By Letha Hadady
Every twelve years the same Chinese astrological sign comes up again. According to age-old lunar astrology, the nature of the entire year is influenced by the character of its animal sign.
TIGER: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
The tiger is a born leader, with noble leadership and fierce competitiveness. Full of courage and audacity, they are always ready for any challenge. The Tiger's natural authority is rarely disputed and is not easily influenced by others. Although known to be brave and strong, they can also be affectionate, sincere and passionately in love. The Tiger's bold and aggressive personality make them compatible with success in business where aggression rather than diplomacy is likely to bring favorable returns. They are strong-willed and determined in pursuing their goals, and have a highly optimistic spirit. However, because of their bravery and impulsiveness, they must be attentive to their attitude and manners so as not to create enemies in pursuing their objectives. Famous Tigers: Jim Carey born in 1962, Marilyn Monroe in 1926, Jay Leno in 1950, Hilary Swank and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1974.
DRAGON: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1052, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
Strong, bold and majestic, they defy all challenges with strength and courage. Blessed with an extraordinarily rich imagination, they are quick to carry out ideas, however sometimes can be absolutely impractical. Since the dragon personality is mysterious and associated with the notion of the supernatural, their determinations are sometimes not followed through completely even though they start off with great confidence. The admiration and adoration that dragons are blessed with usually surround them in a delightful and positive environment. Famous Dragons: Gregory Peck in 1916, John Lennon in 1940, producer Harvey Weinstein in 1952, Reese Witherspoon in 1976, and Vladimir Putin in 1952.
SNAKE: 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
The snake is analytical and has profound wisdom. They are known to be clever, seductive, and mysterious. They are wary of revealing more knowledge and information than necessary. Nevertheless, despite their shrewdness, they maintain high respectability and do not tell lies nor are misleading. Dedicated and resolute, they often make their way to the top in their intentions. Male snakes are known to be humorous and romantic, and women are charming and elegant. The snake's logical and analytical mind allows for success in research and academics. Famous Snakes: They are too slippery to say.
PIG: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
The pig personality is best described as self-fulfillment and achievement. They are driven by their inner strength and aspiration for completion and conclusion of any intentions. Furthermore, their ambitions lie in the finale of all ventures as opposed to the career itself. Pigs are very generous and caring, and home-life and family are usually priority. Therefore, careers for pigs usually lie in care-giving such as nursing or counseling. They are trusting and hospitable and usually have a wide circle of friends. Hard-working and very meticulous in detail, they are the ones to successfully complete a given assignment. Pigs delight themselves in the pleasures that life has to offer, and are far from lazy. Famous Pigs: Billy Crystal, Elton John, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Hillary Rodham Clinton in
1947; Fred Astaire in 1899; Ginger Rogers and Jean Harlow in 1911, and Woody Allen in 1935.
HORSE: 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
Horses have free spirits that gives them the drive to charge forward. They value their independence, and given their strong-will, they are usually not influenced or held back easily by others. The horse personality is very friendly and sociable. Horses are good talkers and are open and enthusiastic to hear other peoplešs opinions. In addition, they are very influential and can inspire others, and along the way get what they desire. Famous Horses: Paul McCartney in1942, Clint Eastwood in 1930, Muhammad Ali in 1942, Michael Moore, Hu Jintao, President of China, Condoleezza Rice and Viktor Yushchenko in 1954.
MONKEY: 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
The monkey is imaginative and extremely curious, always seeking new opportunities and adventure. Monkeys are quickwitted and handle new and awkward situations effectively. They are adaptable and always full of new ideas. Along with their mischievous character, they sometimes are not taken seriously, but with time, the issue usually gets resolved. Monkeys are high spirited and filled with energy, and because of their rich imagination, they usually succeed at accomplishing difficult and complex tasks. The monkey is extremely adaptable and usually succeeds in all their endeavors. Because of their high success, they can be conceited, but their entertaining spirit and humor usually conceals their arrogance. Famous Monkeys: Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, Jacques Chirac, and Donald Rumsfeld in 1932; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of Iran anti israel in 1956.
RABBIT: 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
The rabbit is wise and intuitive with a great personality. They are known to be a good companion and are happiest with friends. They are sociable and genuinely appreciate people. Therefore, rabbits are blessed with good fortune because of the surrounding they create for themselves. Generally, rabbits are passive and humble to avoid confrontations. They have great insight on judgment of character, and can sense genuineness or falseness in others. Rabbits are not known to take risks, but rather are very wise and cautious in making their decisions. The rabbit personality is also known for being gifted healers of both emotional and physical woes. Famous Rabbits: Robin Williams in 1951, Kate Winslet in 1975; Jonny Depp and Brad Pitt in 1963.
OX: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
The ox is dedicated and determined in their intentions. The ox is blessed with logical thought and perception and can tolerate difficulties. Therefore, they successfully accomplish what they believe through practical judgment and patience. The ox personality is more reserved, and can be loyal and possessive of their few select friends. Their diligence and devotion in all that they do are an inspiration to whomever they meet. Famous Oxen: Morgan Freeman and Dustin Hoffmann in 1937, also Oxen are Adolph Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and Monica Lewinsky.
DOG: 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
The Dog is trustworthy, loyal and dependable. The dog has a very friendly personality, and usually are faithful and devoted friends. Dogs are great listeners and are sympathetic. Because of their likeable personality and honesty, they are reliable and trusted. Dogs favor familiarity and consistency over new situations. They do not adjust to changes well and usually do not make any major changes themselves. Wrongdoings are quickly forgotten, and displays of violent anger are usually justified. Famous Dogs: Singer Pat Boone, actor Alan Bates in 1934, Pres. George W. Bush, Pres. Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Sylvester Stillone in 1946, Alec Baldwin, Michelle Pfeiffer, Viggo Mortenson in 1958, Madonna, tennis pro Andre Agassi, Queen Latifah and River Phoenix in 1970.
ROOSTER: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
The rooster is proud, confident, and determined. The rooster is a perfectionist and pays particular attention to every detail. They have high principles and have little tolerance for those who are incompetent or have lower standards. The rooster is very attentive and punctual, and therefore can be relied on for numerous tasks. They have a high degree of independence and are very persistent in pursuing their ambitions. Famous Roosters are Osama bin Laden in 1957, Renee Zellweger in 1969; and Daniel Day-Lewis in 1957.
RAM: 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
The Ram is affectionate, caring, and gentle. Rams are content and avoid quarrel and conflict because of their innocuous nature. They strive for peace and tranquility. They do not like authority overpowering them, and prefer group collaboration and favor decisions made as a whole. They are followers and usually do not like to take the lead. In difficult times, rams need ample support and guidance. Rams are known for their artistic talent. They can sometimes be a bit fastidious, in turn not fully expanding their creative capacities. Rams are usually involved in social work because of their unselfish and compassionate nature, or in the arts because of their creative and artistic talent. Famous Rams: Katherine Hepburn in 1907, actors Nicole Kidman, Jamie Foxx and comic Paul Giamatti in 1967, actor James Dean in 1931.
RAT: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
The rat personality is best described as full of charm. Their outward personality is appealing: known to be aggressive and creative, they are clever, bright and sociable. However, below the surface they can have a sly and an opportunist character, who tend to use people for their benefit. Rats have considerable self-control and a taste for the better things in life. They are constant seekers of prospect and new venture. In finances, the rat budgets carefully and is very tight with money when short, but when in abundance, spends lavishly. The bright personality and intellectual resourcefulness of the rat make them successful business planners. They have an incredible grasp of abstract notions, such as numbers, and can handle detailed and complex calculations easily. Unreserved and clever, their intellectual versatility is not always immediately recognized. Famous Rats: Truman Capote and King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in 1924, actor Hugh Grant in 1960, actors Jude Law and Cameron Diaz in 1972.
Letha Hadady is one of the nation's leading experts on natural Chinese remedies and author of books on health and beauty, including Asian Health Secrets and Personal Renewal.
