Well, let’s yak about this 1624 Chinese zodiac thing, ya know? Don’t rightly know what all them fancy words mean, but I can tell ya a thing or two ’bout the animals.
What’s this Chinese Zodiac anyhow?

See, them Chinese folks, they got this whole thing figured out with animals. They call it Shengxiao or somethin’, sounds like a sneeze if ya ask me. Anyways, each year gets an animal, and it goes ’round and ’round, like a mule on a well sweep.
Now, 1624… that was a long, long time ago, even before my grandpappy’s time. To figure out what animal it was, we gotta do some countin’. They got twelve animals, see? Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Just like on the farm, but with a dragon thrown in for good measure, which is a bit odd, ain’t it?
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Goat
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
The Chinese New Year, that ain’t like our New Year’s Day. It starts with spring, they call it “Start of Spring”. And that’s when the Tiger month starts, which is right powerful. So, to know for sure what animal 1624 was, somebody gotta do some figurin’, countin’ back all them years. I ain’t got the patience for that, too much like countin’ beans.
Talkin’ ‘bout the Animals
Let’s just jaw about the animals themselves, that’s more interestin’ anyway. Take the Rat, for instance. Smart little critters, always sneakin’ around, gettin’ into things. They say folks born in the year of the rat are clever, like that. Always lookin’ for a good deal, savin’ their pennies. They’re also good at makin’ quick decisions and love a good adventure, from what I heard.
Then you got the Ox. Strong and steady, always workin’ hard. Folks born in the Ox year, they’re reliable, you can count on ‘em. But stubborn as a mule, too. Just like my old Bessy, wouldn’t budge an inch if she didn’t want to.

The Tiger, now that’s a powerful animal. Brave and bold. Tiger people, they’re leaders, always chargin’ ahead. But sometimes they get a little too hot-headed, ya know?
The Rabbit is gentle and kind. Rabbit folks, they’re lucky, always seem to land on their feet. They get good results at work, too. They say they are surrounded by good luck.
Dragon? Well, that one’s just plain fancy. Powerful and magical. Dragon people, they’re ambitious, always reachin’ for the stars. Not sure I ever seen a real dragon though, seems like a tall tale to me.
The Snake</strong is a sly one, quiet and observant. Snake people, they’re wise, always thinkin’ things through. This year, 2025, they say is the year of the snake and it is a wood snake at that. Starts in January and ends in next February of 2026. Quite a long time, ain’t it?
The Horse is free-spirited, always runnin’ wild. Horse people, they’re independent, gotta do things their own way. Just like my nephew, always gallopin’ off on some adventure.
The Goat is gentle and peaceful. Goat people, they’re kind and compassionate, always lookin’ out for others. They remind me of my neighbor’s kids, always sharing their candy.

The Monkey is clever and playful, always up to mischief. Monkey people, they’re quick-witted, always got a joke up their sleeve. And they are good at finding matches with the dragon.
The Rooster is proud and confident, always struttin’ their stuff. Rooster people, they’re hard-working and dependable, always gettin’ the job done.
The Dog is loyal and faithful, always by your side. Dog people, they’re honest and trustworthy, you can always count on ‘em. Just like my old Blue, best doggone dog I ever had.
And finally, the Pig. Kind and generous, always got a smile on their face. Pig people, they’re easy-going and enjoy the simple things in life. Like a good plate of biscuits and gravy, that’s what I like.
What’s it all Mean Anyhow?
So, what’s the point of all this animal talk? Well, them Chinese folks believe it tells ya somethin’ about a person’s personality, their luck, and even what kinda year they gonna have. Like if you born in the year of the snake, they got predictions for what the year will be like for you. They say rat people gonna have good earnings in 2025, if they don’t spend too much.

Me, I don’t put too much stock in it. Life’s gonna throw ya curveballs no matter what animal year it is. But it’s fun to think about, ain’t it? Just another way folks try to make sense of this crazy world. And whether you’re a rat, an ox, or a pig, it don’t matter much. Just be a good person, work hard, and treat folks right, that’s what I always say. And that is what this old woman thinks about the 1624 Chinese zodiac and all them animals.