Astrology
World 
[ Rat / Ox / Tiger / Rabbit / Dragon / Snake /
Horse / Sheep / Monkey / Rooster / Dog / Pig ]
Chinese astrology is so called Ming Shu, which have been practiced by
the Chinese for many thousand years. They have complied a systematic
method of observing and interpreting the heavens long before contact
had been made with the western world.
Literally translated, Ming Shu means 'the reckoning of Fate'. There are
several different elements which are affecting our Ming Shu. For example,
our date and time of birth.Tradition holds that in order to get a true
picture of individual's chart, personality and even destiny the elemental
forces of the date, time and hour of birth and country of birth must also
be considered and taken into account for the true elemental picture of the
personality. Further, missing elements must be compensated for in home
and working environments, as well as in personal relationships in order
to provide for the individual's true development, happiness, and fulfillment.
Unlike the 12 months cycle of western astrology, the Chinese cycle
takes 12 years tocomplete. Each year is governed by and animal sign.
According to Chinese Legend, one Chinese New Year, the Buddha
invited all the animals in his kingdom to come before him.Unfortunately
--for reasons best known to the animals-only 12 turned up. The first to
arrive was the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger,Rabbit, Dragon, Snake,
Horse, Sheep, Monkey,Rooster, Dog and finally the Pig. It exerts a
profound influence over the personality of an individual born in that year.
In addition to this straight-forward 12-year run, the ancient Chinese
saw that every sign possesses several different facets, rather like the
face of a diamond, which gives each a certain modulation, a nuance
to its character. These different facets were attributed to the
five elements of Metals, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, each
element imparting its own influence on signs.
The Five Elements:
As a quick rule of thumb, the principles governing each elemnts and thus the
modifications they produce within each sign are:
Metal-fixity, strength of will, fluency of speech.
Wood-imagination, creativity, idealism, compassion
Water-powers of reflection, sensitivity, persuasiveness
Fire-dynamism, passion, energy, aggression, leadership
Earth-stability, reliability, practically, industry, prudence.
Applying the elements to the animal signs means that there will not only
be subtle differences between, say, a Metal Rat and a Water Rat, but also
that although the Rat sign itself may recur every 12 years, because its
accompanying elements varies over five successive cycles, it follows that
the same elemental Rat will not repeat itself again for 60 years. In
simple terms, the Metal Rat occurs in the first set 12 years, the
Water Rat in the next 12, the Wood Rat in the following 12, the Fire
Rat next, and finally the Earth Rat in the last 12-year group-a sequence
which in all lasts for 60 years.
But in fact eachanimal in Chinese horoscope carries similar personality,
therefore we are going to discuss12 different horoscope without concerning
its belonging element.
Don't know which animal you belong to ?
For any comments,
please post them on the Message Board !
This project was done by Stella Law, Henny Hui and Anthea Choi.