Chinese Astrology & Western Astrology: How They Work Together to Shape Your Destiny
Astrology is a sacred language of symbols – one that transcends borders, time and cultures. While Western Astrology speaks to the twelve zodiac signs aligned with the sun’s journey, Chinese Astrology weaves an ancient cosmic story through the cycles of the moon, celestial animals and elemental energies.
Both systems reveal profound truths about who we are. Together, they offer a multi-dimensional understanding of our personality, relationships, life path and spiritual lessons.
The Foundations of Chinese Astrology
Chinese Astrology is based on a 12-year cycle, each year represented by a Celestial Animal:
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Goat
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
But it’s not just about the animal sign. Chinese Astrology also incorporates the Five Elements:
Wood: Growth, flexibility and expansion.
Fire: Passion, creativity and charisma.
Earth: Stability, nurturing and practicality.
Metal: Strength, determination and resilience.
Water: Wisdom, intuition and adaptability.
These elements rotate alongside the animals, creating a 60-year elemental cycle. Your animal and element together describe your inner nature, life tendencies and destiny path. It amplifies and shapes the expression of your Animal sign. For example: a wood dragon is more nurturing and diplomatic while a metal dragon is more focused and determined.
Celestial Animals and Their Characteristics
Each Celestial Animal carries specific personality traits, strengths and life themes. Here’s a glimpse into their sacred meanings:
Rat: Intelligent, resourceful, quick-witted, charming but sometimes secretive.
Ox: Strong, reliable, patient, methodical, loyal but can be stubborn.
Tiger: Brave, passionate, rebellious, charismatic, and fiercely protective.
Rabbit: Elegant, gentle, kind-hearted, intuitive, but sometimes shy.
Dragon: Powerful, ambitious, magnetic, visionary but can be overconfident.
Snake: Wise, enigmatic, analytical, graceful but sometimes secretive.
Horse: Energetic, independent, adventurous, but can be impulsive.
Goat: Artistic, compassionate, gentle with a strong creative soul.
Monkey: Clever, mischievous, innovative with a playful, light-hearted spirit.
Rooster: Confident, observant, meticulous, charismatic, sometimes critical.
Dog: Loyal, honest, protective, fair with a deep sense of justice.
Pig: Generous, sincere, kind, indulgent and deeply intuitive.
Chinese Astrology Meets Western Astrology
While Western Astrology focuses on the alignment of planets within your birth chart, Chinese Astrology offers a macro perspective of your life’s larger cycles. When blended together :
Your Western Sun Sign reflects your conscious personality and ego.
Your Chinese Animal Sign reveals your instinctive drives and how you interact with the world.
The elements from both systems ( Earth signs, Fire signs, Metal, Water ) can compliment or challenge each other, creating unique personality dynamics.
A Pisces ( Western Astrology ) who is also a Tiger ( Chinese Astrology ) combines deep empathy and spiritual sensitivity with courage and a bold, adventurous heart.
An Aries Rooster might be fiery, ambitious and highly driven for recognition and success.
Why Understanding Both Systems is Empowering
When you see yourself through both the Western and Eastern cosmic lenses, you unlock a deeper self awareness. It’s like seeing yourself in two mirrors, each reflecting layers you might not have noticed before.
You understand your strengths and weaknesses.
You see the patterns in your relationships
You discover the life cycles and timing of key opportunities and challenges.
You learn how to balance your energies- especially if you feel ‘at war’ within yourself.
The Cosmic Dance of Yin and Yang
Chinese Astrology is a living breathing energy – flowing with Yin and Yang cycles, elemental shifts and animal archetypes. It invites us to align with nature’s rhythms, reminding us that life is a constant dance of balance, harmony and evolution.
Finding your Chinese Zodiac sign:
Rat Years Chart:
1924 Feb 5th 1924 – Jan 24th 1925 Wood Rat
1936 Jan 24th 1936 – Feb 10th 1937 Fire Rat
1948 Feb 10th 1948 – Jan 28th 1949 Earth Rat
1960 Jan 28th 1960 – Feb 14th 1961 Metal Rat
1972 Feb 15th 1972 – Feb 02nd 1973 Water Rat
1984 Feb 2nd 1984 – Feb 19th 1985 Wood Rat
1996 Feb 19th 1996 – Feb 6th 1997 Fire Rat
2008 Feb 7th 2008 – Jan 25th 2009 Earth Rat
2020 Jan 25th 2020 – Feb 11th 2021 Metal Rat
Ox Years Chart:
1925 Jan 25th 1925 – Feb 12th 1926 Wood Ox
1937 Feb 11th 1937 – Jan 30th 1938 Fire Ox
1949 Jan 29th 1949 – Feb 16th 1950 Earth Ox
1961 Feb 15th 1961 – Feb 4th 1962 Metal Ox
1973 Feb 3rd 1973 – Jan 22nd 1974 Water Ox
1985 Feb 20th 1985 – Feb 8th 1986 Wood Ox
1997 Feb 7th 1997 – Jan 27th 1998 Fire Ox
2009 Jan 26th 2009 – Feb 13th 2010 Earth Ox
2021 Feb 12th 2021 – Jan 31st 2022 Metal Ox
Tiger Years Chart:
1926 Feb 13th 1926 – Feb 1st 1926 Fire Tiger
1938 Jan 31st 1938 – Feb 18th 1939 Earth Tiger
1950 Feb 17th 1950 – Feb 5th 1951 Metal Tiger
1962 Feb 5th 1962 – Jan 25 1963 Water Tiger
1974 Jan 23rd 1974 – Feb 10th 1975 Wood Tiger
1986 Feb 9th 1986 – Jan 28th 1987 Fire Tiger
1998 Jan 28th 1998 – Feb 15th 1999 Earth Tiger
2010 Feb 14th 2010 – Feb 2nd 2011 Metal Tiger
2022 Feb 1st 2022 – Jan 21st 2023 Water Tiger
Rabbit Years Chart
1927 Feb 2nd 1927 – Jan 22 1928 Fire Rabbit
1939 Feb 19th 1939 – Feb 07th 1940 Earth Rabbit
1951 Feb 6th 1951 – Jan 26th 1952 Metal Rabbit
1963 Jan 25th 1963 – Feb 12th 1964 Water Rabbit
1975 Feb 11th 1975 – Jan 30th 1976 Wood Rabbit
1987 Jan 29th 1987 – Feb 16th 1988 Fire Rabbit
1999 Feb 16th 1999 – Feb 4th 2000 Earth Rabbit
2011 Feb 3rd 2011 – Jan 22nd 2012 Metal Rabbit
2023 Jan 22nd 2023 – Feb 9th 2024 Water Rabbit
Dragon Years Chart
1928 Jan 23rd 1928 – Feb 9th 1929 Earth Dragon
1940 Feb 8th 1940 – Jan 26th 1941 Metal Dragon
1952 Jan 27th 1952 – Feb 13th 1953 Water Dragon
1964 Feb 13th 1964 – Feb 1st 1965 Wood Dragon
1976 Jan 31st 1976 – Feb 17th 1977 Fire Dragon
1988 Feb 17th 1988 – Feb 5th 1989 Earth Dragon
2000 Feb 5th 2000 – Jan 23rd 2001 Metal Dragon
2012 Jan 23rd 2012 – Feb 9th 2013 Water Dragon
2024 Feb 10th 2024 – Jan 29th 2025 Wood Dragon
Snake Years Chart
1929 Feb 10th 1929 – Jan 9th 1930 Earth Snake
1941 Jan 27th 1941 – Feb 14th 1942 Metal Snake
1953 Feb 14th 1953 – Feb 2nd 1954 Water Snake
1965 Feb 2nd 1965 – Feb 20th 1966 Wood Snake
1977 Feb 18th 1977 – Feb 6th 1978 Fire Snake
1989 Feb 6th 1989 – Jan 26th 1990 Earth Snake
2001 Jan 24th 2001 – Feb 1th 2002 Metal Snake
2013 Feb 10th 2013 – Jan 30th 2014 Water Snake
2025 Jan 29th 2025 – Feb 16th 2026 Wood Snake
Horse Years Chart
1930 Jan 10th 1930 – Feb 16th 1931 Metal Horse
1942 Feb 15th 1942 – Feb 4th 1943 Water Horse
1954 Feb 3rd 1954 – Jan 23rd 1955 Wood Horse
1966 Jan 21st 1966 – Feb 8th 1967 Fire Horse
1978 Feb 7th 1978 – Jan 27th 1979 Earth Horse
1990 Jan 27th 1990 – Feb 14th 1991 Metal Horse
2002 Feb 12th 2002 – Jan 31st 2003 Water Horse
2014 Jan 31st 2014 – Feb 18th 2015 Wood Horse
2026 Feb 17th 2026 – Feb 5th 2027 Fire Horse
Goat or ( Sheep ) Years Chart
1931 Feb 17th 1931 – Feb 5th 1932 Metal Goat
1943 Feb 5th 1943 – Jan 24th 1944 Water Goat
1955 Jan 24th 1955 – Feb 11th 1956 Wood Goat
1967 Feb 9th 1967 – Jan 29th 1968 Fire Goat
1979 Jan 28th 1979 – Feb 15th 1980 Earth Goat
1991 Feb 15th 1991 – Feb 3rd 1992 Metal Goat
2003 Feb 1st 2003 – Jan 21st 2004 Water Goat
2015 Feb 19th 2015 – Feb 7th 2016 Wood Goat
2027 Feb 6th 2027 – Feb 25th 2028 Fire Goat
Monkey Years Chart
1920 Feb 20th 1920 – Feb 7th 1921 Metal Monkey
1932 Feb 6th 1932 – Jan 25th 1933 Water Monkey
1944 Jan 25th 1944 – Feb 12th 1945 Wood Monkey
1956 Feb 12th 1956 – Jan 30th 1957 Fire Monkey
1968 Jan 30th 1968 – Feb 16th 1969 Earth Monkey
1980 Feb 16th 1980 – Feb 4th 1981 Metal Monkey
1992 Feb 4th 1992 – Jan 22nd 1993 Water Monkey
2004 Jan 22nd 2004 – Feb 8th 2005 Wood Monkey
2016 Feb 8th 2016 – Jan 27th 2017 Fire Monkey
2028 Jan 26th 2028 – Feb 12th 2029 Metal Monkey
Rooster Years Chart
1921 Feb 8th 1921 – Jan 27th 1922 Metal Rooster
1933 Jan 26th 1933 – Feb 13th 1934 Water Rooster
1945 Feb 13th 1945 – Feb 1st 1946 Wood Rooster
1957 Jan 31st 1957 – Feb 17th 1958 Fire Rooster
1969 Feb 17th 1969 – Feb 5th 1970 Earth Rooster
1981 Feb 5th 1981 – Jan 24th 1982 Metal Rooster
1993 Jan 23rd 1993 – Feb 9th 1994 Water Rooster
2005 Feb 9th 2005 – Jan 28th 2006 Wood Rooster
2017 Jan 28th 2017 – Feb 15th 2018 Fire Rooster
2029 Feb 13th 2029 – Feb 2nd 2030 Earth Rooster
Dog Years Chart
1922 Jan 28th 1922 – Feb 15th 1923 Water Dog
1934 Feb 14th 1934 – Feb 3rd 1935 Wood Dog
1946 Feb 2nd 1946 – Jan 21st 1947 Fire Dog
1958 Feb 18th 1958 – Feb 7th 1959 Earth Dog
1970 Feb 6th 1970 – Jan 28tth 1971 Metal Dog
1982 Jan 25th 1982 – Feb 12th 1983 Water Dog
1994 Feb 10th 1994 – Jan 30th 1995 Wood Dog
2006 Jan 29th 2006 – Feb 17th 2007 Fire Dog
2018 Feb 16th 2018 – Feb 4th 2019 Earth Dog
2030 Feb 3rd 2030 – Jan 22 2031 Metal Dog
Pig Years Chart
1923 Feb 16th 1923 – Feb 4th 1924 Water Pig
1935 Feb 4th 1935 – Jan 23rd 1936 Wood Pig
1947 Jan 22nd 1947 – Feb 9th 1948 Fire Pig
1959 Feb 8th 1959 – Jan 27th 1960 Earth Pig
1971 Jan 27th 1971 – Feb 14th 1972 Metal Pig
1983 Feb 13th 1983 – Feb 1st 1984 Water Pig
1995 Jan 31 1995 – Feb 18th 1996 Wood Pig
2007 Feb 18th 2007 – Feb 6th 2008 Fire Pig
2019 Feb 5th 2019 – Jan 23rd 2020 Earth Pig
2031 Jan 23rd 2031 – Feb 10th 2032 Metal Pig