The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Rat

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, today (January 24, 2020) is the last day of the Year of the Pig. The new lunar year is the Year of the Rat.

Rat or mouse? It's "shu"

"We are all called 'shu' in Chinese!"

In Chinese, almost all rodents are called "shu." Both rats and mice share the same name. Squirrels are "song shu" (pine mouse) in Chinese; hamsters are "cang shu" (warehouse mouse) and guinea pigs are "tun shu" (swine mouse).

The first of the Chinese zodiac

Images of "shu" in Chinese traditional paper-cuts.

The rat is the first of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. As a day is divided into 12 "shi chen," each "shi chen" is two hours. Rats represent the first "shi chen": "zi shi," which is 23:00 to 1:00 during the night. Ancient Chinese believed this two-hour period was the end of the old day and the start of a new day. Rats are most active during this period, which made them the first zodiac animal.

In folklore about the origin of the 12 zodiac signs, the rat cheated the cat and claimed first place.

Another story is that the little rat won the first place by cheating in a race to the heavenly palace. In Chinese culture (as well as in many other cultures), rats are smart, wicked, quick-minded and street smart. It is even believed that people born during a rat year have similar characteristics. In China, people born in this year are expected to possess qualities associated with rats, including creativity, intelligence, adaptability and a quick temper.

Are you a rat person?

Cute rats in a Chinese traditional ink painting.

No offense! Being a "rat person" in China is not a bad thing; it simply refers to people who are born in rat years. 2020 is a rat year, so were 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, etc. However, the years here are Chinese lunar years, which are divided by the exact dates of the Chinese new year. For example, if you were born in 2020, you might not be a rat person, unless your birthday was on or after January 25.

Rats are cute rodents, but still, don't call someone a rat in China!

There are a lot of big names on the list of "rat people," including Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush, Marlon Brando, Samuel Jackson, Diego Maradona, Dwayne Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Cameron Diaz, Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson, LeBron James and Prince Harry.

The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac

The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year related to an animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

But how much do you know about these animals and their symbolic meanings in the Chinese zodiac? Follow the series to find out.

For more:

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Ox

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Tiger

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Dragon

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Snake

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Horse

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Goat

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Monkey

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Rooster

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Dog

The 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac: Pig

(Cover is designed by CGTN's Li Yueyun.)

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