The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes: 40th Anniversary Edition
480
The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes: 40th Anniversary Edition
480Paperback(Anniversar)
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Overview
For forty years, The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes has remained the classic book on the topic, artfully combining the Eastern lunar calendar with Western, solar-based astrology. You'll discover how the five elements, four seasons, and the ascendant sign based on the hour of your birth can affect your personality. Read about the 144 relationship combinations to better understand the compatibility of the twelve lunar signs. This revised edition will delight seasoned astrologers and interested novices alike.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781623173739 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | North Atlantic Books |
| Publication date: | 07/02/2019 |
| Edition description: | Anniversar |
| Pages: | 480 |
| Sales rank: | 133,195 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.20(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
The Rat
I am the self-proclaimed acquisitor.
I am a link yet I function as
a complete unit.
I aim at encompassing heights
and strike my target,
sure and steady.
Life is one joyous journey for me.
Each search must end with a new quest.
I am progress, exploration and insight.
I am the womb of activity.
I Am the Rat.
If you were born on the day before the start of the lunar year of the Rat, e.g., 27th January 1960, your animal sign is the one before the Rat, the Boar, the twelfth lunar sign.
If you were born on the day after the last day of lunar year of the Rat, e.g., 15th February l961, then your sign is the one after Rat, the Ox, the second lunar sign.
The sign of the Rat rules the two-hour segment of the day from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. This period of time closes the day at midnight as well as heralds in a new day. Persons born during this two-hour segment are said to have the Rat sign as their ascendant and will display many of the characteristics peculiar to this sign and have great affinity for persons born under this sign.
The direction appointed to the Rat is directly north; its season is winter and its principle month, December. The Rat corresponds to the Western astrological sign of Sagittarius which rules winter from November 22nd to December 21st. Water is its fixed element and the Rat has a positive stem or is considered a yang or male sign.
The charm and innovative personality of the Rat is legendary. He did not become the first sign of the cycle without good reason. I have woven a tale about how this might have come topass. According to my story, when the Lord Buddha gave out the summons for all the animals to come to him before he departed the Earth, he entrusted the rat with the mission to get the word around. It is entirely possible that the Rooster was also chosen to announce the same message and both did their utmost to reach as many of their fellow beasts as possible. The Rooster worked days and did most of its crowing during the sunlight hours while the Rat worked during the night. In its intense diligence to round up as many animals as possible, the Rooster was delayed and the 10th animal to arrive. After the Rooster came the Dog and lastly, the Boar.
One can imagine the Rat rushing about with the good news. He went from place to place, encouraging all the other animals to meet the Buddha at the appointed time and place. However, being the resourceful and practical animal that it is, the Rat decided to save energy by asking for a ride from other animals since it was tired from running about conveying the Great Sage's invitation. And, he certainly did not want to be late.
Knowing the Horse was the swiftest of the lot, the Rat tried to get a free ride from it. But the temperamental Horse would have none of it. Fiercely independent and proud, the Horse decided that no one could tell it what to do and when to do it. There was plenty of time to trot to the appointment when it was ready. It told the Rat to get a ride somewhere else. From that time on, the Rat and the Horse never got along. The Rat thought the Horse was selfish and thoughtless while the Horse felt that the clever Rat was too manipulative and demanding.
Nonetheless, the Rat was too intelligent to be discouraged for long and used its wits again. This time it approached the sturdy and kind-hearted Ox who was more than happy to carry the little Rat on its back. Furthermore, the dutiful Ox was early for the appointment and therefore the first animal to arrive on the scene. But, when the Lord Buddha said he was going to honor the Ox by naming it the first sign of the lunar cycle, the Rat jumped down from the Ox's back and claimed that privilege. The Ox did not oppose the Rat as it felt the Rat had done more than its fair share by bringing the news to all the animals. So the Buddha justly conferred the esteemed first place and leadership of the lunar cycle to the crafty Rat. This was how the Rat got its free ride and also got to be number one.
The Rat can be forthright, inquisitive and intrusive but always in such a disarmingly honest way that we find ourselves at a disadvantage. It is in business that this sign really excels. I remember seeing a young man in the streets of London one summer promoting some security or time-saving gadget. He presented quite a novel image of himself and his wares, but above all else, everyone noticed the T-shirt he had on. It read: "Be Alert! England needs Lerts!" That sense of humor combined with keen business acumen summarizes the Rat's inborn entrepreneurial sense. Yes, the Rat is always alert to any opportunity for making money.
Remarkably easy to get along with, hard working and thrifty, he will be generous only to those he is inordinately fond of, so if you get an expensive gift from him, you know he holds you in high esteem. Yet, in spite of his penny-pinching ways, the Rat will never be found wanting for admirers as he emits such fantastic appeal.
On the surface, some Rats may appear reserved, even placid, but they are never as quiet as they may seem. Something is always going on inside that sharp mind. Actually, the Rat is easily agitated but able to maintain self-control, which explains why he is so popular and has such a multitude of friends.
The Rat person is usually a bright, fun-loving and sociable character. Occasionally, you may come across a supercritical or grouchy, fault-finding one. But on the whole, he enjoys parties and other large gatherings. He will endeavor to join exclusive clubs and as a rule can be found in a close circle of friends or fellow conspirators. He is very outgoing and likes getting involved. How else is he going to be in the thick of things and amass all that information he has about everyone?
The Rat really cherishes his friends, associates and family relations; at times he gets hopelessly tangled in other people's affairs because he cannot easily rid himself of strong emotional attachments once he makes them. His capacity to love can only be overruled by his shrewdness and love of money.
A Rat boss may demonstrate great concern about whether his employees are getting enough exercise or eating a balanced diet. In his heart, he sincerely cares about their welfare; he will visit them when they are sick and make their problems his problems. Yet when it comes to giving them that well-deserved raise, he will hedge and be a little stingy. A lot of arm twisting and collective bargaining is needed when it comes to parting a Rat from his money.
The Rat lady may continually amaze you by being a model of frugality. She is forever distributing old clothes, recycling toys, buying or selling secondhand items, and stretching meals, leftovers and the budget until the family could scream. However, she may not care to apply these same penny-pinching standards when dealing with her precious offspring. If her children know how to get around her, she will find it hard to deny them anything. Rat people are rarely tightwads where their loved ones are concerned. Strange how every time a Rat mother cuts a cake, her child will get the largest slice, no matter whose birthday it is. Rat females are also voted most likely to recycle a Christmas gift, which gives new meaning to the saying: What goes around, comes around.
Rats are by nature decidedly clannish. Maybe there is some truth about safety in numbers. The Rat never worries about having another mouth to feed and will allow his relatives, in-laws and friends to stick around his house and live off him. Why? Because the crafty Rat will always find something for them to do to earn their keep. Laggards, professional bums and freeloaders will all get put to work swiftly in his household. Charity has its limits. Trust the efficient and practical Rat.
The Rat native keeps his own secrets well but he can be an expert at weeding other people's gardens. He has few qualms about using vital confidential information or capitalizing on the mistakes of others. Trust him to investigate stock tips and follow through on privileged information. What do you mean, insider trading? That couldn't possibly apply to him. After all, one certainly cannot expect the Rat to ignore opportunity's knock, especially when his ear is glued to the door so much of the time! A wink, a nod, or the tiniest move of an eyebrow is all you need to signal the Rat that something's afoot. He will track it all the way to its source.
As much as the Rat likes to camouflage or hide his feelings, one can always tell when he is upset. He becomes edgy, curt and impertinent. Some may even become absolute nags. Inefficiency, idleness, waste and tardiness go against his active and industrious nature and cause him to harp at the subject of his displeasure until things are done right. The Rat loves to run the show and everyone and everything had better look sharp under his stewardship. The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes, 4th Edition. Copyright © by Theodora Lau. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
Table of Contents
Preface: Self Discovery through Chinese Horoscopes xiii
How to Use This Book xvi
Tables xx
Table 1 The Lunar Signs from 1924 to 2043 xx
Table 2 The Exact Lunar Years from 1924 to 2044 xx
Table 3 The Interaction of the Five Elements xxv
Table 4 The Animal Signs and Their Fixed Elements, Seasons, and Stems xxvi
Table 5 Ascendants: The Twelve Animal Signs and Their Hours xxvi
Table 6 The Months of the Lunar Signs and Their Matching Solar Astrological Signs xxvii
Special Section: Long and Short Lunar Years and the Influence of the Li Chun xxviii
Special Section: Understanding the Five Elements xxviii
Special Section: The Influence of the Moon's Four Phases xxxv
Acknowledgments xli
Chapter 1 The First Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Rat 1
The Rat Personality 2
The Rat Child 10
The Five Different Rats 11
Compatibility and Conflict for the Rat 13
The Rat and Its Ascendant Relationships 18
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 22
The Seasons of the Rat 26
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rat 28
Chapter 2 The Second Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Ox 29
The Ox Personality 30
The Ox Child 37
The Five Different Oxen 38
Compatibility and Conflict for the Ox 41
The Ox and Its Ascendant Relationships 46
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 50
The Seasons of the Ox 55
Famous People Born in the Year of the Ox 57
Chapter 3 The Third Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Tiger 59
The Tiger Personality 60
The Tiger Child 66
The Five Different Tigers 67
Compatibility and Conflict for the Tiger 70
The Tiger and Its Ascendant Relationships 76
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 80
The Seasons of the Tiger 84
Famous People Born in the Year of the Tiger 86
Chapter 4 The Fourth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Rabbit 87
The Rabbit Personality 89
The Rabbit Child 95
The Five Different Rabbits 96
Compatibility and Conflict for the Rabbit 99
The Rabbit and Its Ascendant Relationships 104
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 108
The Seasons of the Rabbit 113
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rabbit 115
Chapter 5 The Fifth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Dragon 117
The Dragon Personality 118
The Dragon Child 125
The Five Different Dragons 126
Compatibility and Conflict for the Dragon 129
The Dragon and Its Ascendant Relationships 135
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 138
The Seasons of the Dragon 143
Famous People Born in the Year of the Dragon 145
Chapter 6 The Sixth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Snake 147
The Snake Personality 148
The Snake Child 154
The Five Different Snakes 155
Compatibility and Conflict for the Snake 158
The Snake and Its Ascendant Relationships 164
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 168
The Seasons of the Snake 173
Famous People Born in the Year of the Snake 175
Chapter 7 The Seventh Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Horse 177
The Horse Personality 178
The Horse Child 186
The Five Different Horses 187
Compatibility and Conflict for the Horse 190
The Horse and Its Ascendant Relationships 196
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 199
The Seasons of the Horse 204
Famous People Born in the Year of the Horse 206
Chapter 8 The Eighth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Sheep 207
The Sheep Personality 208
The Sheep Child 214
The Five Different Sheep 216
Compatibility and Conflict for the Sheep 218
The Sheep and Its Ascendant Relationships 225
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 229
The Seasons of the Sheep 233
Famous People Born in the Year of the Sheep 236
Chapter 9 The Ninth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Monkey 237
The Monkey Personality 238
The Monkey Child 245
The Five Different Monkeys 246
Compatibility and Conflict for the Monkey 249
The Monkey and Its Ascendant Relationships 255
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 259
The Seasons of the Monkey 264
Famous People Born in the Year of the Monkey 266
Chapter 10 The Tenth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Rooster 267
The Rooster Personality 268
The Rooster Child 277
The Five Different Roosters 278
Compatibility and Conflict for the Rooster 281
The Rooster and Its Ascendant Relationships 288
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 292
The Seasons of the Rooster 297
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rooster 300
Chapter 11 The Eleventh Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Dog 301
The Dog Personality 302
The Dog Child 308
The Five Different Dogs 309
Compatibility and Conflict for the Dog 312
The Dog and Its Ascendant Relationships 318
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 323
The Seasons of the Dog 328
Famous People Born in the Year of the Dog 330
Chapter 12 The Twelfth Sign of the Lunar Cycle-The Boar 331
The Boar Personality 332
The Boar Child 338
The Five Different Boars 340
Compatibility and Conflict for the Boar 343
The Boar and Its Ascendant Relationships 349
When Moon Signs Meet Sun Signs 353
The Seasons of the Boar 358
Famous People Born in the Year of the Boar 360
Chapter 13 Choosing Wedding Dates by the Lunar Almanac 361
The Four Seasons and the Phases of the Moon 362
Chapter 14 Relationship Combinations 365
The Rat's Relationships 366
The Ox's Relationships 370
The Tiger's Relationships 375
The Rabbit's Relationships 380
The Dragon's Relationships 386
The Snake's Relationships 391
The Horse's Relationships 396
The Sheep's Relationships 401
The Monkey's Relationships 406
The Rooster's Relationships 412
The Dog's Relationships 417
The Boar's Relationships 422
Index 429
About the Authors 435
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