

Like the Western calendar, The Chinese Lunar Calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon, which starts the year in January/February. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each. Each of these 12 years are named after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."
See Also:
Chinese New Year
| Rat | 1924 | 1936 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984 | 1996 | 2008 | |
| Ox | 1925 | 1937 | 1949 | 1961 | 1973 | 1985 | 1997 | 2009 | |
| Tiger | 1926 | 1938 | 1950 | 1962 | 1974 | 1986 | 1998 | 2010 | |
| Rabbit | 1927 | 1939 | 1951 | 1963 | 1975 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | |
| Dragon | 1928 | 1940 | 1952 | 1964 | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 2012 | |
| Snake | 1929 | 1941 | 1953 | 1965 | 1977 | 1989 | 2001 | 2013 | |
| Horse | 1930 | 1942 | 1954 | 1966 | 1978 | 1990 | 2002 | 2014 | |
| Sheep (Goat) |
1931 | 1943 | 1955 | 1967 | 1979 | 1991 | 2003 | 2015 | |
| Monkey | 1932 | 1944 | 1956 | 1968 | 1980 | 1992 | 2004 | 2016 | |
| Rooster | 1933 | 1945 | 1957 | 1969 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005 | 2017 | |
| Dog | 1934 | 1946 | 1958 | 1970 | 1982 | 1994 | 2006 | 2018 | |
| Pig (Boar) | 1935 | 1947 | 1959 | 1971 | 1983 | 1995 | 2007 | 2019 |
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