介绍:
The Secret of Zodiac Sign
ted.com
Have you ever been asked by your Chinese friend, "What is your zodiac sign?" Don&`&t think they are making small talk. If you say, "I&`&m a Monkey," they immediately know you are either 24, 36, 48 or 60 years old.
Asking a zodiac sign is a polite way of asking your age. By revealing your zodiac sign, you are also being evaluated. Judgments are being made about your fortune or misfortune, your personality, career prospects and how you will do in a given year. If you share you and your partner&`&s animal signs, they will paint a picture in their mind about your private life
So what is the Chinese zodiac, exactly? It&`&s a 12-year cycle labeled with animals, starting with a Rat and ending with a Pig, and has no association with constellations. For example, if you were born in 1975, you are a Rabbit. Can you see your zodiac sign there?
Over thousands of years, this popular culture has affected people&`&s major decisions, such as naming, marriage, giving birth and attitude towards each other. Chinese people believe some animals are natural enemies. As a Pig, I need to be careful with a Snake. I should have perfect romance with Tigers, Goats and Rabbits. We believe some animals are luckier than the others, such as the Dragon. Unlike the Western tradition, the Chinese Dragon is a symbol of power, strength and wealth. It&`&s everyone&`&s dream to have a Dragon baby. In 2012, the Year of the Dragon, the birthrate in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan increased by five percent.
