Origins of the Chinese Zodiac: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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Line 9: The legend of the Zodiac Race, of course, is by far the least credible of all explanations of the origin of the [[Chinese zodiac]]. Because the "[[twelve earthly branches]]" which correspond with the zodiac, was already in existence as early as the [[Zhou]] era, long before the advent of Buddhism. A parallel [[decimal]] set of symbols called "[[ten heavenly stems]]", corresponding with [[yin-yang]] dualism and the [[Five elements (Chinese philosophy)|five elements]] (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) was in existence in the [[Shang dynasty]] as the stems were part of Shang rulers' names. The order of 12 Chinese zodiac animals was based on the number of toes/hooves, alternating between even and odd numbers. Rat was the first because unlike other animals of the Chinese zodiac which all had the same number of toes/hooves on each leg, rat has four toes on the front legs and five on the rear legs, so it was selected to be number one. Ox is second with four hooves on each leg, and tiger is the third three with five toes, hare is the fourth with four toes, dragon is next in line with five fingers on its claw, while snake ranks number six because it lacked any legs and [[zero is an even number]], etc. The Zodiac, or the "[[twelve earthly branches]]" is probably devised together with the ten heavenly stems. However, according to [[Derek Walters]], British scholar and author of several related books, there is no historical evidence for the 12 animals correlation with the Earthly Branches prior to the late [[Tang Dynasty|Tang]] or early [[Song Dynasty|Song]] eras. [[Susan Whitfield]] asserts that it was not until the Qin Dynasty that '''the 12 animal cycle was imported along the [[Silk Road]] from Buddhist peoples in [[Khotan]], [[Sogdiana]], and [[India]]'''.<ref name="whitfield 233">Whitfield, 233.</ref> As a [[duodecimal]] numeral system, the twelve earthly branches is probably evidence for [[trade]] between early tribes that later contributed to the [[Chinese civilization]] on the one hand, and the [[Mesopotamian]] civilization, which perfected [[duodecimal]] [[arithmetics]], on the other. Line 15: The [[Chinese zodiac]], though not entirely identical with the [[zodiac|Greek zodiac]], nonetheless shares with it the [[duodecimal system]] and the idea of using animals as numerical symbols. This is a hint for the triangular relations between early Chinese, Mesopotamian and Greek cultures. ==Comparison of Chaldean and Chinese zodiacs==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! 12-sign cycle<br />([[Chaldea]]) ! 12-year cycle<br />(China) ! Comment |- | Aries | Dog | Aries is the sign of fighting. "And Caesar's spirit shall cry "havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war." (W. Shakespeare, ''Julius Caesar'') |- | Taurus | Pig | Money and Eating are the keywords of both Taurus and the Pig |- | Gemini | Rat | The Rat is a mercurial animal. Gemini is also symbolised by two Pillars joined at the top and base (♊), which is a diagrammatic representation of the Twins seated side by side with embracing arms.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/sym/bot/bot18.htm The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems, by William Thomas and Kate Pavitt, (1922)]</ref> A "rat king" supposedly forms when swarming rats tangle their tails into a knot |- | Cancer | Bull | In the Chaldean astrology, Cancer (ruled by the Moon) symbolises the mammae and milk. The Cow is the main milk producer |- | Leo | Tiger | Close relatives |- | Virgo | Cat | Cats are symbols of demure femininity |- | Libra | [[Draco volans | Dragon]] | As a gliding lizard, [[Draco volans]] has an acute sense of equilibrium. Libra is the sign of Sunset (the Sun's descent). Like all modern reptiles, [[Draco volans]] lacks the ability to sustain powered flight, and is capable only of gliding (descent), which makes it a symbol of Sunset |- | Scorpio | Serpent | Scorpio and the Serpent are venomous symbols of Death. A Serpent was the Egyptian equivalent of Scorpio<ref>[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Zodiac#Egyptian_Zodiacal_Signs Zodiac (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition)]</ref> |- | Sagittarius | Horse | [[Sagittarius_(astrology)|Sagittarius]] is a centaur |- | Capricorn | Goat | Anteriorly, [[Capricornus#Visualizations|Capricorn is a goat]] |- | Aquarius | Ape | Aquarius is ruled by Uranus—the planet of chaos and genius. Apes are geniuses among animals |- | Pisces | Cock | Fishes symbolise embryonality (for a woman, seeing fish in a dream foretells pregnancy). The egg of the domestic hen is an embryo, too |} '''Being a scaled-up version of the Chaldean 12-sign cycle, the Chinese 12-year cycle begins with the year of the Dog (since it is analogous to the first sign of the Chaldean zodiac—Aries).'''
{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! 4-element cycle<br />([[Chaldea]]) ! 5-element cycle<br />(China) ! Comment |- | Fire | Fire | |- | rowspan="2" | Earth | Earth | |- | Metal | Metal condenses out of Earth |- | Air | Water | Water condenses out of Air |- | Water | Wood (living cells) | The first living cell "condensed" out of Water |} The above table demonstrates that the Chinese 5-element cycle is a scaled-up and "condensed" version of the Chaldean 4-element cycle. An element of the 4-element cycle occupies one solar month. An element of the 5-element cycle occupies two years. Scaling up is akin to expansion. An expanding medium cools down and condenses. That is why the Air of the 4-element cycle condenses into the Water of the 5-element cycle.<br /> The Chaldean 4-element cycle begins with the element of Fire (since it is analogous to the first sign of the zodiac—Aries). '''Being a scaled-up version of the Chaldean 4-element cycle, the Chinese 5-element cycle begins with the element of Fire.'''<br /> ==References== | |||