Photo: This flyer found at a local temple indicates that dogs, 25-year-old dragons, 34-year-old goats, and 16- and 52-year-old ox could have a rough time in 2012.
Yesterday I posted the legend of how Chinese New Year came to be. As the year of the dragon approaches, I’ll share another folk tale I heard years ago from my daughter’s nursery school teacher about the Chinese zodiac, which operates on a twelve year cycle* with each year represented by a different animal. Chinese families retell this story to their children each year, and it’s one of Elisa’s favorites:
“Long, long ago as the New Year approached, all the animals gathered to prepare. They were excited about the New Year, and they argued about how it should be named. The snake hissed, “The New Year should be named after me for I am very sly.” “No, no!” cried the rooster, “it should be named after me, for I bring the day.” The dragon reminded the others that he was the fiercest, and, therefore, the Year should be named in his honor. The tiger countered that he was still fiercer and deserved respect. The monkey claimed he should be chosen because he was able to climb the highest tree. The ox, rabbit, horse, ram, dog and pig also had good reasons why the Year should be named for them.
The animals continued to quarrel until the noise became unbearable. Finally, the emperor descended from his palace and said, “Stop your fighting! I will solve this once and for all. Tomorrow there will be a race to cross the great river. Whoever wins the competition shall have the Year named in his honor.”
Early the next morning, the animals set off to prove they were worthy. The water was cold and the current was strong. Soon, the ox, a good swimmer, took the lead. He felt sure he would win; however, the rat was crafty. He, too, thought the ox would win, and so he grabbed on to his tail and held it tightly. Just as the ox was about to reach the riverbank – and the finish line – the rat jumped over his head and finished the race first. He was followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
The Princess, who had seen the race, came down from the palace to join the animals. She told them they had all raced well and that a year would be awarded to each of them, but that the first would be named in honor of the rat.”
More recently, I heard one addition to this story. Apparently, the rat and a cat agreed to wake each other for the great race; however, when the rat rose early the next morning, he decided to set off on his own. The cat slept though the race, which explains why there is no a cat in the Chinese zodiac – and also why to this day cats and rats do not get along.
Don’t know what your Chinese zodiac sign is? Click here.
*In reality, a combination of the 12 animals, together with the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) mean the Chinese zodiac operates on a sixty year cycle. The coming year, for example, will be a Water Dragon year.