Ancient people assigned the habits of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac to the twelve earthly branches. The Han Chinese combined the Heavenly Stems with the Earthly Branches to mark the years, known as the Sexagenary cycle. The order of the Chinese zodiac is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. In the ancient Han Chinese method of recording years, there was the phrase \’Start of Spring\’.
Since ancient China considered New Year\’s Day as the beginning of the Spring Festival, and when the lunar calendar reaches the first month (Chinese New Year\’s Day), it officially marks the start of a new year. \’The first day of the first lunar month\’ is the beginning of the traditional New Year. On this day, important banquets are held, such as dating with Snow White on New Year\’s Eve, offering sacrifices to ancestors, deities, and the God of Wealth.
Do you know that ancient people allocated the earthly branches according to the Chinese zodiac? Ancients believed that the Chinese zodiac was arranged according to the order of Yin and Yang, and the Five Elements. The hours are as follows:
Zi time: 11 PM – 1 AM, Chou time: 1:00 – 2:59 AM, Yin time: 3:00 – 5:00 AM, Mao time: 5:00 – 7:59 AM, Chen time: 7:00 – 9:42 AM, Si time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM, Wu time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Wei time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM, Shen time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM, You time: 4:00 – 8:00 PM, Xu time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Hai time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM.
Wu time: 11 AM – 1 PM, Wei time: 1 PM – 3 PM, Shen time: 2 PM – 4 PM, You time: 4 PM – 8 PM, Xu time: 6 PM – 8 PM, Hai time: 7 PM – 9 PM.
