Westernized Chinese Astrology
by Jaime Silvela, ages and ages ago
So you want to know the secrets of your personality and that of those around you? Look no further, everything is revealed in this blending of Chinese and Western astrologies. Blending Chinese and Western astrology is not a new idea. The view in this page is unconventional, but I hope it’s interesting.
The interesting bits
Crash course in Western astrology
Western astrology is motivated by astronomy. The planets, the Sun and the Moon, orbit around the Earth (Copernicus came long after astrology) inside of a plane called the Ecliptic. This plane was divided into 12 angular sectors, each with 30 degrees, named Aries, Taurus, Gemini… Astrology developed by attaching meaning to those sectors, and meaning to the Sun, Moon and planets, and then interpreting what each configuration of planets on sectors meant. The configuration at the time of birth of a person leaves its imprint on that person’s character.
For instance, a person born on January 9th, 1975, had the Sun in Capricorn, Jupiter in Pisces and the moon in Sagittarius. This means this person is a Capricorn, as the Sun is believed the main indicator of personality. Capricorns are methodical, dutiful and conservative. Jupiter influences travel and expansion, and Pisces is the sign of religion, compassion and the occult, so maybe this person will be attracted by the idea of pilgrimages, will be interested in religion where he goes, or might join Doctors Without Borders. The Moon is a strong personality indicator for women, and for men it symbolizes relationship to the mother, and women in general. A man with Moon in Sagittarius will look for women who are adventurous, spiritual and honest.
The plot thickens when you start to calculate rising signs, houses, aspects between planets (conjunctions and so), duads inside each sign, etc. What this does is give you an enormous level of detail that each astrologer interprets in a unique way, and that makes it easy to tailor your native chart. Oh, and luck interpreting stuff like: you’re very masculine because your Mars is in Aries, but you’re sexually ambiguous because your Venus is in Gemini.
Crash course in Chinese astrology
There is no pseudo-scientific explanation to the Chinese Horoscope. Just the legend that Buddha summoned all animals to meet him, and gave special influence to the twelve who came. Chinese astrology is based on the calendar, with each Sign or Animal having influence over one full year until the Chinese new year, celebrated in January or February depending on the year.
As in western astrology, there are refinements. The year’s animal imprints its characteristics on the people born in that year, but there is also the lunar ascendant, of which there is one each month, the travel companion which is determined by the hour of birth, and the elements, which form 10 year cycles. All in all, there are many less variables than in western astrology, and perhaps because of this, the descriptions of Chinese signs are richer and more convincing.
The view in this page
Given the title, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I favor Chinese astrology. It has been noted by many people that there is an equivalence between Chinese and Western signs, based on the Chinese lunar ascendants. I take this one step further, and base the yearly Chinese sign on the motion of Jupiter, which spends about 1 year on each sign. This has also been suggested before. For example in Laurene Petit and Shao-Hin’s series on Chinese Astrology.
I like some of the machinery and order of the Western Astrology, so I adapt that to systematize Chinese Astrology. And this I have done my own way, disregarding most of what books say about the Chinese Elements.
| Chinese animal | Western sign |
|---|---|
| Rat | Sagittarius |
| Ox | Capricorn |
| Tiger | Aquarius |
| Rabbit | Pisces |
| Dragon | Aries |
| Snake | Taurus |
| Horse | Gemini |
| Goat | Cancer |
| Monkey | Leo |
| Rooster | Virgo |
| Dog | Libra |
| Pig | Scorpio |
How to find your sign
You need to find the positions of Jupiter and the Sun at the time of your birth.
You can find this on an ephemerides which you can get in Western astrology
guides, or also, online.
Here’s and online ephemerides.
Your main sign is
given by the position of Jupiter, the position of the Sun gives the secondary
sign, a more subtle influence.
Once you have them, use the conversion table below to find your equivalent signs. One caveat: if you were born in the Southern hemisphere, you should look at your opposite sign (that is, add or subtract 6 signs from your sign). For instance, an Aussie with the Jupiter in Cancer should consider he has Jupiter in Capricorn. Why, I hear you cry? Well, it doesn’t make sense to me that Leo should be considered, the sign of the Sun when August is winter down South. But hey, if you prefer your old sign more power to you because astrology, is, after all, just another pointless but fun pursuit.
| Western sign | Chinese animal |
|---|---|
| Aries | Dragon |
| Taurus | Snake |
| Gemini | Horse |
| Cancer | Goat |
| Leo | Monkey |
| Virgo | Rooster |
| Libra | Dog |
| Scorpio | Pig |
| Sagittarius | Rat |
| Capricorn | Ox |
| Aquarius | Tiger |
| Pisces | Rabbit |
Descriptions of the signs
Rat (Jupiter in Sagittarius)
- The most
- Effective
- Quality: Mutable
- Fluctuating, spontaneous
- Underlying element: Water
- Intuitive, maverick
- Effective, individual, drastic
The rat is intuitive, drastic and fluctuating. The Chinese say it has the gift of foresight, great cleverness, and good fortune. Always busy, always thinking, the Rat is seldom caught by surprise. The Rat likes challenges and tackles them quickly, efficiently, head-on, but has a tendency to scatter. The Rat makes an eloquent talker and a quick listener. Its intuition allows it to quickly capture the essence of discussions. The Rat is at once reserved, and candid when it does communicate. It can appear calm, but has a restless mind.
Famous Rats
Nikola Jokić, John McEnroe, Emily Blunt, Copernicus, Emma Thompson, Vincent van Gogh, Alan Turing, Cameron Diaz, Lance Armstrong, Lee Remick, Jean Arthur, Francisco Goya, Marlon Brando, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Redford, Silvio Berlusconi, John Carpenter, Hillary Clinton, Atom Egoyan, Harpo Marx, Dick Cavett, Hugh Grant
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Yolanda Díaz
Ox (Jupiter in Capricorn)
- The most
- Effective
- Quality: Cardinal
- Comprehensive, stable
- Underlying element: Metal
- Analytical, conventional
- Effective, steady, social
The Ox is an industrious sign. It’s an efficiency fiend with a great capacity for organization and balancing disparate needs. Form over function, elegance be damned. It can have conventional goals. It is a social sign, even if it may appear reserved. Interested in group and family dynamics, career oriented, an achiever. It can attract associates thanks to its fairness and stability. It will probably become indispensable, sought after for advice and help, but may at times become tyrannical, aiming for total control.
Famous Oxen
Bibi Netanyahu, Walt Disney, Zidane, Marlene Dietrich, LeBron James, Jack Nicholson, Jude Law, Richard Gere, Sigourney Weaver, Tilda Swinton, Greg Popovich, Gerard Depardieu, Ivan Lendl, Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen, Richard Nixon, Charles Chaplin, Malcolm X, Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler, Bono, Saddam Hussein, Margaret Thatcher, Oscar Wilde, Eminem, Albert Camus, Anya Taylor-Joy
Rodrigo Rato, Perico Delgado, Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Núñez Feijoo
Tiger (Jupiter in Aquarius)
- The most
- Drastic
- Quality: Fixed
- Focused, dedicated
- Underlying element: Fire
- Watchful, popular
- Drastic, social, stylish
The Tiger is the original mover and shaker of the Chinese horoscope. Rebellious, energetic, it cultivates a stylish and energetic image. The Tiger is watchful and ready to pounce, generally with benevolence as a protector of friends in need. It is group oriented and ultimately seeks approval. The Tiger pursues goals with a steely focus, to the exclusion of all else. It puts all of its energy into the pursuit; all-or-nothing. When it achieves or abandons goals, the effect is dramatic. The Tiger’s life will not be linear, but will show a certain erratic nature and sudden changes. The Tiger is image and style conscious, and can be somewhat theatrical.
Famous Tigers
Groucho Marx, Meryl Streep, Evel Knievel, Charles de Gaulle, Stalin, Barak Obama, Marylin Monroe, Lady Di, Romy Schneider, George Eliot, Jim Carrey, Mark Spitz, Bill Murray, George Clooney, Axl Rose, Peter Gabriel, Albert Einstein, William Wyler, Lawrence Fishburne, Sam Altman, Donald Knuth, James Clerk Maxwell, Christian Bale, Anthony Hopkins, Amanda Seyfried, Ricky Gervais, Nijinski, Nureyev, Carl Lewis, Manu Chao, Agatha Christie
Juan Carlos I, Javier Clemente, Candela Peña
Rabbit (Jupiter in Pisces)
- The most
- Individual
- Quality: Mutable
- Fluctuating, spontaneous
- Underlying element: Wood
- Sensual, elegant
- Individual, stylish, steady
Also known as Cat or Hare.
The Rabbit is an independent and self motivated sign that may at first not appear to be so, since it takes its own path tactfully and without fussing. The Rabbit does not feel bound by convention, and develops a personal and unconventional style that is at the same time elegant. It may not be practically minded. However, it has quick reflexes and can extricate itself from bad situations in a tactful manner. It has multiple interests and may become a diletante. People generally like the Rabbit, who is tolerant and cultivated and discreet. However, Rabbits can sometimes obscure and aloof.
Famous Rabbits
Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ralph Fiennes, Vincente Minelli, Steve Wozniak, Lady Gaga, Tina Turner, Quentin Tarantino, Charles Barkley, Edith Piaf, John Stockton, Penélope Cruz, Isaac Newton, Michael Jordan, Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, Francis Ford Coppola, Orson Welles, Leonardo da Vinci, Tom Cruise, George Orwell, Nietzsche, Cervantes, Erwin Rommel, Ingrid Bergman, Jordan Peterson
Vicente del Bosque, Rafa Nadal, Mercedes Milá, Pedro Duque, Jordi Évole, Carles Puigdemont
Dragon (Jupiter in Aries)
- The most
- Individual
- Quality: Cardinal
- Comprehensive, stable
- Underlying element: Water
- Intuitive, maverick
- Effective, individual, drastic
The Dragon is a sign full independence and does not feel bound by social convention. The Dragon laughs at hierarchies, and at times does so openly, without a care about alienating people and ruffling feathers. It has leadership and organization capacity but does not seek approval; it is self-motivated. The Dragon likes a good challenge, and may find unconventional yet effective solutions to problems thanks to its quick intuition. Results can be dramatic. Despite its individuality, the Dragon makes friends easily thanks to its loyalty and a sense of fairness and balance. Still, at times it can become tyrannical as it demands total control.
Famous Dragons
Luka Dončić, Jean Smart, Nigel Farage, Francisco Franco, Ian McKellen, Tiger Woods, Jeff Bezos, Ayn Rand, Ariel Sharon, Chopin, Georg Cantor, Rene Descartes, Serge Gainsbourg, Juliette Binoche, Elie Cartan, Salvador Dalí, Kate Winslet, John Cleese, Gregory Peck, Gary Kasparov, Conan O’Brien, Al Pacino,
Arturo Pérez Reverte, Esperanza Aguirre, Camilo José Cela, Jaime Mayor Oreja, Emilio Butragueño, Ana Belén, Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente,
Snake (Jupiter in Taurus)
- The most
- Steady
- Quality: Fixed
- Focused, dedicated
- Underlying element: Metal
- Analytical, conventional
- Effective, steady, social
The Snake is venerated in Chinese astrology as the sign of beauty and wisdom.
The Snake is analytical, steady, and has an innate sense of economy of effort.
It can detect subtle changes in social dynamics, and can enact change with
persuasion, smoothly and effectively, with people not noticing.
Fist of iron in a silk glove.
The Snake can be single minded and pursue objectives with a steely focus
and amazing steadiness and regularity. This may make it appear stubborn or
conservative.
The Snake is social and relational even if it does not appear so at first sight.
The Chinese say the Snake’s need to seduce can lead it astray.
The Snake is a devoted friend and can spend long hours taking
care of someone in need. However, there may be strings attached.
Famous Snakes
John Lennon, Vladimir Putin, Edward G. Robinson, John Ford, Richard Stallman, Robert Downey Jr., Henry Fonda, Max Planck, Jeff Goldblum, Isabelle Huppert, Stephen Colbert, Bruce Lee, Noam Chomsky, Martin Luther King, Mao Zedong, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Paul Krugman, Audrey Hepburn, Lenin, Ryan Reynolds, Bob Dylan, John F. Kennedy, Henry VIII, Jean Paul Sartre, Stanley Kubrick, Pablo Picasso, Hayao Miyazaki
Miguel Induráin, José María Aznar, Joaquin Leguina, Alfonso Guerra, Victor Erice, Plácido Domingo, Santiago Abascal, Andreu Buenafuente
Horse (Jupiter in Gemini)
- The most
- Stylish
- Quality: Mutable
- Fluctuating, spontaneous
- Underlying element: Fire
- Watchful, popular
- Drastic, social, stylish
The Horse is multi-talented, popular, stylish, and drastic. Always looking for new adventures, friendly, the Horse is the original cool guy. The Horse is competitive and likes to win with flair. It can be a driven workaholic, provided the job can keep it moving; otherwise it will seek new challenges. The Horse enjoys social occasions, and thanks to its style, wit and eloquence, is generally the life of the party. The Horse is watchful and makes decisions quickly. It is not interested in ponderous consideration or nuance. The Chinese horoscope says the Horse is the only sign that can take several paths at once, and the one most capable of leaving everything for love.
Famous Horses
Clint Eastwood, Bernie Sanders, Muhammad Ali, Oprah Winfrey, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jackie Chan, Kanye West, Xi Jinping, John Cassavettes, Jane Austen, Martha Stewart, Lord Byron, John Travolta, Steve McQueen, Dennis Quaid, Myrna Loy, Richard Feynman, Igor Stravinski, J.K. Rowling, Aldous Huxley, Slobodan Milosevic, Robert Mitchum, Yasser Arafat, Alicia Silverstone, Jesse Jackson, Grace Kelly, Theodore Roosevelt
Felipe González, Jordi Pujol, María Teresa Campos, Rosa María Sardá, Ana Botella, Santiago Segura, Pablo Motos
Goat (Jupiter in Cancer)
- The most
- Stylish
- Quality: Cardinal
- Comprehensive, stable
- Underlying element: Wood
- Sensual, elegant
- Individual, stylish, steady
The Goat is the artist of the Horoscope. Skilled and stylish, but possibly impractical. It has an esthetic vision that it works toward steadily. It will be permanently dissatisfied if it can’t bring it to fruition. It can get cranky. The Goat’s goals are personal and unconventional, but being a tactful sign, it knows how to act with tact and propriety. The Goat will have many friends thanks to its elegance and creativity, its sense of balance and propriety, its naturalness. But it can become angry if it can’t establish pervasive control.
Famous Goats
Steve Jobs, Taylor Swift, Jessie Buckley, Emmanuel Macron, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, J.D. Salinger, Michael Mann, James Dean, Boris Yeltsin, Bruce Willis, Billie Eilish, Joe Biden, Warren Buffett, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Angela Merkel, Mike Tyson, Rita Hayworth, Martin Scorsese, Carlos Kleiber, Jean-Luc Godard, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bobby Fischer, John Major, Katharine Hepburn, Debra Winger, Paul McCartney, Laurence Olivier, Adam Sandler, Ingmar Bergman, Benito Mussolini, Kobe Bryant, Rowan Atkinson “Mr. Bean”, Eric Idle, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Barbara Stanwyck, Teresa Wright, John Wayne
Ana Obregón, Maruja Torres, Mariano Rajoy, Javier Solana, Iñaki Gabilondo, Antonio Gala
Monkey (Jupiter in Leo)
- The most
- Drastic
- Quality: Fixed
- Focused, dedicated
- Underlying element: Water
- Intuitive, maverick
- Effective, individual, drastic
The Monkey is unrelenting. It attacks goals with a steely focus at the exclusion of all else. When it achieves or abandons goals, it makes for a dramatic switch. The Monkey is intuitive and unconventional. It does not feel bound by social strictures, and is self-motivated. It can at times alienate others. It values effectiveness, elegance be damned, but there’s a certain elegance to this sign who loves to achieve goals dramatically in a single shot. Monkeys can communicate with great frankness, even though they are also reserved. They can at times be erratic.
Famous Monkeys
George Lucas, Bill Gates, William Shakespeare, Ian Fleming, Richard Wagner, Robert de Niro, Magnus Carlsen, Robert Crumb, Joe Rogan, Greta Thunberg, Terrence Malick, John Kerry, Federico Fellini, Umberto Eco, Anthony Bourdain, Sinéad O’Connor, Will Ferrell, Joni Mitchell, Willem Dafoe, Pope Leo 14th, Debbie Reynolds, Eric Rohmer, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Lean, Ashley Judd, Patricia Arquette, Herbert von Karajan, James Stewart, Lars von Trier, Andrei Tarkovsky, Bjorn Borg, Peter O’Toole, Ian Holm, Leonhard Euler, Gerhard Schröder, Mick Jagger, Barbara Walters, Buster Keaton, Catherine Deneuve
Carlos Alcaraz, Norma Duval, Iciar Bollain, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Julio Iglesias, Pablo Iglesias, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, Rocío Jurado, Ramón Trecet, El Gran Wyoming, Baltasar Garzón
Rooster (Jupiter in Virgo)
- The most
- Social
- Quality: Mutable
- Fluctuating, spontaneous
- Underlying element: Metal
- Analytical, conventional
- Effective, steady, social
The Rooster is a group-oriented sign. Often very sociable, but at the very least very concerned with group dynamics, which it analyzes all the time. Its focus and efficiency and its sociability have the Rooster often dispensing advice. Since it is a fluctuating sign and can be at times scattered, it will get involved in a variety of teams and roles. The Chinese call the Rooster the small Dragon, and legend says that he is capable of digging food out of the ground by force of his perseverance. It can be an exhibitionist while at the same time it’s conventional and ultimately seeks approval.
Famous Roosters
Jaques Chirac, Larry Bird, Tom Hanks, Paolo Maldini, Michael Caine, Victor Hugo, Pat Riley, Severiano Ballesteros, Thomas Jefferson, Harry Houdini, Carol Burnett, Frank Capra, Steffi Graf, Eddy Merckx, Frances McDormand, John Glenn, Michael Douglas, Will Smith, Martina Navratilova, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Julia Roberts, Sylvia Plath, Jean Paul Belmondo, Gene Tierney, Roman Polanski, Jaqueline Bisset, Danny DeVito, Zohran Mamdani
Ana Rosa Quintana, Felipe VI, Pau Gasol, Isabel Pantoja, Adolfo Suárez, Pepe Sancho
Dog (Jupiter in Libra)
- The most
- Social
- Quality: Cardinal
- Comprehensive, stable
- Underlying element: Fire
- Watchful, popular
- Drastic, social, stylish
The Dog is very sociable, and very watchful of group dynamics. It’s a, uh, watch dog. When it detects trouble it will quickly jump into action and coordinate a response. Since it has a certain balance and fairness, an an innate gregariousness, it will enlist support and be very popular. However it may also want to be the center of attention, pervading all aspects and involved in all decisions, and may become aggressive if it feels challenged in its control. The Dog can be very bossy and even intimidating, but everything it does is focused on the good of the team. Ultimately it seeks popularity.
Famous Dogs
Winston Churchill, Jodie Comer, Michael Schumacher, Joan of Arc, Ralph Nader, George Washington, Otto von Bismark, Cher, Anna Kournikova, Donald Trump, Naomi Campbell, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Phil Jackson, Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, Hristo Stoichkov, Martin Luther, George Patton, Larry King, Lucy Liu, Shirley Maclaine, Prince, Sylvester Stallone, Edward Norton, Vittorio Gassman, Dolly Parton, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Iker Casillas, José Coronado, Carmen Maura, Nacho Duato, Marisa Paredes, Eusebio Poncela, Carlos Alsina, Javier Bardem
Pig (Jupiter in Scorpion)
- The most
- Steady
- Quality: Fixed
- Focused, dedicated
- Underlying element: Wood
- Sensual, elegant
- Individual, stylish, steady
Also known as Boar.
The Pig can be single minded and narrow in its pursuit of goals. It extremely steady and dedicated. A creature of habit. It may be perceived as stubborn. The Pig reacts to change gradually but steadily. The Pig is unconventional and self-motivated. It generally doesn’t allow itself to bother others, and may not ask for help when in need. It can be impractical. It communicates with innate style, and may be verbose. The Chinese say that once the Pig starts rolling in the mud, it can’t stop. It can be very gallant and lavish. The Pig is a great enjoyer of sensual pleasures. It is considered the most voluptuous, even raunchy, of signs, and is said to have a dark beauty, in contrast with the Snake’s ethereal elegance.
Famous Pigs
Steven Spielberg, Britney Spears, Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, Linus Torvalds, Hoagy Carmichael, Elvis Presley, Jack London, Al Capone, David Bowie, Sharon Stone, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Andre Agassi, Johan Cruyff, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Napoleon Bonaparte, T.E. Lawrence, Michael Jackson, Charles Manson, Stephen King, Ronald Reagan, Ethan Hawke, Hugh Laurie, Marianne Faithful, Marco Pantani, Glenn Close, David Letterman, Gary Oldman, Rupert Everett, Pete Sampras, Leo Tolstoy, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chico Marx
Javier Gurruchaga, Lola Flores, Iván Espinosa de los Monteros, Gabriel Rufián, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, Manuel Fraga Iribarne, Jose Borrell, Julia Otero, Victoria Abril, Massiel, Pedro Ruiz, Nancho Novo, Francisco Álvarez-Cascos, Princesa Leonor, Maribel Verdú, Julio Medem
The Philosophy of the Signs. Elements and qualities
I like the Chinese signs better than the Western signs, and the Elements too,
though in Chinese astrology, the Elements get quite convoluted.
The Western zodiac is better organized. What follows is a synthesis, keeping
a Chinese view of the signs and elements, but organized according to a more
Western way.
I pick and choose what I like, like a magpie.
It’s at odds with what you will find in other pages and in books.
Complementaries
Something I like about the Chinese way is the emphasis on complementary qualities, in the form of Yin / Yang. Not that I have figured out a good way to tell which is which, so I won’t use Yin / Yang much. What I do take to heart is that there are always two complementary sides to the coin, not opposites. To prepare for the introduction of the Elements, here are some pairings of complementaries:
Identity
- Individual
- Self motivated, loyal to personal convictions, does not seek popularity
nor even approval. Measures success in personal terms.
Feels constrained by roles, disregards hierarchy. Is tolerant.
Accuracy in communication, can be unconventional. - Social
- Focused on role played in groups. Loyalty to the team, seeks approval and
possibly popularity. Measures success in terms of team.
Feels realized in a group, watches roles and hierarchies. Is helpful.
Tailors communication to audience, can be conventional.
Creation
- Stylish
- The style and the process are important. Doesn’t want to achieve the
goal if it’s going to be ugly or drab. Enjoys adding flair and life.
Form over function.
Indulgence of effort, vivid communication. - Effective
- Focuses on achieving the goal, and will use a variety of strategies
for it. What’s important is getting it done, not the style.
Function over form.
Economy of effort, clarity of communication.
Movement
- Drastic
- Pursues interests with fervor and exclusivity, is not interested in half measures or phasing. Abrupt changes of direction and pace.
- Steady
- Pursues interests incrementally, a little every day, over protracted periods. Gentle changes of direction and pace. A creature of habit.
The Elements
If you put the 12 animals on a circle, and make a set taking every fourth sign, you 4 sets of 3 signs each. These are the Elements; they give an idea of the temperament of a sign.
Signs with the same underlying Element are harmonic; you may hear them referred to as “trines” in Chinese astrology books.
Fire
- Native signs
- Horse, Dog, Tiger
- Time
- summer
- Characteristics
- Watchful, popular
- Social, stylish, drastic
Fire signs are social and approval seeking, seek stylishness and beauty. They focus on relationships and appearances. They are helpful and conventional. Pithy communicators with style and a sense of what will be popular. They tend to be dramatic in their changes.
Metal
- Native signs
- Rooster, Ox, Snake
- Time
- autumn
- Characteristics
- Analytical, conventional
- Social, effective, steady
Metal signs are are social and approval seeking, seek effectiveness and are not overly concerned with style. They focus on relationships and results. They are helpful and conventional. Verbose communicators who value clarity over flair, and who are mindful of what will work with their audience. They tend to be gradual and steady in their changes.
Water
- Native signs
- Rat, Dragon, Monkey
- Time
- winter
- Characteristics
- Intuitive, maverick
- Individual, effective, drastic
Water signs are independent and unconventional, goal oriented and not too worried about looks. They trust their intuition. They are idiosyncratic and tolerant. Pithy communicators who value accuracy and clarity over style and popularity. They tend to be drastic in their changes.
Wood
- Native signs
- Rabbit, Goat, Pig
- Time
- spring
- Characteristics
- Sensual, elegant
- Individual, stylish, steady
Wood signs are independent and unconventional, stylish and beauty seeking. They trust their senses. They are idiosyncratic and tolerant. Verbose communicators with innate style, more focused on authenticity than on making themselves understood. They tend to be gradual and steady in their changes.
| Underlying element | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fire | Horse, Dog, Tiger |
| Metal | Rooster, Ox, Snake |
| Water | Rat, Dragon, Monkey |
| Wood | Rabbit, Goat, Pig |
Seasons and features
The organization of the elements into signs by skipping fourths is my nod to Western astrology. In Chinese astrology, though the grouping into Elements is based on season of birth, but the harmonies follow the same pattern as the Western Elements. By this I mean that if in Western astrology, say, the Air signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are harmonic, in Chinese astrology the corresponding signs of Horse, Dog, and Tiger, are harmonic though they are considered to have different Elements.
In a nod to the Chinese way, let’s consider grouping the signs according to their season.
| Season | Seasonal element | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Fire | Goat, Monkey, Rooster |
| Autumn | Metal | Dog, Pig, Rat |
| Winter | Water | Ox, Tiger, Rabbit |
| Spring | Wood | Dragon, Snake, Horse |
Each sign has an underlying element and a seasonal element which combine accentuating some aspects and moderating others. Each sign gets one aspect accentuated.
For example, the Rat has underlying Water and seasonal Metal.
Metal and Water both desire effectiveness, so that aspect gets accentuated.
Metal is social and Water is individual, so that aspect is moderated.
Metal is steady while Water is drastic, so that aspect is moderated.
The Ox has underlying Metal and seasonal Water, and the Metal and
Water combination accentuates the same aspects and moderates the
same aspects as in the case of the Rat.
The most…
- Effective
- Rat
- Ox
- Drastic
- Tiger
- Monkey
- Individual
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Steady
- Snake
- Pig
- Stylish
- Horse
- Goat
- Social
- Rooster
- Dog
The Qualities
If you put the 12 animals on a circle, and make a set taking every third sign, you get 3 sets of 4 signs each. These are the qualities and tell you how signs act and use their energies.
- Fixed
- Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig
These signs concentrate their strength onto a narrow focus that they pursue with dedication. They have a clearly delineated identity.
On the plus side they can gather great strength, on the negative they can have blind spots and be slow to change.
- Mutable
- Rat, Rabbit, Horse, Rooster
These signs cast their energy in many areas of focus that they jump between. They have a multifaceted identity and can be spontaneous.
On the plus side they’re quick to act, on the negative they can scatter and can be unstable.
- Cardinal
- Ox, Dragon, Goat, Dog
These signs use their energy to pervade. They have a wide focus, taking it all in, and are stable. They have a natural and dependable identity.
On the plus side they think of everything and are stable, on the negative they can spread too thin and be slow to act.
| Western Quality | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fixed | Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig |
| Mutable | Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit |
| Cardinal | Dog, Ox, Dragon, Goat |
Chinese astrology also has harmonies and qualities
The information in this section about Hidden Elements and seasonal characteristics is not widely written about in Chinese astrology books and pages.
I got the information from Classical Five Element Chinese Astrology Made Easy by David Twicken, published by Writers Club Press, 2000. I don’t follow it fully, but this is a book I found really helpful to reconcile Western and Chinese astrologies.
Harmonies: Hidden Elements
Here is the table of seasons from the Seasons section:
| Seasonal element | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fire | Goat, Monkey, Rooster |
| Metal | Dog, Pig, Rat |
| Water | Ox, Tiger, Rabbit |
| Wood | Dragon, Snake, Horse |
The seasons here are at odds with Chinese astrology books, since in Chinese
astrology the seasons are assigned differently. Spring is considered to begin
in February and end in April. Summer is considered to star in May.
This is how it looks:
| Chinese seasonal element | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fire | Snake, Horse, Goat |
| Metal | Monkey, Rooster, Dog |
| Water | Pig, Rat, Ox |
| Wood | Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon |
Harmonic trios in Chinese astrology are handled with “Hidden Elements”,
with the signs at the middle of Chinese seasons, i.e. the
Rat, Rabbit, Horse, and Rooster, having no Hidden Element, being considered
pure manifestations of the Element.
For example, the Horse is considered the paradigm of Fire, and the harmonic
signs of Dog and Tiger are said to have Hidden Element Fire.
| Element | Embodied in | Hidden in |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Horse | Dog, Tiger |
| Metal | Rooster | Ox, Snake |
| Water | Rat | Dragon, Monkey |
| Wood | Rabbit | Goat, Pig |
This matches the table of underlying elements from the Elements section:
| Underlying element | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fire | Horse, Dog, Tiger |
| Metal | Rooster, Ox, Snake |
| Water | Rat, Dragon, Monkey |
| Wood | Rabbit, Goat, Pig |
Qualities: Earth and Yin/Yang
In Chinese astrology there is a fifth Element: Earth. It is considered to represent a combination of the other Elements, and it doesn’t really have a season. Its “season” is the end of each of the other seasons. Since in Chinese astrology, spring is considered to end in April (Dragon), summer in July (Goat), autumn in October (Dog), and winter in January (Ox), it means those animals are considered to be native Earths. Which means that in Chinese astrology, the Earth Element corresponds to the Western Cardinal quality.
We saw previously that the signs of Horse, Rooster, Rat, and Rabbit are considered pure manifestations of their underlying element. These correspond to the Western Mutable Quality.
Lastly, in Chinese astrology, spring is considered to begin in February (Tiger), summer in May (Snake), autumn in August (Monkey), and winter in November (Pig). These signs are considered to have Yang energy, as they are the initiators of seasons. And in comparison to the pure signs, they have some more stability, expressed by a Hidden Element Earth (Yang). These signs correspond to the Fixed Quality in Western astrology.
Speaking of Yin and Yang, the pure signs of Horse, Rooster, Rat and Rabbit are considered Yin. And of the Earth signs, half are Yang (Dragon and Dog), half are Yin (Ox and Goat).
| Essence | Yin / Yang | Hidden elements | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yang | Yang | Underlying element, Yang Earth | Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig |
| Element | Yin | - | Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit |
| Earth | Yin / Yang | Underlying element | Dog, Dragon (Yang Earth) Ox, Goat (Yin Earth) |
Which strongly resembles the table in the Qualities section:
| Western Quality | Signs |
|---|---|
| Fixed | Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig |
| Mutable | Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit |
| Cardinal | Dog, Ox, Dragon, Goat |
We got to this point in Westernized astrology with a lot less trouble. Not to mention that if Earth and Hidden Elements seem obscure, the Yin and Yang is reads differently from different perspectives. In this section we’ve said, for example, that the Horse is Yin. However, the Horse is often also regarded as Yang, and strongly so.
Ah well.