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Astrology is an integral part of Chinese philosophy and culture. From the numbers used for their home addresses, to when they marry and have children, many Chinese adhere to what they believe is written-in-the-stars. In this article, we'll explore the ancient art of Chinese astrology and how it is integrated into everyday life.

Chinese astrology is the divination of the future from the Chinese calendar. This basic cycle has been constructed from two cycles: the 10 heavenly stems (the five elements in their yin and yang forms) and the 12 earthly branches, or the 12-year cycle of animals referred to as the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese animal zodiac also operates on a cycle of months or 'moons' and of hours of the day. The animal signs assigned by year represent how others will perceive you as being, or how you present yourself.

It is a common misconception that the animals assigned by year are the only signs, and many western descriptions of the Chinese version draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month (called inner animals) and hours of the day (called secret animals). While a person might appear to be a dragon because they were born in the year of the dragon, they might also be a snake internally and an ox secretively.

In total, this makes for 8,640 possible combinations that a person might be. An individual's monthly animal sign is called their inner animal and is concerned with what motivates a person. Since this sign dictates the person's love life and inner persona, it is critical to a proper understanding of the individual's compatibility with other signs. These are all critical for the proper use of this Asian astrology.

In Chinese astrology, each sign is linked to a month in the solar year, as well as to a season. It's believed that the elements transfers a portion of its characteristics to the sign concerned. The fixed element of each sign applies also to the year and hour signs, and not just the monthly sign. It is important to note that the fixed element is separate from the cycle of elements.

The Chinese zodiac is also used to label times of day, with each sign corresponding to a "large-hour," which is a two-hour period (24 divided by 12 animals). It is therefore important to know the exact time of birth to determine it. The secret animal is thought to be a person's truest representation, since this animal is determined by the smallest denominator: a person's birth hour. It is a person's own true sign, upon which their personality is based.

The famous Chinese new year celebrations are filled with prominently displayed symbols from Chinese astrology and this is indicative of how proudly the culture practices these beliefs. Many important life decisions are based on these beliefs and the ancient philosophy is widely accepted as part of the everyday culture. This clearly indicates how astrology readings can, and do, shape lives.

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