About one-quarter of the world’s population celebrates Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. For 15 days, people in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea hold large festivities and family gatherings to celebrate prosperity, good fortune, and togetherness.

This year’s celebrations begin on January 29 and will conclude with the Lantern Festival on February 12.

The main difference between the Chinese and Western zodiacs is that the former is calculated on a year-by-year basis, while the latter corresponds with months. Both zodiac systems are based on 12 symbols or signs, each with associated personalities and fortunes.

In Chinese culture, it is believed that people born in a given year share traits corresponding to their animal sign.

Rat: quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind.
Ox: diligent, dependable, strong, determined.
Tiger: brave, confident, competitive, unpredictable.
Rabbit: quiet, elegant, kind, responsible.
Dragon: confident, intelligent, enthusiastic.
Snake: enigmatic, intelligent, wise.
Horse: animated, active, energetic.
Goat: calm, gentle, sympathetic.
Monkey: sharp, smart, curious.
Rooster: observant, hardworking, courageous.
Dog: lovely, honest, prudent.
Pig: compassionate, generous, diligent.

Chinese mythology explains that the order of the 12 animals was decided by the great race to the Heavenly Gate, when all creatures on Earth were summoned by the Jade Emperor to compete against one another. The earlier a creature passed through the Heavenly Gate, the higher its rank would be.

Why is there no cat in the Chinese zodiac? Well, there are several explanations for that. 

In one of them, it is said that Cat and Rat traveled together on Ox’s back. However, when they reached the river, Rat pushed Cat into the water. Cat was washed away and didn’t reach the Heavenly Gate in time to get a ranking. For this reason, a great enmity grew between Cat and Rat, causing rats to scatter in all directions at the sight of a cat.

The cat’s absence is also explained by another legend, in which the cat and the rat were once friends. The cat asked the rat to wake him up for the race, but the rat, cunning and eager to win, didn’t do so. Once again, the rat’s betrayal is said to be the reason cats and rats are natural enemies, according to the legend.

Interestingly, in the Vietnamese zodiac, the rabbit is replaced by the cat, making it the only zodiac system in East Asia to feature this beloved animal.

Image credits: Zombies, Run!, Twinkl