How the 12 Chinese zodiac animals were chosen and put in order, and why there’s no cat
According to legend, the Jade Emperor held a race to determine how to name each year, which brought out the best, and worst, in the animals
There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig – which are celebrated in order over 12 years, after which the cycle repeats.
It is believed that a person’s personality and luck is closely linked to the zodiac animal associated with the year in which they were born.
But what is the story behind how these 12 animals became Chinese zodiac signs? And why are the animals celebrated in a certain sequence, beginning with the rat and ending with the pig?
According to one of the most enduring legends, it was because of the Jade Emperor, also known as the ruler of heaven, who wanted to create a way to measure time.
He decided to invite all the creatures on earth to participate in a swimming race, explaining that the first 12 animals to cross a fast-flowing river and reach a finish line would each have a year named after them based on the order in which they arrived.
