Year of the Rat

The Rat is the first Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and it is a Yang Sign commonly associated with the Water Element. Recent Rat years have been 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 1996. The typical Rat personality traits include charm, intelligence, passion, elegance, opportunism, sentimentality, practicality, and honesty. Some of the less attractive aspects of this Sign include greed, excessive calculation, and an overdeveloped business sense verging upon workaholism. The Rat is very smooth and even-tempered, but can turn into a grouch if things don't go their way, and even explode from time to time if provoked for too long. They are very successful in the business world, but whether this arises from their positive or their negative properties is anyone's guess.

Year of the Ox

The Ox is the second Sign of the Chinese Zodiac. It is a Yin Sign commonly associated with the Water Element. Recent Ox years have been 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985 and 1997. Characteristics of the Ox personality profile include straightforwardness, consistency, kindness and a strong work ethic. They do not tolerate any sort of criticism, and can be very stubborn when they believe they are in the right. The Ox is very capable and hardworking, but the flip side of this particular coin is a tendency to be moody, gloomy, conformist and quite often, not to put too fine a point on it, dull. But in their better moments, they can be very gentle, loving and supportive to those who they regard as integral to their well being.

Year of the Tiger

The Tiger is the third Sign of the Chinese Zodiac. It is a Yang Sign and most closely associated with the Wood Element. Recent Tiger years have been 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, and 1998. The Tiger is a very changeable person, with a potent natural ability that is often in great danger of being abused. They are either leaders or rebels. They can be vain, quarrelsome and overly aggressive at times, but their inherent charisma and vast reserves of charm are usually sufficient to extract them from any problems that may arise from their lack of foresight. Their idealistic outlook on life can take quite a few knocks on the head from this abrupt reality until it finally collapses -- at which point the Tiger personality can lapse into its less attractive aspects.

Year of the Rabbit

The Rabbit is the fourth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yin Sign associated with the Wood Element. Recent Rabbit years have been 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987 and 1999. Although they appear to be very bland and unprepossessing types, Rabbits are often reservoirs of extreme emotion, which plays a great role in their choice of actions. They have a strong independent streak, and despite their complaisant exteriors, they adamantly refuse to be ordered about. They can be cunning and secretive, touchy and conservative, yet at the same time diplomatic, peaceful and refined. The Rabbit is a mystery wrapped inside of a conundrum tucked away within an enigma, and is without a doubt one of the most difficult Signs to pin down, as they can jump in almost any direction.

Year of the Dragon

The Dragon is the fifth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yang Sign associated with the Wood Element. Recent Dragon years have been 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988 and 2000. Those who possess the characteristics of this Sign are gifted with an extraordinarily intense personality and are capable of great success, or spectacular failure. They generally succeed, however -- their secret being a great and abiding self-confidence. The innate sincerity and openness of the Dragon can do a great deal to disarm the most explosive of situations. The down side includes a tendency to get bored easily and walk away from projects without finishing what they have started. They also tend to be a bit over-zealous, and can be angered easily at the slightest of obstacles.

Year of the Snake

The Snake is the sixth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yin Sign associated with the Fire Element. Recent years of the Snake have been 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989 and 2001. Unlike Western perceptions of the Snake as a dubious creature at best, in ancient China the Snake was associated with wisdom and aesthetic beauty. A person graced with the Snake personality may appear languid and serene, but inside their mind is always spinning at hundreds of revolutions per minute. They are great thinker, and excel at giving advice, even if they are no good at accepting it. Snakes are capable of bending the truth to aid their circumstances. Their ranks also contain a disproportionate amount of those with psychic talents of some sort.

Year of the Horse

The Horse is the seventh Sign of the Chinese Zodiac. It is a Yang Sign associated with the Fire Element. Recent Horse years have been 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 and 2002. The typical personality of one born a Horse includes a streak of contagious enthusiasm -- this eternal happiness will attract a horde of friends and acquaintances throughout life. Horses are very vocal and enjoy speech, whether to a few or to an audience of thousands. They appear to have great zest for life, and have the reputation of being courageous, but inside they are somewhat timid and require a catalyst for any forward motion. It is this reliance upon others for support and encouragement that is the bane of their independent streak -- but without it their self-confidence would suffer a mortal blow.

Year of the Goat

The Goat is the eighth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yin Sign associated with the Fire Element. Recent Goat years have been 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991 and 2003. Goats are genuinely nice people -- charming, amiable, and sympathetic to the needs of others. They hate to criticize and always look for the best in people, including themselves. A Goat will prefer to forget grievances rather than brood over them and will keep any resentment tightly under control in order maintain peace and prosperity among the group. Goats live in the present, which they attempt to enjoy to the best of their abilities. Thanks to their sensitive natures, Goats are the most creative and expressive of all the Signs in the Chinese Zodiac.

Year of the Monkey

The Monkey is the ninth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yang Sign associated with the Metal Element. Recent Monkey years have been 1956, 1968, 1980, and 1992 -- the next Monkey year will occur in 2004. Monkey personalities are highly competitive and insatiably curious, with an intelligence and imagination that will allow them to make the best of any situation in which they find themselves. They are very quick and sharp in speech, and never at a loss for words, although they may sometimes bend their words to serve questionable ends. Although Monkeys are essentially schemers and skilled at manipulating others, they are not entirely bereft of a sense of responsibility and will use their manipulative skills judiciously.

Year of the Rooster

The Rooster is the tenth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac. It is a Yin Sign associated with the Metal Element. Recent Rooster years have been 1957, 1969, 1981 and 1993. The next Rooster year will be in 2005. Roosters are highly flamboyant people, and their appearance is very important to them -- they are never satisfied with how they look. They are friendly, pleasant and obliging people, who can prove themselves to be as resourceful and talented as they say they are in moments of crisis. Roosters have the ability to take life as it comes, and indeed may appear a bit too relaxed for the nerves of their intimates. They are fiercely independent, and rely solely upon themselves in all questions of support and effectiveness.

Year of the Dog

The Dog is the eleventh Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and is a Yang animal associated with the Metal Element. Recent Dog years have been 1958, 1970, 1982 and 1994, with the next Dog year coming around in 2006. Dogs are essentially honest and noble creatures, who have a tendency to see all issues in terms of black and white. They are possessed of a sharp tongue, which they use to defend passionately their cause of choice. Idealists to a fault, with impeccably moral qualities, Dogs are also quickly turned by the slings and arrows of the world into sour cynics, riddled with doubt and anxiety at the state of affairs of a planet that that had no personal hand in creating, yet somehow feel responsible for anyway.

Year of the Pig

The Pig is the twelfth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac. It is a Yin Sign associated with the Water Element. Recent years of the Pig have been 1959, 1971, 1983, and 1995. The next Pig year will be in 2007. Pig personalities, despite the nasty overtones of the name, are actually very friendly and easygoing types who are almost impossible not to get along with. Rampant hedonists, they are always in search of a good time and will goad others into joining them whenever possible. Privacy is very important to Pigs, but this does not prevent them from seeking opinions and possibly aid from their friends when the hard times are evident. Nor are they remiss in offering help themselves to any friend who might stand in need.