The Lunar Calendar

The Chinese Calendar is based on the phases of the moon. The lunar year is divided into 12 months which follow the new and full moons. Years run in cycles of 60, there being 12 animal sign years and 5 elements (the elements are sometimes also divided into yīn 阴 and yáng 阳, but this does not directly affect the cycle). The five elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth ( jīn 金, mù 木, shuǐ 水, huǒ 火, tǔ 土 ). The following chart gives the animals in their traditional order:

Animal Sign	Years
Rat 鼠 shǔ	1924	1936	1948	1960	1972	1984	1996	2008
Ox 牛 niú	1925	1937	1949	1961	1973	1985	1997	2009
Tiger 虎 hǔ	1926	1938	1950	1962	1974	1986	1998	2010
Rabbit 兔 tù	1927	1939	1951	1963	1975	1987	1999	2011
Dragon 龙 lóng	1928	1940	1952	1964	1976	1988	2000	2012
Snake 蛇 shé	1929	1941	1953	1965	1977	1989	2001	2013
Horse 马 mǎ	1930	1942	1954	1966	1978	1990	2002	2014
Sheep 羊 yáng	1931	1943	1955	1967	1979	1991	2003	2015
Monkey 猴 hóu	1932	1944	1956	1968	1980	1992	2004	2016
Chicken 鸡 jī	1933	1945	1957	1969	1981	1993	2005	2017
Dog 狗 gǒu	1934	1946	1958	1970	1982	1994	2006	2018
Pig 猪 zhū	1935	1947	1959	1971	1983	1995	2007	2019