レポート
Wonder the World Vol.6: “Chinese Beliefs in Zodiac – Which animal do you belong to?” （中国の干支（えと）について）
マンディ（中国出身）
2012年にEIC活動に参加、日本の大学を卒業後、中国に帰国。現在もEIHのグループリーダーとして、活躍中。ここでは中国の干支（えと）の考え方をお話します。
Mandy from China, Participated in Immersion Activities (KEIA) since 2012 and returned to China after graduating from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. She is still active as a group leader of English Immersion Hour. Here, she will talk about the concept of the Chinese zodiac.
How would you be asked about your age in your country?
Dear friends, how would you be asked about your age in your country?
Except your actual age, you can answer like “I was born in the 90s”, “I am a millennial” or even “I am a generation X / Y / Z.” While, in China, we have another way of telling people our age, guess what?! By animal. There are 12 animals, we call them Chinese Zodiac and each year has a certain animal. For year 2023, it the year of rabbit.
Zodiac is not only in China, but also in Vietnam, Japan and other Asian countries. However, each country has different animals in the zodiac. For example, Vietnam has cat instead of rabbit (yes! Year 2023 is Cat year in Vietnam!). Whereas, Goat year can also be called sheep year in Japan.
And if you telling Chinese you are a rabbit, we can immediately know if you are 12, 24, 36 or 48. So asking zodiac sign is a polite way of asking age in China.
Like Westerns believe in horoscope and Japanese believe in blood type. Chinese we believe in Zodiac. A zodiac sign not only we get to know your age, but also whether you have good luck or bad, your career, your personality in a given year. What’s more, it gives you and your partners (boyfriend, husband etc.) zodiac sign, some Chinese can picture (have an image) your private life. If we have a Rabbit husband and a Tiger wife, Chinese may consider the wife overpower the husband. Some Chinese will believe certain animals (zodiacs) get along well with others, and others don’t.
This extends to second generation. Some Chinese couple will choose a particular year to conceive baby. Only because they believe certain zodiac combination in the family can bring more prosperity and luck!
Also, Chinese believe some animal are luckier than the others. For example the dragon! Dragon is an animal, in China, represent power, strength and wealth. Because of this, many more babies were born in the year of dragon. Now let’s take 30 seconds to think what’s the impact? I am not sure if every dragon baby are successful or powerful or rich. But I am sure that dragon babies are more difficult to go to kindergartens, schools and universities. Because they have more competitors!
On the other hand, there are some Zodiacs considered less lucky than others such as ‘goat’ and ‘tiger’ based on the old Chinese beliefs. But does that mean they are really unlucky? Based on the World’s Top 300 Rich people’s Zodiac ranking, “Tiger” and “Goat” are the top 2 zodiacs has most rich people, even before dragon which is the 3rd position in the ranking.
Zodiac is an important culture from the ancient time
All in all, zodiac is an important culture from the ancient time until now. Chinese people make decision of giving birth, look for partners, business and investment based on zodiac. However, it doesn’t mean Chinese should only rely on the zodiac without seeing who we truly are.
A tiger wife can behave like a rabbit and a dragon baby may not be lucky enough to become successfully without facing more competitors than the others. It is the same with horoscopes and blood types.
You can also tell whether you are lucky and unlucky for a certain year based on your zodiac. Not all zodiacs are having the same year with the same luck. If you are, unfortunately facing a bad year, you are suggested to go to a local temple, pray to Buddha for protection, also avoid big events like getting married, move to a new house, change company etc. Last but not least, for those who are interested and wonder which animal you belong to, please look for it from this table!
この記事のまとめ
星座や血液型、生まれ年の干支（えと）によって、運勢や相性などを占うことってありますよね。皆さんがよく知っている十二支は子（ね）・丑（うし）・寅（とら）・卯（う）・辰（たつ）・巳（み）・午（うま）・未（ひつじ）・申（さる）・酉（とり）・戌（いぬ）・亥（い）の12種類。中国も同じで（＊亥（い）は中国では豚をあらわす）中国の人は生まれ年の干支（えと）をとても重視しています。干支を参考に恋人や結婚相手との相性、出産やビジネス、投資など時機を決めたりします。生まれ年の動物によって、運勢・性格・経歴を推測するのです。例えば辰（たつ）は中国では力、強さ、富を表す動物です。このため、辰年には多くの赤ちゃんが生まれました。辰年生まれの人が成功したか、強力か、お金持ちであるかはわかりませんが、辰年生まれの人はより多くの競争相手がいるから、幼稚園、学校、大学に行く時も競争が激しいです。また、「未（ひつじ）」や「寅（とら）」は他の干支よりも幸運でないと敬遠されていますが、世界のお金持ちトップ300人のランキングでは、1位…寅（とら）2位…未（ひつじ）3位…辰（たつ）なので、何とも言えません。中国では干支（えと）は昔から現在に至るまで干支も考慮に入れて判断するという文化があります。あなたはなに年ですか？
New words List
Zodiac…干支（えと）
Millennial…ここでは2000年代生まれ
Generation …世代
Polite …丁寧な
Westerns…西洋の
Horoscope…占星術
Overpower…圧倒する
Extends…広がる
Particular…特別の
Conceive…考える
Prosperity…繁栄
Competitors…競争する人たち
Considered…考えられる
Ancient…古代の
Investment…投資
Facing…直面する
Rely…たよる
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