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Well, let me tell ya ’bout these Chinese zodiac thingamajigs, the artwork and such. It’s a whole bunch of animals, y’know? Like, twelve of ’em. They got a rat, a cow… or is it an ox? Anyways, same difference, big ol’ thing that plows the fields. Then there’s a tiger, a rabbit – cute little fella, always twitchin’ its nose. And a dragon! A big, fancy, fire-breathin’ dragon, not like the little lizards we got ’round here.

Then comes a snake, slitherin’ around. A horse, strong and fast, like the one Old Man Li used to have. A goat, always nibblin’ on stuff. A monkey, cheeky little critter, always causin’ trouble. And a rooster, crowin’ at the crack of dawn, wake up everybody! A dog, loyal and friendly, always waggin’ its tail. And last but not least, a pig, fat and happy, just eatin’ and sleepin’ all day long. That’s the whole crew, twelve of ‘em. They say each one has its own… uh… character. Like, the ox is hardworking, stubborn as a mule, but gets the job done. The rat, well, they say it’s clever. Maybe too clever for its own good, if ya ask me.
Now, these animals, they ain’t just animals. They’re in pictures and stuff. Like, paintings. Real fancy ones, with all sorts of colors and swirls. And they write words next to them, special words that are supposed to bring ya good luck. Especially durin’ that New Year thing they do, the Lunar New Year, they call it. Lots of red and gold, firecrackers poppin’, and everybody eatin’ good food. They put pictures of these animals everywhere, doors, windows, even on clothes!
- Rat: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 … and so on, every twelve years.
- Ox: Then comes the ox year, twelve years after the rat.
- Tiger: And then the tiger, twelve years after the ox. You get the picture, right? It keeps goin’ like that.
- Rabbit: Fluffy little thing, comes after the tiger.
- Dragon: The big show-off, the dragon year.
- Snake: Slithery fella, then it’s the snake’s turn.
- Horse: Strong and steady, that’s the horse.
- Goat: Nibbles all day, that’s the goat.
- Monkey: Always up to somethin’, that monkey.
- Rooster: Wakes everybody up, the rooster.
- Dog: Man’s best friend, the dog year.
- Pig: Eats and sleeps, the pig, last but not least.
There’s this fella, Ai Weiwei I think his name was, he made some big statues of these animals. Heard tell they’re made of bronze, real heavy stuff. They were supposed to be on some fountain a long time ago, in a place called the Old Summer Palace, in Beijing. Big city, that Beijing. Never been there myself, too far to travel for this old woman. But I saw a picture once, looked real grand.
These animals, they go in a cycle, y’know? Every twelve years, it starts all over again. So, if you were born in the year of the rat, then twelve years later, it’s the rat year again. And twelve years after that, another rat year. It’s like a big circle, goin’ round and round. My grandson, little rascal, he’s a monkey. Always climbin’ on stuff, just like those monkeys in the pictures. Always makin’ me laugh, that boy.
These zodiac animals, they’re more than just critters in pictures. They’re part of somethin’ bigger, somethin’ important. They’re about time, about years goin’ by, about people and their… well, their personalities, I guess. And they’re pretty to look at, too, all those fancy colors and swirls. Makes ya think, y’know? About life, about how things keep goin’ in circles, just like those twelve animals, year after year. Makes ya wonder what kinda animal you are, and what that means for your life. Me? I reckon I’m an ox. Worked hard all my life, stubborn as they come, but always got the job done. Just like that ox, plowin’ the fields, day after day.
So next time ya see one of them pictures, or a statue, or somethin’, remember what I told ya. It ain’t just a picture of an animal, it’s a whole story, a whole heap of years, all rolled into one. It’s part of somethin’ old, somethin’ special. And that, I reckon, is worth knowin’ about. Even for an old woman like me.

Tags: Chinese Zodiac, Artwork, Lunar New Year, Ai Weiwei, Zodiac Animals, Animal Signs, Traditional Art, Chinese Culture, Sculpture, Zodiac Cycle