Chinese Zodiac Signs by Month for Astrological Feng Shui

Introduction to Chinese Astrology

Chinese astrology has a long history dating back thousands of years. Unlike Western astrology which uses the moving zodiac, Chinese astrology uses fixed signs derived from ancient Chinese astronomy. The Chinese zodiac represents a 12 year cycle, with each year associated with an animal sign.

Chinese astrology utilizes complex systems like the Four Pillars and Eight Mansions to provide guidance on major life events and energy flows. The Four Pillars system uses the year, month, day and hour pillars to map out a person’s destiny and fate based on their birth time. The Eight Mansions system studies the energetic influences present at the time and location of a person’s birth to determine auspicious and inauspicious directions.

While Western astrology focuses on the 12 zodiac signs derived from constellations, Chinese astrology relies on the 12-year cycle of animal signs along with the Five Elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. This unique combination provides a multidimensional perspective on a person’s personality, compatibility, fortune, and optimal paths forward.

With roots stretching back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Chinese astrology remains culturally significant in China and throughout Asia. Whether it’s picking auspicious dates for major life events or determining lucky directions for a home or office, Chinese astrological principles continue to provide guidance for millions today.

The 12 Zodiac Animals

The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 animal signs representing each year in the 12-year cycle. The animals ruling each year are said to influence the personality and fortune of those born in that year.

Rat – The Rat is charming, clever and quick-witted. Rats have strong observation skills and attention to detail. They are resourceful and good with handling money. On the negative side, Rats can be stubborn and critical at times.
Ox – The Ox is strong, reliable, thorough and determined. Oxen are hard workers who persevere until the task is complete. They are patient, kind and make loyal friends. However, Oxen can be stubborn, conservative and have a hard time accepting failure.
Tiger – Tigers are authoritative, courageous, and intense. They are natural born leaders full of confidence and passion. Tigers are also rebellious with a streak of unpredictability. They can come off as aggressive and impulsive at times.
Rabbit – Rabbits are gentle, compassionate and serene. They value security and avoid conflict. Rabbits like to operate behind the scenes as a pillar of quiet strength. On the downside, Rabbits can appear superficial and too eager to avoid confrontation.

Dragon – Dragons have a charismatic and larger-than-life personality. They seek excitement, take risks and love to be the center of attention. Dragons radiate self-assurance but their ego can get out of control at times.
Snake – Snakes are wise, intense and irresistible. They rely on gut instinct over logic and are intrinsically motivated. Snakes can also be vain, materialistic and tight-lipped when displeased.
Horse – Horses are animated, active and energetic. They are popular and friendly, always on the move and craving excitement. Horses can be fickle in relationships, however, and self-centered at times.
Goat – Goats are creative, resilient and calm. They are independent thinkers but prefer to be part of a team. On the flip side, Goats can be disorganized, scattered and prone to complaining.
Monkey – Monkeys are innovative, mischievous and fun. They are masters of persuasion and born comedians. But Monkeys resist order and structure, often lack focus, and can be manipulative.
Rooster – Roosters are observant, hardworking and courageous. They are natural motivators and take great pride in their work. However, Roosters can be boastful and have trouble accepting imperfection.
Dog – Dogs are dutiful, loyal and selfless. They value justice and champion the underdog. But Dogs tend to worry excessively and are often self-deprecating.
Pig – Pigs are generous, diligent and big-hearted. They crave a rich emotional and spiritual life. Pigs can be naive at times, however, and too idealistic for their own good.

The Five Elements

In Chinese astrology, the five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water – are believed to be the fundamental forces that create and sustain life. Each element has certain characteristics and relationships with the other elements that affect how they interact.

Wood

Wood represents growth, creativity, and expansion. It is associated with the spring season and flourishes as the winter snow melts. The wood element is nurtured by water and can either feed fire as fuel or overcome earth with its growing roots. However, wood can be cut down by metal.

Fire

Fire brings light, energy and passion. It is linked to the summer season as it provides warmth to ripen the crops. Fire burns the wood that feeds it, allowing it to grow and spread. However, fire can be extinguished by water or smothered by earth.

Earth

Earth is stabilizing and grounding. Its steady nature is reflected in the balanced transition between seasons in late summer and early fall. Earth contains the ashes left by fire and provides nutrients for trees and plants. It can control water by absorbing it and channeling it in new directions. But earth can be shifted and sculpted by wood’s expanding roots.

Metal

Metal symbolizes strength, precision and technology. It is connected to autumn when cooling temperatures harden the earth. Metal allows us to cut wood and mine minerals from the earth. However, metal can be melted by extreme heat from fire and corroded by water over time.

Water

Water represents flow, change and reflection. It corresponds to the winter season when rain nourishes the land. Water controls fire by extinguishing its flames. It wears away earth and rusts metal. But without the containment of earth, water would run wild, and without heat from fire, it would become immobilized ice.

The interactions between the five elements create a system of mutual control, with each element both promoting and restricting others. The balanced cycles of influence are important concepts in Chinese astrology and philosophy. Understanding these elemental relationships allows greater harmony with the forces of nature.

The Lunar Calendar

The Chinese zodiac calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, rather than the sun like the traditional Western calendar. Instead of months, the Chinese calendar is divided into 12 lunar cycles of 29 or 30 days each. A complete lunar cycle takes about 29.5 days to complete. This means the Chinese New Year can fall on different dates each year, but will usually fall sometime between late January and mid February on the Gregorian calendar used in most Western countries.

The Chinese lunar calendar also determines the animal zodiac signs by year rather than by month or date. The animal cycle repeats every 12 years, with each year assigned one of 12 zodiac animals – Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. So your zodiac animal is determined solely by the year you were born rather than the month or date like in Western astrology.

For example, all babies born in 2022 were born in the Year of the Tiger, so their zodiac sign is Tiger regardless of whether they were born in January or December of 2022. The lunar new year starts between January 21 and February 20, so babies born in January or February may fall under the previous zodiac animal year if they were born before the new lunar year.

This is a key difference between Chinese astrology and Western astrology – the zodiac sign is determined by the year rather than specific date. So the lunar calendar and 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac determines your animal sign based on your birth year.

Zodiac Signs by Month

The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal sign to each year in a 12-year cycle. The animal cycle repeats itself every 12 years, so your animal sign comes around when you are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, etc.

Unlike the Western zodiac which uses the Gregorian solar calendar, the Chinese zodiac is based on the ancient Chinese lunar calendar. This means the dates that the sun shifts into each Western zodiac sign differs from the Chinese zodiac sign dates, which fall on the new moon.

Here are the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and their dates:

Rat: February 5 to March 5
Ox: March 6 to April 4
Tiger: April 5 to May 4
Rabbit: May 5 to June 3
Dragon: June 4 to July 4
Snake: July 5 to August 3
Horse: August 4 to September 2
Goat: September 3 to October 2
Monkey: October 3 to November 1
Rooster: November 2 to December 1
Dog: December 2 to December 31
Pig: January 1 to February 3

As you can see, the Chinese zodiac sign dates do not perfectly align with the Western calendar months. This is because the Chinese lunar calendar has 12 or 13 months per year, whereas the Gregorian calendar has 12 months always. So check the exact dates of the Chinese zodiac signs each year to determine your sign.

The Four Pillars

The Four Pillars, or Ba Zi, is an integral part of Chinese astrology that involves analyzing a person’s birth date and time to determine their destiny and fortune. It provides insight into an individual’s personality, relationships, health, career, and more.

The Four Pillars consist of:

The year pillar – indicates one’s fortune in early and middle age
The month pillar – associated with parents and family
The day pillar – represents information about oneself
The hour pillar – connected to children, partners, and social life

These four pillars represent the year, month, day and hour of birth respectively and are each assigned one of the 12 zodiac animals along with an element. The interaction between the pillars provides a blueprint for a person’s potentials and challenges in life.

A Four Pillars astrology reading examines the patterns that emerge from the four pillars, taking note of the animal signs, elements, and seasonal influences. The relationships between the pillars reveal information about an individual’s personality, thinking style, relationships, and purpose in life.

Four Pillars charts require accuracy down to the hour of birth to be most effective. The reading provides guidance on finding balance between conflicting elemental forces and utilizing one’s true nature and abilities. It has been used for thousands of years as a powerful tool for understanding oneself and others more deeply.

The Eight Mansions

The Eight Mansions, or Pa Kua, are part of the ancient Chinese system of Feng Shui used to analyze the energy of a property or home. They represent eight compass directions, each associated with certain attributes and areas of life. The mansions help determine how Qi or energy flows through a space to connect heaven and earth.

In Feng Shui, the compass directions have symbolic meaning based on the natural cycle of yin and yang. Each mansion governs specific sectors of life:

East Mansion: Health, Family
Southeast Mansion: Wealth, Prosperity
South Mansion: Recognition, Fame
Southwest Mansion: Love, Marriage
West Mansion: Children, Creativity
Northwest Mansion: Helpful People, Travel
North Mansion: Career, Path in Life
Northeast Mansion: Knowledge, Self-Cultivation

The mansions also connect to the five feng shui elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The interaction between these elements influences the balance of energy in a space.

Knowing the Eight Mansions and compass directions allows feng shui experts to evaluate a home or property. They can determine where good energy accumulates and where there may be obstructions to healthy qi flow. By making adjustments according to the mansions, it’s believed you can improve harmony with your environment and cultivate success in important areas of life.

The Eight Mansions demonstrate how feng shui holistically connects your living space with your well-being. Balanced energy circulation activates your best fortune. Properly applying the mansions system can therefore optimize your home feng shui and support your goals.

Nine Star Ki

The Nine Star Ki system is a key component of Chinese metaphysics and divination. It assigns each of the cardinal and intermediate directions (North, Northeast, East, Southeast, etc.) to one of the nine stars or numbers 1 through 9. Each number is associated with different life aspects and areas.

The associations are as follows:

1 – Career
2 – Knowledge
3 – Disputes
4 – Wealth
5 – Health
6 – Relationships
7 – Children
8 – Creativity
9 – Fame

So for example, if your front door faces Southwest, that area of your home or office corresponds to the number 9 star which represents fame and reputation. Having your entrance in the fame area signifies opportunities for recognition and success.

Or if your bedroom is located in the north of your home, that connects to the career star 1. Sleeping in that space helps energize your profession and path in life.

When designing spaces or positioning furniture, Feng Shui practitioners analyze the different cardinal and intermediate directions to see which stars they activate. They then recommend enhancements to amplify the energies of favorable stars or subdue challenging stars. This brings good fortune associated with those life aspects.

The Nine Star system provides an astrological framework for assessing how different locations, layouts and designs influence someone’s destiny and luck. It offers guidance on auspicious and inauspicious areas based on the patterns in the stars and directions.

Feng Shui Applications

Chinese astrology plays an important role in the practice of Feng Shui. Feng Shui aims to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environments by properly harnessing the flow of chi or life force energy. A key principle is that each person’s dwelling should complement their unique energy signature as determined by their birth date and time.

In Feng Shui, the lunar calendar is used to determine a person’s Chinese zodiac sign as well as their Kua number. The Kua number indicates whether a person has more Yin or Yang energy based on the year of their birth. This is then used to properly orient the home and objects within it to promote optimal energy flow.

The flying star method in Feng Shui relies heavily on Chinese astrology and the cycles of the moon. Flying stars represent the nine palaces of the Lo Shu grid and have both positive and negative influences. Knowing the facing direction of a home and the zodiac year it was built allows a Feng Shui master to diagnose problems and make adjustments.

Even minor factors like colors, materials, imagery, and shapes used in Feng Shui design are prescribed according to someone’s zodiac sign and elemental alignments. For example, a person born in the Year of the Rat under the Water element would do well with colors like black and deep blues. Auspicious symbols might include flowing water, pairs of fish, or fast moving ships.

So from birth charts to home layouts, Chinese astrology principles are deeply woven into the practice of Feng Shui. Skillful application allows for harmonizing personal energy cycles and living spaces to promote health, prosperity and good fortune.

Conclusion

Chinese astrology and zodiac signs have been an important part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. By understanding the 12 zodiac animals, five elements, and systems like the Four Pillars, Eight Mansions, and Nine Star Ki, we gain deep insight into our personalities, compatibilities, fortunes, and guidance for important life decisions.

The lunar calendar determines each person’s zodiac sign based on their birth year and month. The zodiac animal for each month has unique attributes and meanings. By knowing your animal sign and elemental influences, you can better understand your own nature.

The intricate systems of Chinese astrology allow detailed life readings in areas like health, wealth, career, relationships and more. Systems like the Four Pillars provide a “life blueprint” based on your birth date and time. Feng shui principles help arrange your home and environment to maximize auspicious energies and minimize inauspicious influences.

In summary, Chinese zodiac signs and astrology provide a profound framework for self-knowledge and wisdom to live your best life. By learning your animal signs, elemental influences, and studying the systems of Four Pillars, Eight Mansions, Nine Star Ki and more, you gain an enlightening guide to understand yourself and make the most of your inner potential.