Chinese Zodiac (The 12 Animal Signs)
　　More than 30,000 years ago, Chinese ancestors invented the 10 Tian Gan(or heavenly stems)and 12 Di Zhi(or 12 earthly branches for chronological purpose. Later,people used 12 animals to symbolize the 12 earthly branches in order to make things easier to memorize and the animals in order are the mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit,dragon,snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster,dog and pig.

　　You might found out that many Chinese people strongly believe that the time of a person's birth is primary factor in determining that person's characteristics. According to one legend, Buddha invited all the animals to his kingdom, but unfortunately, only a total of 12 turned up, the mouse was naturally the first, followed by the ox, then tiger, the rabbit and so on. Out of gratitude, Buddha decided to name the year after each of the animals in their order of arrival. It is essential in China that every person knows which animal sign he is born under and most of Chinese truly believe that the signs reveal the hidden secrets of a person's character.

十二生肖
　　 3万多年前，中国的祖先发明了10天干和12地支（按时间顺序排列）。后来，人们为了方便记忆，用12种动物代表12地支，动物的排序为：子鼠、丑牛、寅虎、卯兔、辰龙、巳蛇、午马、未羊、申猴、酉鸡、戌狗、亥猪等。
　　你可能会发现中国人特别相信出生年月是决定性格特征的主要因素。根据传说，佛曾邀请所有动物来他的国土上聚会，但遗憾的是，只有12个动物来了，老鼠自然是第一位，接下来是牛、然后是虎，后来是兔子等等。出于感激，佛决定按动物们到的先后次序命名年份。在中国每个人都知道自己的属相是最基本的事，而且大多数的中国人确信属相可以揭示人的性格秘密。