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1、 Chinese Zodiac Culture中国生肖文化 The Origin of Chinese Zodiac生肖的起源 In ancient times, our ancestors counted the years with 10 celestial stems and 12 terrestrial branches. Although this was scientific, most people were illiterate and could not memorize or calculate easily. Thus the animals that influence
2、d peoples lives were chosen to symbolize the terrestrial branches: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon，snake, horse, sheep, monkey,rooster, dog and pig. For a long time there has been a special relationship between humans and the 12 zodiacal animals.Humans admired them, took them as totems, and in th
3、e artistic field, those animal signs were among the features of those themes. This can be reflected in artisans paper-cut works, NewYear pictures, pottery and bronze wares, especially on the bronze mirrors before the appearance of glass ones, on which elaborate formsshowed creativity and passion as
4、well as wishes for a good life. Character ofPersons under the Rat Sign鼠年出生人的性格 Though in peoples eyes, the rat is not adorable, and even some Chinese sayings that related to it have almost derogatory meanings, it ranged as the head of the Chinese zodiac. It was recognized as an animal with spirit, w
5、it, alertness, delicacy, flexibility and vitality.People under this rat sign are usually smart and willing to accumulate wealth and to take efforts to be successful. Throughout their life, there will be many other people who can bring great fortune to them. Thus despite timidity, most of them arehap
6、py and harmonious with others. Character of Persons under the Dragon Sign龙年出生人的性格 The dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture. It is thetoken of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and capacity. In ancient China, a dragon was thought to speed across the sky with divine power Em
7、perors entitled themselves exclusively as “dragon“;their thrones were called “dragon thrones“，their clothes “dragon gowns“. People under the sign of the dragon are lively, energetic and fortunate. They often can be leaders and try to go for perfection. When they meet with difficulties, they are not
8、discouraged. But they are a little arrogant, and impatient, and women are over-confident. If they overcome these defects, they can have a brighter future. The Use of Zodiac Animal Signs生肖的运用 A Chinese horoscope may predict that a person born in the Year of the Horseis “cheerful, popular and quick to
9、 compliment others“. The year of a persons birth is considered the primary factor in determining a persons personality, physical and mental attributes, ability and level of success and happiness throughout his or her lifetime. Events and occurrences in a given year are influencedby the nature of tha
10、t years animal Animal signs also have a useful social function for determining someones age. Instead of asking directly how old a personis,the Chinese often ask about his or her animal sign, which places a person within a cycle of 12 years. This is a popular way to socialize.Chinas Horse Culture中国的马
11、文化 With the development of the horse breeding industry, abundant experiences were accumulated throughout the ages. The most famous master was named Bole, and others like him that followed also adopted the name.The word“ Bole“ became a Chinese idiom. The monograph on distinguishing fine breeds of hor
12、ses by Bole is the earliest of its kind in the world. Other monographs on the subject also appeared during the Tang Dynasty. Horses is China are mainly distributed inthe northern regions, including the vast area of Xinjiang and Qinghai in the west of Lanzhou,lnner Mongolia,Northeast China and the no
13、rthern part of North China,the mountainous regions in Sichuan Province, Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau. Thenumber of horses in Northeast, Northwest and North China accounts for three-fourths of the countrys total. 十二生肖 十二生 肖的产生，有着天文学的背景。在原始时代，先民们体 验着寒暑交替的循环往复。宋代洪皓松漠纪闻载:“女真旧绝小，正朔所不及，其民皆不知 纪年，问则曰我见青草几度矣，盖
14、以草一青为一岁 也。”宋代也记:“其俗每草青为一岁，有人问其岁，则日 几草矣。”年又有观天者发现月亮盈亏周期可以用来丈量岁的长 短，发现十二次月圆为一岁，这一发现，是初期历法最 精度的成果之一，“十二”便视为传达天意的“天之大 数”。天干需地支为伴，日月相对，天地相对，就非“十二”莫属了。 清代刘献广阳杂记引李长卿松霞馆赘言:“子何以 属鼠也?日:天开于子，不耗则其气不开。鼠，耗虫也。于 是夜尚未央，正鼠得令之候，故子属鼠。地辟于丑，而牛则 开地之物也，故丑属牛。人生于寅，有生则有杀。杀人 者，虎也，又寅者，畏也。可畏莫若虎，故寅属虎。卯 者，日出之候。日本离体，而中含太阴玉兔之精，故卯属兔。
15、辰者，三月 之卦，正群龙行雨之时，故辰属龙。巳者，四月之卦， 于时草茂，而蛇得其所。又，巳时蛇不上道，故属蛇。 午者，阳极而一阴甫生。马者，至健而不离地，阴类也，故午属马。羊啮 未时之草而茁.故未属羊。申时.日落而猿啼，且伸臂也 ，譬之气数，将乱则狂作横行，故申属猴。酉者，月出 之时.月本坎体，而中含太阳金鸡之精，故酉属鸡。于亥中，猪则饮食 之外无一所知，故亥属猪。” 关于十二生肖的排 列，还有各种传说，这类故事，或似开心解闷的笑谈， 或似贬恶扬善的寓言，文学成分较浓。但是.生肖座次的排定，绝非一朝一 夕，也不是一代人所能完成的。最初未必就是一次提名 十二种，也许只有四五个，也许曾有过超额的局面，后 来优胜劣汰，定额定员并定位了，一直传至今日。grrghef85tyg 英语资料 http:/
