Did you know that babies born this year are rats? No, not the scurrying vermin, but the Rat of Chinese horoscopes. 2008 is the Year of the Rat. There is a long history to the Chinese zodiac and it may be surprising, yet it spans over one hundred and eighty years. The beginnings are rooted in mythology and a King who gathered together twelve animals and then assigned them a position in the Chinese zodiac. As followers of some of the best astrology studies in the world, it is an important task to remember the history of the Chinese horoscope and how it works.

Much of Chinese horoscopes are based on math and science. The math part can be a bit confusing due to the one hundred and eighty year cycle. Here is how it works out. With zodiac signs it runs in cycles. Instead of a monthly zodiac sign, such as the zodiac sign Leo, Chinese zodiac signs go by the year of your birth. Each Chinese zodiac sign is given an element as well, according to the year.

Each Chinese zodiac sign occurs once in a rotation of twelve years. So that means, by the time an individual sign, say for example the Rat, is through its entire elemental cycle it has reached sixty years. Then the cycle starts over again in a never ending pattern of the Great Solar Cycle. It can be very confusing, so do not worry overly about it. Most people only want to know the best astrology sign for their work day or their romantic interest.

It is important to know the animals involved in the Chinese horoscope, as well as their order. It starts off with the Rat. The following animals, in order are: Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram (or Sheep), Monkey, Dog and the Pig. Each zodiac sign is given a spot in the constellations and is religiously followed by some individuals. It is a way of life that many practice religiously by looking up their horoscope daily.

If you find Chinese horoscopes interesting and would like to know where you can find out more about the Jade King and his twelve animals, then you can visit http://chinese.astrology.com/ to learn more about the history of these horoscope prophecies and signs. While you are there, you can also get a customized profile of your Chinese zodiac sign and compare your partner's sign to yours. Sure the rotation cycle can be confusing but it really is interesting to learn how it differs from the Western zodiac.

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