, 2022 - February, 2023 Tiger
February, 2023 - February, 2024 Cat

Article Source:

Chinese Power Animals: Archetypes of Transformation
by Pamela Leigh Powers.

This is not the typical Chinese astrology book, but an approach that synthesizes the Chinese animal archetypes into the Western system. The power animals from China -- rat, dragon, horse, etc. -- show up in your chart based on your ascendant, Sun and Moon and you locate them based on the easy tables provided by the author. She recommends exercises, herbal and aromatherapies to help you take charge of these energies so you can gain insight into yourself and those you love. Illustrated. Index.

Info/Order this book. Also available as a Kindle edition.

About the Author

Pamela Leigh Powers is an astrologer, certified clinical hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher, and Applied Kinesiology teacher through Energetic Life Balancing. She is a hypnotherapist recertification teacher for A.C.H.E. and teacher of holistic health principles. She has added the DNA Activations technique to her skills. She continues to do astrology readings, as well as voice and body readings based on this work.