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Inventions and Technology
The ancient Chinese were one of the most scientifically advanced civilisations
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Ancient China Homepage
The Land of China
Geography
Major Chinese Cities
Section 1.3
Section 1.4
Section 1.5
Section 1.6
Section 1.7
Section 1.8
Section 1.9
Section 1.10
Section 1.11
Section 1.12
Section 1.13
Section 1.14
Section 1.15
Dynasties
Shang Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Section 2.5
Section 2.6
Section 2.7
Section 2.8
Section 2.9
Section 2.10
Section 2.11
Section 2.12
Section 2.13
Section 2.14
Section 2.15
Inventions & Technology
Pottery & Porcelain
Silk
Compass
Paper & Printing
Gunpowder
Section 3.6
Section 3.7
Section 3.8
Section 3.9
Section 3.10
Section 3.11
Section 3.12
Section 3.13
Section 3.14
Section 3.15
Famous Chinese Figures
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Sun Tzu
Empress Wu Zetian
Zheng He
Aixinjueluo Puyi
Section 4.6
Section 4.7
Section 4.8
Section 4.9
Section 4.10
Section 4.11
Section 4.12
Section 4.13
Section 4.14
Section 4.15
Famous Chinese Landmarks
The Great Wall of China
The Terracotta Army
The Forbidden City
The Three Gorges Dam
Beijing's Olympic Marvels
Section 5.6
Section 5.7
Section 5.8
Section 5.9
Section 5.10
Section 5.11
Section 5.12
Section 5.13
Section 5.14
Section 5.15
Chinese Life & Culture
Chinese Horoscope
Chinese Calendar
Section 6.3
Section 6.4
Section 6.5
Section 6.6
Section 6.7
Section 6.8
Section 6.9
Section 6.10
Section 6.11
Section 6.12
Section 6.13
Section 6.14
Section 6.15
Religion & Philosophy
Confucianism
Buddhism
Taoism
Section 7.4
Section 7.5
Section 7.6
Section 7.7
Section 7.8
Section 7.9
Section 7.10
Section 7.11
Section 7.12
Section 7.13
Section 7.14
Section 7.15
Timeline
Section 8.1
Section 8.2
Section 8.3
Section 8.4
Section 8.5
Section 8.6
Section 8.7
Section 8.8
Section 8.9
Section 8.10
Section 8.11
Section 8.12
Section 8.13
Section 8.14
Section 8.15
Section 9
Section 9.1
Section 9.2
Section 9.3
Section 9.4
Section 9.5
Section 9.6
Section 9.7
Section 9.8
Section 9.9
Section 9.10
Section 9.11
Section 9.12
Section 9.13
Section 9.14
Section 9.15
Section 10
Section 10.1
Section 10.2
Section 10.3
Section 10.4
Section 10.5
Section 10.6
Section 10.7
Section 10.8
Section 10.9
Section 10.10
Section 10.11
Section 10.12
Section 10.13
Section 10.14
Section 10.15
Section 11
Section 11.1
Section 11.2
Section 11.3
Section 11.4
Section 11.5
Section 11.6
Section 11.7
Section 11.8
Section 11.9
Section 11.10
Section 11.11
Section 11.12
Section 11.13
Section 11.14
Section 11.15
Section 12
Section 12.1
Section 12.2
Section 12.3
Section 12.4
Section 12.5
Section 12.6
Section 12.7
Section 12.8
Section 12.9
Section 12.10
Section 12.11
Section 12.12
Section 12.13
Section 12.14
Section 12.15
Section 13
Section 13.1
Section 13.2
Section 13.3
Section 13.4
Section 13.5
Section 13.6
Section 13.7
Section 13.8
Section 13.9
Section 13.10
Section 13.11
Section 13.12
Section 13.13
Section 13.14
Section 13.15
Section 14
Section 14.1
Section 14.2
Section 14.3
Section 14.4
Section 14.5
Section 14.6
Section 14.7
Section 14.8
Section 14.9
Section 14.10
Section 14.11
Section 14.12
Section 14.13
Section 14.14
Section 14.15
Section 15
Section 15.1
Section 15.2
Section 15.3
Section 15.4
Section 15.5
Section 15.6
Section 15.7
Section 15.8
Section 15.9
Section 15.10
Section 15.11
Section 15.12
Section 15.13
Section 15.14
Section 15.15
Chinese life and culture
Chinese horoscope

The Chinese horoscope follows a 12-year cycle used for dating the years, and consists of 12 zodiac signs. Each of these signs are characterised by an animal and follow this sequence: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and the pig.

A legend attributes the order of these signs to a competition ordered by the Jade Emperor for all animals, with the faster animals ranking higher in the Jade Emperor’s calendar. The rat won the competition by hitching a ride on the back of the ox, and the lazy pig came in last.

The Chinese horoscope is also associated with the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. A person’s horoscope therefore possesses both an animal sign as well as an element. Traditional Chinese people are particular about horoscopes, and marriages are sometimes arranged according to compatible signs.

The Chinese horoscope follows the Chinese lunar calendar, so the sign changes to the next one during Chinese New Year instead of 1 January as with the Gregorian calendar.

Photos: DCI