Based on an ancient agricultural calendar, the system is based on the influences of the different forces. Although the exact origins remains a mystery, legend abound on how it came to be.

One has it that on one of his birthdays, Yuhuang Dadi (The
Jade Emperor of Heaven) invited all the animals on earth and in heaven to join in the celebrations. But only 12 turned up and the party animals were Rat..Ox..Tiger..Rabbit..Dragon..Snake..Horse..Goat..Monkey..Rooster..Dog..and Pig.

For their effort, the Emperor honoured each animal a year of its own. It was also decreed that henceforth, those born in the year of the animal would assume the nature and characteristics of that animal influenced by the different elements.

Will continue tomorrow....


~Selina

They were all busy at the Jellicle Ball, I presume.

good answer!

There was a CAT!!

Legend has it .........

In China, a long long time ago, there live a cat and a rat. They were best friends. They ate together. They played together. They slept together.

One day, The Emperor decided to hold a race among all the animals in the land. The first twelve animals to cross the finish line would have a year in the Chinese calendar named after them. This would be quite an honor.

Cat and Rat each wanted to be the first to cross the finish line. But they knew that they would two of the smallest animals in the race.

"We will ask the buffalo to help us," said the Cat. "He could give a head start. He always wwakes up before sunrise. Maybe we could even ride on his back."

So Cat and Rat convinced Buffalo to wake them up early on the day of the race. The next morning, Buffalo was up long before dawn. "Wake up, lazybones," he said to the sleeping Cat and Rat. "We had better get started."

Cat and Rat climbed on the Buffalo's back. But they were so sleepy that by the time they had fully awakened, they were halfway across the river.

Rat woke up first. He saw the Emperor standing at the finish line far, far away.
"Why should I share the glory of first place with Cat and Buffalo?" thought the Rat selfishly.

"Wake up, my friend," he cried to Cat. "Look at all the tasty fish swimming in the water."
Cat licked her lips. She leaned over for a closer look, and Rat gave her a little push. SPLASH! She tumbled into the water.

Buffalo turned his head to see what had made the splash. He didn't see the Cat, though. What he saw instead were the other animals in the race - and they were close behind him. Without giving Cat or Rat another thought, he sped toward the Emperor.

Just as Buffalo neared the riverbank, the clever Rat leaped from behind his ear and crossed the finished line in first place.

"How did such a small animal win the race?" asked the Emperor in surprise.

"I may be small but I am also smart," replied the rat. He scampered up onto the winner's podium. Buffalo knew he had been tricked into second place, but he could only grunt in dismay.

Back in the river, Cat tried to swim along with the other animals. She hated water. But if she had to swim in it to win the race, she would do so.

Far ahead of her, Tiger came roaring across the finish line.

Do you want to know more? LOL