Chinese Animal Kingdom Lined Up
Yesterday
my blog was essentially about FOMO and the failure to read one’s natal chart or
Bazi (八字). As promised, I will dwell more to explain
Bazi and the pillars.
A
lot of Chinese astrologers have the habit of just focusing on the year pillar
and base on a new lunar year’s forecast or prediction based on the year pillar.
This is just reading approximately 25% of your Bazi chart which is incomplete.
Moreover,
the year pillar denotes your external environment and the happenings in your
social circle and network. It has no direct reference to you. Traditionally,
the year pillar refers to your grandparents. If your grandparents are not
longer around, then there is no impact on you regardless of which zodiac animal
that comes into prominence in the new lunar year.
The
Animals in queue
Today,
let us look at the twelve Chinese zodiac animals or the Chinese animal kingdom.
In the right order, it starts with the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake,
Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Out
of the twelve animals in the Chinese animal farm, the Dragon is the only
mythological creature which could have been listed as a candidate in the early
days because the Chinese saw the dragon associated with deities and heavens. That
was why the Chinese Emperor being the Son of Heaven could only carry dragon
motifs on him. The common men were forbidden to have anything dragon on him. As
for the Tiger, the generals of ancient China were the only privileged group to
bear tiger motifs on them.
The
imperial seal of the Emperor bore dragon motifs. The military seals used by the
army and generals bore tiger motifs. So, we know that the dragon and tiger were
revered by the imperial and military class of the Chinese in ancient days.
As
for the Chinese common folk who lived in the agriculture based economy, they
were very familiar with animals in the poultry farms. The Rat, Ox, Rabbit, Snake,
Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig were animals domesticated in the
common home.
Goodness,
are they celestial creatures?
So,
the next question is: How did the animals appear in Bazi charts? There is
nothing “animal” found in astronomy and celestial objects in the Universe.
In
those days, astrologers were a special class of the few people who were literate
and well trained to read the stars and the skies. Amongst them, they knew their
own jargon. However, when they wanted to communicate what they knew to the others
(who may also include the Emperor) like the common folk, they had to use familiar
language that they knew in order to share their knowledge. Jargon would not
have worked. It was very clever of them to use animals in the Chinese kingdom
to represent the stars.
So,
let us say Saturn and Jupiter appeared in the skies and their energies would be
strong for the new lunar year. The
common folk in ancient China would not have known the names of Saturn and Jupiter. However if
the astrologer were to describe the stars using animals like the Pig or the Dog, all would seem
comprehensible to the common folk.
Those
ancient astrologers were very clever to use familiar language to communicate with
the common folk. When I see the Chinese animal characters in the Bazi chart, it
makes me easy to understand and read the chart.
We
live in an environment filled with qi and we are surrounded with qi. Qi is nothing
religious. Qi is like the oxygen that we breathe in. Traditional Chinese medicine
tracks the flow of qi in our bodies and provide a prescription when our qi is blocked
which makes us uncomfortable. If you are familiar with acupuncture, you would
understand what qi is.
Each
lunar year, the qi would enter our lives and have an impact on us. The impact of qi affects our fortunes. Thus, the term, “fortune-tell”, got associated with
the lunar new year.
Know
Animal, know age or Vice-Versa
Furthermore,
for anyone in the current times to just say that he was born in a certain year
like Rooster, you would have easily guessed his year of birth. It does not get
complicated but is pretty much SMART.
SMART
in my definition is as follows: S-simple, M-measurable, A-accessible, R-real, T-timed
Do
you know that the twelve animals are a mix of young and old creatures? They are
classified in the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.
A
few of the twelve animals are youthful while a few of them are less youthful. Which
are the animals which are youthful? Naturally the animals classified as Growth
(Youthful)
Personally,
I looked at my own chart and there are two of the Youthful animals in my Bazi Chart.
I have analysed my own behaviour and my life so far. I am one who like to move about, love
travelling and love to think young. My life has been exciting so far. It is not
sedentary nor dull.
This
is because the Growth animals or Youthful animals (I prefer to use the term,
Youtfhful.) denote exploration, movement or discovery. People with Youthful
animals in their chart just cannot sit still. They have young ideas youthful
heart or even a youthful look. I am guilty of all.
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Youthful Animals
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Tiger
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Snake
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Monkey
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Pig
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Do you have any of these animals in your Bazi chart? If so,
how many are there in your Bazi chart?
I have seen some charts of my friends and I also read them.
The way they look seem to tie in well with their animal in the Year pillar. I
have a friend who does not look youthful and it was proven that he did not have
a Youthful animal in his chart.
What are the non-Youthful animals of Bazi, you may wonder?
I will share it in my next blog.
OXOX!
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