The Chinese Zodiac is a twelve-year cycle in which each year is represented by an animal.
For more than two thousand years, it has reflected traditional beliefs about personality, relationships, and cultural heritage.
Today, it remains one of the most recognizable symbols of Chinese culture around the world.
The Chinese Zodiac gradually developed from ancient systems of timekeeping, astronomy, and observations of the natural world.
By the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), the twelve-animal cycle had become closely associated with the twelve Earthly Branches and the lunar calendar.
According to one of China's most beloved folktales, the Jade Emperor invited animals to race across a river.
The first twelve to arrive became the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, giving each its place in the twelve-year cycle.
Each zodiac animal carries its own stories, symbolism, and traditions.
