In the deep soil of Chinese culture, the zodiac is like a bright pearl, shining with a unique light. They are not only a mark of time, but also the crystallization of folk wisdom, carrying rich legends and profound cultural connotations. Now, let's unveil the mystery of this zodiac legend.
According to legend, in the mist-shrouded heavenly court, the Jade Emperor decided to choose twelve creatures to represent the time of each year in order to record the passage of time between heaven and earth. He issued a decree to hold a grand race on the first day of the first month of a certain year, and the top twelve would be represented by the year and become the guardian of the zodiac sign on earth.
The news of the race spread like a wind across the land, and the twelve animals embarked on their journey to heaven with different purposes and expectations. They are: the witty and clever mouse, the industrious and down-to-earth ox, the mighty and brave tiger, the gentle and prudent rabbit, the soaring and changing dragon, the clever and mysterious snake, the enthusiastic and unrestrained horse, the meek and peaceful sheep, the clever and clever monkey, the diligent and trustworthy chicken, the loyal and brave dog, and the open-minded pig.
On the day of the race, the blue sky was like a wash, and the white clouds were long. Twelve species of animals gather on the banks of a large wide river, and the water of the river is rough and impassable. They each thought about how to cross the river.
At this point, the quick-witted rat and the industrious ox came to an agreement. The rat is small and nimble, but it knows that it cannot cross this wide river on its own; And although the ox is powerful, it does not have the advantage of speed. So the rat proposed to ride on the back of the ox and cross the river together. The ox readily agreed, letting the rat sit firmly on its back, and then swam to the other side.
When they were about to reach the opposite bank, the rat suddenly jumped up, and with its small size and nimble movements, it stepped on the land on the other bank first, becoming the first animal to arrive. The ox followed and crossed the river smoothly and came in second. Then, tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, and horses also showed their powers, some relying on speed, some relying on strength, and some using wisdom to successfully cross the river.
Monkeys, chickens, sheep, dogs, and pigs encountered even greater difficulties. They can't cross the river alone like the animals in front of them. In the difficult situation, they did not give up, but chose to help each other and work together. The sheep found a piece of driftwood, and the monkey, chicken, dog, and pig jumped on the driftwood in turn, and with the buoyancy of the driftwood and their cooperation, they finally succeeded in crossing the river. Although their rankings were affected, their spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance won the appreciation of the Jade Emperor.
Seeing this, the Jade Emperor was greatly moved. He named the animals the Year of the Rat, the Year of the Ox, the Year of the Tiger, the Year of the Rabbit, the Year of the Dragon, the Year of the Snake, the Year of the Horse, the Year of the Goat, the Year of the Monkey, the Year of the Rooster, the Year of the Dog, and the Year of the Pig, according to the order in which they arrived. Since then, these twelve animals have become symbols of the year, repeating themselves in sequence, recording the passage of time and the passage of time.
This legend not only explains in detail the origin and ranking order of the 12 zodiac signs, but also profoundly reveals the spiritual core of the Chinese nation's solidarity, mutual assistance, wisdom and bravery. Each zodiac sign represents a unique cultural symbolism, and together they form a splendid picture of Chinese culture, which is still shining today.
Good luck comes for the zodiac