WORLDWIDE — The Chinese New Year begins Friday, Feb, 16, with the first year of the earth dog since 1958.

This particular Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, will be an especially lucky year for people born in the year of the Dog.

According to ChineseZodiac.com, dogs are loyal, faithful, honest, distrustful, often guilty of telling white lies, temperamental, prone to mood swings, dogmatic, and sensitive. Dogs excel in business but have trouble finding mates.

Why animals? 

Twelve animals represent the rotating 12-year cycle that is the basis of the Chinese Zodiac.

An ancient Chinese time system divides each 24-hour day into 12 two-hour periods. Each period is represented by a specific animal sign in the Chinese zodiac. For example, the period of 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. is the time of the Rat. This is the time of day when rats are actively searching for food.

  • Rat, Zi Shi: 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. — This is the time rats actively seek food.
  • Ox, Chou Shi: 1 to 3 a.m. — This is the time that oxen ruminate.
  • Tiger, Yin Shi: 3 to 5 a.m. — Tigers hunt prey and display fiercest nature.
  • Rabbit, Mao Shi: 5 to 7 a.m. — The Jade Rabbit on the moon is busy pounding medicinal herb with a pestle.
  • Dragon, Chen Shi: 7 to 9 a.m. — Dragons hover in the sky at that time to give people rainfall.
  • Snake, Si Shi: 9 to 11 a.m. — Snakes start to leave their burrows.
  • Horse, Wu Shi: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — With the sun high above, other animals are lying down for a noon break while the unconstrained horse is still vigorous.
  • Sheep, Wei Shi: 1 to 3 p.m. — It is said that if sheep ate grass at this time, they would grow stronger.
  • Monkey, Shen Shi: 3 to 5 p.m. — Monkeys become lively.
  • Rooster, You Shi: 5 to 7 p.m. — Roosters return to their roost as it is dark.
  • Dog, Xu Shi: 7 to 9 p.m. — Dogs begin to carry out their duty to guard entrances.
  • Pig, Hai Shi: 9 to 11 p.m. — All is quiet and pigs are sleeping soundly.

Elements are a part of the Zodiac as well

Five elements that make up the Chinese Zodiac: Wood, fire, earth, metal and water. They’re associated with the five major planets in the Solar System: Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and Mercury respectively. Every year will have one element and one animal. This year of the earth dog occurs every 60 years.

Since the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac actually represent a period of time, in this case a year (the 12 branches), assigning one of the five elements to each of the twelve years (12 branches) actually creates 60 different combinations. Rather than operating in 12-year cycles, the Chinese Zodiac is actually based on a system of 60-year cycles.

Where do Ying and Yang come in?

The concepts of Yin and Yang also affect the five elements and the Chinese Zodiac by assigning opposing forces or characteristics to each. There’s a Yin wood and a Yang wood, a Yin metal and a Yang metal, and so on.

Yin and Yang or the ability to compare as well as balance that which exists in life such as day and night, and femininity and masculinity.

Five elements plus Yin and Yang

When Yin and Yang are applied to the five elements, there now becomes a total of ten elements or 10 stems, with each stem having an alternate reading. As it relates to the Chinese Zodiac, odd years are Yin years and even years are Yang.

What sign are you?

  • Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924
  • Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925
  • Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926
  • Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927
  • Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928
  • Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929
  • Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930
  • Sheep: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931
  • Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932
  • Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933
  • Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934
  • Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935

To find out your corresponding element, visit here. 

In summary, the Chinese believe birth year does not represent age but rather position within the 60-year cycle. The animal traits as well as the additions of Yin and Yang and the five elements are what combine to determine “good” years and “bad,” “great” fortune and “misfortune,” “good” ages and “bad” and all the other lifestyle details.