The myth behind the Chinese zodiac - Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen 

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My favorite story about the zodiac was not mentioned: The cat also got an invitation for the race. Because it is sleeping all day, it asked it´s friend the mouse to wake it up on time. The mouse, knowing that the cat would make it through the river faster than itself, said yes, but did not do it. The result: The cat got up too late and did not make it into the circle. Ever since then, it resents the mouse and catches it whenever it can.

Your Chinese pronounciation in this video is prefect.

Anyone else remember hearing about how the mouse tricked the cat so that it could take place instead of the cat.

1:50 I loved that the monkey and the rooster gave the 8th place to the sheep “who had been the most comforting and harmonious of them.”

Imagine if it was Australia who had invented the lunar zodiac, we'd have a Year of the Kangaroo, Year of the Koala, Year of the Platypus, Year of the Wombat....

Long ago, the twelve zodiacs lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Jade Emperor, master of all five elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished..

The story I’ve heard was that there were 13 zodiacs the very last being the cat who didn’t make the top 12 because it got tricked by the mouse and almost drowned in the water. Thus explaining why cats hate mice and why they’re afraid of water

dragon: nice. big race, idc. help some little animals lol lmao

me a chinese person who already knows this story: mmm yes interesting

"oh my god that's such a yang water Dragon thing to say" "Shuuut uuppp Kelsey! I'm a ying metal monkey." "Noo waaayyy me too!"

although really good, i remember a part about the cat, when told by my parents. the cat and mouse were best friends but half way the mouse pushed the cat off and he never made it to the finish line. thats why cats chase mice

PROPS TO THIS VOICE OVER PERSON THE CHINESE PRONUNCIATION AND THE TONES

I'm teaching my students about the zodiacs tomorrow and this shows up directly to my feed. I love the Internet.

I first read the Chinese zodiac when I was 24 (my second cycle) and was blown away by how accurate (at least for me) the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Tiger I possess. And knowing that in Western astrology, the sign directly across the wheel is your compliment, I was baffled by my tumultuous relationship with my Mom (Pisces-me, Virgo-her). Then I learned that in Eastern astrology, your 6-year cross-wheel sign is your immortal antagonist. My Mother, may she RIP, was the Monkey on this Tiger's back for 47 years!

I’m not Chinese or anything but the pronunciation just seems so perfect

Its so funny that the dragon's legs are still moving even though he's floating

I didn't even need a notification. I'm on RU-vid too much.

According to Vietnamese myth, after the race, Hằng Nga - Moon Lady (the lady owns moon palace) need an animal to become her assistant. Because rabbit is the cutest animal (u know girl always like cute and fluffy things), she chose it to come with her. Jade emperor felt so hard to decide to give her or not bcause he needed 12 animals to represent the time. At that time, cat (which slept all day and just woke up at the end of the race) arrive at Jade palace. Jade emperor gave Moon Lady the rabbit and replaced rabbit with cat in the Zodiac signs. My mom always says that everyone who were born in year of cat (like me) achieves things without any effort (definitely it's wrong, but it's funny) Some of teenagers say that Moon lady chose the rabbit just because she needed carrots. 🌝 🌝 🌝

As a Thai-Chinese person, I was overjoyed at the wonderfully presented information in the video. I’m also super glad they got a narrator whom has the ability to pronounce the words and names accurately. Amazing video!💕

So clear and authentic! That's the version I have heard in my childhood. BTW the pronunciation of 地支 and 天干 is quite right as well as the explanation of the sixty-year-cycled year counting system. (甲子) The LCM of 10 and 12 is 60 That's why a cycle is sixty years

The Chinese pronounciation my god its perfect

*And then the fire nation attacked*

thank you ted, I'm a Chinese Chinese who's very emerged in Chinese cultures but this is the first time someone explained to me that I can have more than one animal zodiac which can also be determined by the month, day or time of the day that you were born. Always learning about myself.

Isn't there a part about the cat?

Of course my sign comes in dead last from not even trying.

You know the narrator is Chinese descended, because no western TED host can pronounce Chinese this accurately.

In Vietnam, we change "sheep" into "goat" too

Chinnnaaaa

Wow, this version makes some of the animals seem a WHOLE lot less selfish. In the version I heard, they all wanted to come in first; y'know, because it's a race with the prize being a great honor. Of course, that was from the PBS series, "Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat"; IMO, it's one of PBS's best shows.

I remember watching a show called Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat that explained the Great Race, and that's how I remembered the order of the Chinese zodiac

Really appreciate this video, i knew about the animals but now need to learn more! Never stop learning. Thank you!

I swear everyone knows fruits basket😂😂 Yuki💜...

Somewhere, Kyo is quaking at this video lol

Uploaded just in time for Chinese New Year :)

I'm so glad you can leave voice messages as comments now!!! ▶ 🔘──────── 00:13

I think in Thailand, we have both concepts for naga(the serpent looking one with no leg) and dragon( Chinese dragon which has legs, the Mushu looking one) so it's not like we can use naga when we're going to say dragon and vice versa. As to which we use in the chinese zodiac, I think we do use both images and we do call it the large snake or the dragon year.

Fruits basket taught me about the Chinese zodiac first ngl

Lmao this video left out the whole fiasco with the cat...the cat was supposed to be a part of the zodiac

It's so interesting to finally know the history and lore behind this great calendar! :)

woah!! i was born in 2007...i thought i'd need to calculate a lot but she said it and the chinese pronounciation is just awesome

Well, I'm happy that my sign (The Mouse) came in first, but did it have to be so cruel? Poor Ox, at least it came in second :)

i love how the dragon guard others animal and the trio choose the most humble and funny one. love the story

Yin Water Rooster is my Chinese zodiac sign. Was born on 18th January 1994 AD or the 7th day of Gui-Chún (12th month of the Ox) in the Chinese year 4691 (the Year of the Rooster). According to the Chinese myth of the Great Race, the Rooster stood 10th in the race, as witnessed by Yù Dì (Jade Emperor), Ruler of the Heavens.

In Western astrology, what people think of as their 'sign' refers only to the 'Sun' sign. It's much more complex than that. In Eastern astrology, what people think of as their 'sign' is closely related to the cycles of the Moon. Eastern astrology is also much more complex than that. Why does one tend to focus on the Sun and one on the Moon? Solar and Lunar calendars, for one reason, but there's a deeper reason why Lunar calendars are common in the East. It has to do with Yang and Ying, the fundamental 'opposing' (mutually supporting) forces of the universe. In physics, they're called 'negative' and 'positive.'

Most Chinese people don't care about the 60-year cycle but only the 12-year cycle. Also, I've never heard of the inner animal, true animal or secret animal in my life...

Horse: I hate snakeu

I don't know if this was just me, but I remember the story with a cat?

My elementary school music teacher of Chinese descent told my class this story which is where I first learned it. She and I are both born in the year of the dog so I know our age difference is divisible by 12.

I am year of the Ox and I am happy with that cause I grateful that the Ox would give up 1st place for the mouse and I apriciate his kindness :)

As someone who celebrates Chinese New Year with my family every year I thought I would just watch the video to confirm what I know. I actually learned that elements are assigned to the calendar. Thanks!

I can't believe the Chinese believe in this nonsense, they must be all Leos.

In malay "Naga" is a dragon.So the Thai didn't change anything to the zodiac

The video should mention that your birth year should be calculated according to Lunar calendar. Not normal calendar.

I find this topic really interesting as a Japanese person. I sometimes struggle to explain Kanji to my foreign friends, so I'll share this video!

In Malay, Naga is actually a word for Dragon

Isn't naga and dragon the same animal? At least in my language, naga in english is dragon.

Just want to point out that the year of birth applied in this zodiac system is based on the Chinese Lunar calendar, not the commonly used Gregorian calendar. For example, 1990 is labeled as the year of horse and 1991 is labeled as the year of sheep in the video. That is not accurate since 1990/1991 is the year index from the Gregorian calendar. I was born in January 1991, which was right between the global new year day and the Chinese new year day. Therefore my zodiac is still horse not sheep, even though most people born in 1991 have sheep as their zodiac.

TED ed is awesome ...(better than ted talks in fact)

Roosters where u at (it's also rooster year :D)

Acually, Naga also mean Dragon....

Who else watch fruits basket?

*I'm year of the rabbit.* My favorite animal too!

I am the “Good-hearted” Ox

I actually knew this when I was small because my family followed Chinese traditions (we are not native Chinese).

So 60 years birthday is considered a special one because the same cycles are back to the time when I was born. Sons and daughters try to celebrate when their parents are 60, at least in South Korea.

so if all animals participated and had to cross a river THEN WHERE ARE THE FISH ON THE CALENDAR

Most of my knowledge from this comes from Fruits Basket the anime.

I'm not from China, but your Chinese words sure do sound like Chinese to me

Im studying philosophy by myself and i wish this vide was longer for each animal 🥰 so much human spirit

Happy "Lunar" New Year 2017!

My mom told me about this story! I LOVE your pronunciation of their named in Chinese!

This is the best example of great quality content with accurate pronunciation with accurate facts instead of some western content whom pretend to be Chinese/China expert but they can't even get the fact correct and pronounce Chinese word accurately

what about the 🐱 cat 😭poor KYO😭

*Fruits Basket* anyone...

I'm 22, a Metal Dragon. My mom is a Metal Ox and my dad was a Wood Sheep. I loved my father most. He could crack jokes anytime and made me smile. He died 7 years ago. I miss him so much. Also My western zodic is Scorpio, mom is Aries, dad was Leo.

Oh the eternal questions: Sheep or Goat?

*"IM YEAR OF THE TIGER"* Cool ❤❤❤❤❤❤

Lmao the pig is way too relatable, could definitely be my zodiac sign 😄

Story here is basically how I remember it when I read about it in a children's book but I thought I remembered that the rooster, monkey, and dog were the ones who went on the raft, not the sheep. I get a bit confused at that part because I hear that Monkeys and Dogs are supposed to be the bestest of buds in the zodiac.

Them: What's your sign? Me: Triceratops.

2:41 ..... thats sounds similar isnt it? *cough* *cough* avatar* cough*

I just realized the samauri power rangers signs for their morph is the middle signs of - 3:02

One of the storybooks I read abt this story (cat betrayal arc included) said that the dragon borrowed the roosters prized horns so he would look good when meeting the jade emperor, it never gave it back. Also when crossing the river, the snake accidentally broke off its legs when using a log to cross.

I seriously wanna know how exactly to know all of the aspects of the chinese sodiac Like How all the animals, elements, and yin/yang are desided; for the 3 different things But onine I was only able to find the animal and the element for the year

This is sooooo different from the Japanese version

I'm a Bazi reader (Chinese astology reader) and must admit that I've never heard about this myth before. For those interested in Bazi, it has nothing to do with animals. it's written in a code (for instance the animal signs) consisting out of layers. The 10 Heavenly stems and 12 Earthly branches are one layer, the Ten Gods is another. I studied under Joey Yap. Feel free to ask anything about Bazi.

Chinese zodiac:Rooster Zodiac:Leo (I know it’s late but whatever)Happy Chinese New Year!!!恭喜发财！！！新年快乐！！！年年有余！！！

TED-Ed 的免费教育动画现有中文版!

Thank you for getting an actual Chinese person for this LOL

All the Fire Type Starter Pokemon are based on these guys.

Am I the only rememberng the anime "Fruits Basket" because of this?

In Vietnam, they’d tell this story like a damn fairy tale. This is nice.

I just watched fruits basket-

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL

I think there may have a been another interpretation of the story where the mouse was actually spotting obstacles for the ox, who had bad eyesight. If it were not for each other, both the mouse and the ox would not be top 2.

So sorry I came here after fruits basket! (Literally I don't know anything about zodiac signs though)

I'm a tiger lol

learning about chinese culture is so interesting!! i'm an earth tiger

I’m Vietnamese and I had a book where it had a bunch of Vietnamese legends and the one I remember the most is where it said why ducks sleep on one leg, So the story was that a few ducks duck have been given a leg from the god (I’m don’t know the name, sry) and they needed to protect it so the ducks put the leg and so when they sleep the put one leg under their feathers so others couldn’t steal it and other ducks saw this and thought it was the correct way to sleep so the other ducks slept with one leg under their feathers