It’s almost time for the New Year, Chinese New Year that is. Because it is ruled by the lunar calendar and not the solar calendar that we use in the west, the New Year does not start on January first. Instead it usually starts around the fourth or fifth of February, changing slightly each year. Each year is represented by one of the animals of the Chinese zodiac. They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. So when you look at the placements in a Chinese restaurant to find out your animal sign remember when the year begins. If you were born before the fourth or fifth on February you must take the animal of the previous year. If you were born on the day of the New Year you must know the hour of your birth to determine which animal is yours. Most people don’t know this but you do now.

Just like with the trigrams, each animal belongs to an element, a personality, a time of year and a time of day. They also have a group of friends they work well with. 2008 is a rat year and the beginning of the zodiac cycle. Most people have a negative reaction to rats. We think of them as vermin that carry disease. Unpleasant creatures that appear with dozens of their friends surprising you do not make for an appealing beast. But this rat is very different.

In Chinese myth the rat was the animal that was given the task of inviting all the other animals to appear before the Jade Emperor to be considered for a position in the zodiac. The rat is considered to be disciplined, meticulous, hardworking and industrious. A charming animal that is sociable and eloquent is not our idea of what the rat represents. But in the Chinese zodiac he reveals these characteristics. But on the negative side the rat can be dictatorial, stubborn, selfish and ruthless. So, people born in the rat year can exhibit these characteristics. Each animal has both negative and positive traits.

The rat is a ruled by yang or strong water, is found in the winter portion of the year and gets along well with the monkey and dragon. The hours of the day are also divided up and assigned to the 12 animals of the zodiac. We think of the day as 24 hours but the Chinese divide it into twelve-two hour periods. Rat rules the hours from 11PM to 1AM. Just as in Western astrology we consider not only our sun sign but also our rising sign. In Chinese astrology you can consider the animal of your birth hour as an influence on your character.

The rat is a sign of power and intensity. Rat people make great leaders but this power can be used for great good or evil.