The chosen of 12 Chinese zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig are greatly related to Chinese people’s daily and social life. If you analyze these animals carefully, you will find that they can be divided into three categories:
The first group is Chinese six domestic animals: horse, ox, goat, pig, dog and chicken. They are raised and trained for economic and other purposes playing important roles in Chinese agriculture. In people’s traditional view, a family will have a flourishing population and live happily if their domestic animals are all thriving. When the Chinese spring festival comes, people always wish their domestic animals thrive in the coming year. So, due to their importance, these six animals must be chosen among the 12 animals.
The second group is wild animals that are well known by the people and closely related to people’s life. They are tiger, rabbit, monkey, rat and snake. Among them, tigers and snakes are feared, rats are detested, and rabbits and monkeys are loved by people. These animals are commonly seen in people’s life and easily remembered and chosen into the 12 animals.
The last group includes one animal – dragon, the traditional mascot of Chinese people. It is the only fictitious animal in 12 ones. Chinese people think they are descendants of the dragon and have a special emotion with it. It is a deified animal symbolizing auspicious, omnipotent ability and the loftiest power. So, dragon are indispensable.
