Westernized Chinese Astrology

by Jaime Silvela, ages and ages ago

So you want to know the secrets of your personality and that of those around you? This page describes a blend of Chinese and Western astrology. This is not a new idea. The view in this page is unconventional, but I hope it’s interesting.

The interesting bits

Crash course in Western astrology

Western astrology is motivated by astronomy. The planets, the Sun and the Moon, orbit around the Earth (Copernicus came long after astrology) inside of a plane called the Ecliptic. This plane was divided into 12 angular sectors, each with 30 degrees, named Aries, Taurus, Gemini… Astrology developed by attaching meaning to those sectors, and meaning to the Sun, Moon and planets, and then interpreting what each configuration of planets on sectors meant. The configuration at the time of birth of a person leaves its imprint on that person’s character.

For instance, a person born on January 9th, 1975, had the Sun in Capricorn, Jupiter in Pisces and the moon in Sagittarius. This means this person is a Capricorn, as the Sun is believed the main indicator of personality. Capricorns are methodical, dutiful and conservative. Jupiter influences travel and expansion, and Pisces is the sign of religion, compassion and the occult, so maybe this person will be attracted by the idea of pilgrimages, will be interested in religion where he goes, or might join Doctors Without Borders. The Moon is a strong personality indicator for women, and for men it symbolizes relationship to the mother, and women in general. A man with Moon in Sagittarius will look for women who are adventurous, spiritual and honest.

The plot thickens when you start to calculate rising signs, houses, aspects between planets (conjunctions and so), duads inside each sign, etc. What this does is give you an enormous level of detail that each astrologer interprets in a unique way, and that makes it easy to tailor your native chart. Oh, and luck interpreting stuff like: you’re very masculine because your Mars is in Aries, but you’re sexually ambiguous because your Venus is in Gemini.

Crash course in Chinese astrology

There is no pseudo-scientific explanation to the Chinese Horoscope. Just the legend that Buddha summoned all animals to meet him, and gave special influence to the twelve who came. Chinese astrology is based on the calendar, with each Sign or Animal having influence over one full year until the Chinese new year, celebrated in January or February depending on the year.

As in western astrology, there are refinements. The year’s animal imprints its characteristics on the people born in that year, but there is also the lunar ascendant, of which there is one each month, the travel companion which is determined by the hour of birth, and the elements, which form 10 year cycles. All in all, there are many less variables than in western astrology, and perhaps because of this, the descriptions of Chinese signs are richer and more convincing.

The view in this page

Given the title, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I favor Chinese astrology. It has been noted by many people that there is an equivalence between Chinese and Western signs, based on the Chinese lunar ascendants. I take this one step further, and base the yearly Chinese sign on the motion of Jupiter, which spends about 1 year on each sign. This has also been suggested before. For example in Laurene Petit and Shao-Hin’s series on Chinese Astrology.

I like some of the machinery and order of the Western Astrology, so I adapt that to systematize Chinese Astrology. And this I have done my own way, disregarding most of what books say about the Chinese Elements.

Chinese animal	Western sign
Rat	Sagittarius
Ox	Capricorn
Tiger	Aquarius
Rabbit	Pisces
Dragon	Aries
Snake	Taurus
Horse	Gemini
Goat	Cancer
Monkey	Leo
Rooster	Virgo
Dog	Libra
Pig	Scorpio

How to find your sign

You need to find the positions of Jupiter and the Sun at the time of your birth. You can find this on an ephemeris which you can get in Western astrology guides, or also, online.
Here are online ephemerides.
Your main sign is given by the position of Jupiter. The position of the Sun gives the secondary sign, a more subtle influence.

Once you have them, use the conversion table below to find your equivalent signs. One caveat: if you were born in the Southern hemisphere, you should look at your opposite sign (that is, add or subtract 6 signs from your sign). For instance, an Aussie with the Jupiter in Cancer should consider he has Jupiter in Capricorn. Why, I hear you cry? Well, it doesn’t make sense to me that Leo should be considered the sign of the Sun when August is winter down South. But if you prefer your old sign, that’s good too. Astrology, is, after all, just another pointless but fun pursuit.

Western sign	Chinese animal
Aries	Dragon
Taurus	Snake
Gemini	Horse
Cancer	Goat
Leo	Monkey
Virgo	Rooster
Libra	Dog
Scorpio	Pig
Sagittarius	Rat
Capricorn	Ox
Aquarius	Tiger
Pisces	Rabbit

Descriptions of the signs

Rat (Jupiter in Sagittarius)

The most: Imaginative
Quality: Mutable: Fluctuating, versatile
Underlying element: Water: Unconventional, intuitive; Imaginative, spiritual, drastic

The rat is the most imaginative of signs. It can spot trends and opportunities that others miss. It can be speculative at times, as it guesses at underlying motivations and mechanisms. The Chinese say the Rat has the gift of foresight, great cleverness, and good fortune. The Rat has many interests that it jumps between and can have a tendency to scatter. The Rat makes an eloquent talker and a quick listener. Its intuition allows it to capture the essence of discussions. The Rat is at once reserved, and candid when it does communicate. It can appear calm, but has a restless mind.

Famous Rats

Nikola Jokić, John McEnroe, W. Edwards Deming, Michael Lewis, Greta Gerwig, Richard Linklater, Emily Blunt, Nicolaus Copernicus, Emma Thompson, Vincent van Gogh, Alan Turing, Cameron Diaz, Lance Armstrong, Lee Remick, Jean Arthur, Francisco Goya, Marlon Brando, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Redford, Silvio Berlusconi, John Carpenter, Hillary Clinton, Atom Egoyan, Harpo Marx, Dick Cavett, Hugh Grant, Dennis Hopper, Ava DuVernay, Richard D. James (Aphex Twin), Art Spiegelman, Neal Stephenson, Kate McKinnon, Jim Henson, Keegan-Michael Key

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Yolanda Díaz, José Luis Ábalos, Sara Baras

Ox (Jupiter in Capricorn)

The most: Imaginative
Quality: Cardinal: Central, stable
Underlying element: Metal: Influential, analytical; Imaginative, steady, worldly

The Ox, like the Rat, is extremely imaginative: it can figure out underlying mechanisms and problems, hidden relationships. Its mind is at times speculative, but it can find things that remained hidden to others. It is a stable sign that little by little establishes influence over its family and teams. A sense of fairness and balance helps it become central. Its stability and steadiness means that at times it may be slow to act, being too stuck in its ways. The Ox is a worldly sign, even if it may appear reserved. Interested in group and family dynamics, career oriented, an achiever.

Famous Oxen

LeBron James, Haruki Murakami, Mary Tyler Moore, Neil Gaiman, Johnny Carson, Bibi Netanyahu, Walt Disney, Bono, Ezra Klein, Marlene Dietrich, Jack Nicholson, Sigourney Weaver, Tilda Swinton, Gregg Popovich, Gerard Depardieu, Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen, Richard Nixon, Charles Chaplin, Malcolm X, Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Margaret Thatcher, Oscar Wilde, Eminem, Albert Camus, Jennifer Garner, Lewis Hamilton, Anna Wintour, Richard Burton, Warren Beatty, Christopher Columbus, Ludwig van Beethoven, Randall Munroe (xkcd), Scarlett Johansson, Mark Zuckerberg, Henri Poincaré, Jack Lemmon, Robert Bresson, Douglas Engelbart

Rodrigo Rato, Perico Delgado, Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, Pedro Almodóvar, Fernando Torres, Paco de Lucía, Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Almudena Grandes

Tiger (Jupiter in Aquarius)

The most: Drastic
Quality: Fixed: Forceful, focused
Underlying element: Fire: Popular, alert; Drastic, worldly, watchful

The Tiger is the original mover and shaker of the Chinese horoscope. Rebellious, energetic, it cultivates a stylish and vigorous image. The Tiger is watchful and ready to pounce, generally with benevolence as a protector of friends in need. It is socially oriented and ultimately seeks approval. The Tiger pursues goals with a steely focus, to the exclusion of all else. It puts all of its energy into the pursuit; all-or-nothing. When it achieves or abandons goals, the effect is dramatic. The Tiger’s life will not be linear, but will show a certain erratic nature and sudden changes. The Tiger is image and style conscious, and can be somewhat theatrical.

Famous Tigers

Groucho Marx, Meryl Streep, Olivia Colman, Evel Knievel, Charles de Gaulle, Stalin, Barak Obama, Marylin Monroe, Lady Di, Romy Schneider, George Eliot, Jim Carrey, Mark Spitz, Bill Murray, George Clooney, Axl Rose, Albert Einstein, William Wyler, Lawrence Fishburne, Sam Altman, Donald Knuth, James Clerk Maxwell, Christian Bale, Anthony Hopkins, Amanda Seyfried, Ricky Gervais, Nijinski, Nureyev, Carl Lewis, Manu Chao, Agatha Christie, Alan Greenspan, Immanuel Kant, Aaron Sorkin, Max Ophüls

Juan Carlos I, Javier Clemente, Candela Peña, Ada Colau, Benito Pérez Galdós

Rabbit (Jupiter in Pisces)

The most: Spiritual
Quality: Mutable: Fluctuating, versatile
Underlying element: Wood: Genuine, observant; Spiritual, watchful, steady

Also known as Cat or Hare.

The Rabbit is an undercover maverick. Observant and spiritual, it does not care for convention. But as it has a steady character and it hates noise, it may go about its own way without people paying much notice. The Rabbit can be reserved and even enigmatic, in its effort to preserve its autonomy in the face of social impositions. It can also be gruff for self-protection. It has multiple interests that it jumps between, and could become a diletante. People generally like the Rabbit, who is tolerant and cultivated and discreet. However, Rabbits can sometimes be obscure and aloof.

Famous Rabbits

Steve Wozniak, Lady Gaga, Michael Jordan, David Mitchell (comedian), Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ralph Fiennes, Vincente Minelli, Tina Turner, Quentin Tarantino, Charles Barkley, Edith Piaf, Goethe, Penélope Cruz, Isaac Newton, Francis Ford Coppola, Orson Welles, Leonardo da Vinci, Tom Cruise, George Orwell, Nietzsche, Erwin Rommel, Ingrid Bergman, Jordan Peterson, Juliette Gréco, Billie Holiday, Tadej Pogačar, Johannes Kepler, Steve Carell, Yasujiro Ozu

Vicente del Bosque, Rafa Nadal, Mercedes Milá, Isabel Preysler, Manuel Azaña, José Antonio Primo de Rivera, José Millán-Astray, Pedro Duque, Jordi Évole, Joaquín Estefanía, Carles Puigdemont, Miguel Cervantes

Dragon (Jupiter in Aries)

The most: Spiritual
Quality: Cardinal: Central, stable
Underlying element: Water: Unconventional, intuitive; Imaginative, spiritual, drastic

The Dragon, like the Rabbit, is spiritual. But given the Dragon’s drastic instincts, it will openly break with conventional wisdom and disdain hierarchies and social impositions. It may end up alienating others and ruffling feathers. The Dragon is stable and has a wide area of influence. A sense of fairness and balance lends it organizational capacity. However it is self-motivated and does not seek approval. At times it may spread too thin or be slow to act. The Dragon’s mind is intuitive and quick, but at times it may forget to look.

Famous Dragons

Luka Dončić, Jean Smart, Novak Djokovic, Viktor Orbán, Maureen Dowd, Lauryn Hill, Agnès Varda, Nigel Farage, Francisco Franco, Tito (Josip Broz Tito), Ian McKellen, Tiger Woods, Jeff Bezos, Mike Myers, Ayn Rand, Chopin, Georg Cantor, Rene Descartes, Serge Gainsbourg, Juliette Binoche, Élie Cartan, Salvador Dalí, Brad Pitt, Kate Winslet, John Cleese, Gregory Peck, Garry Kasparov, Conan O’Brien, Al Pacino, Robert McNamara, Kendrick Lamar, W. A. Dwiggins, Kathryn Bigelow, Bela Bartok, Rihanna

Arturo Pérez Reverte, Mariano José de Larra, Esperanza Aguirre, Camilo José Cela, Jaime Mayor Oreja, Emilio Butragueño, Ana Belén, Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (MAR), Borja Sémper

Snake (Jupiter in Taurus)

The most: Steady
Quality: Fixed: Forceful, focused
Underlying element: Metal: Influential, analytical; Imaginative, steady, worldly

The Snake is the steadiest of signs. It tackles objectives incrementally, doing a bit each day over a protracted span. A creature of habit that does not forget its target, ever. It may give the impression of slowness, but that’s deceptive, as the Snake is simply executing to plan. The Snake is analytical and can at times engage in speculation. It may figure out things that remained hidden from others. The Snake is worldly even if it appears detached at first sight. It has the ability to enact gradual change without people noticing. Iron fist in a silk glove. The Snake is venerated in Chinese astrology as the sign of beauty and wisdom.

Famous Snakes

John Lennon, Vladimir Putin, Giorgia Meloni, Keanu Reeves, Edward G. Robinson, John Ford, Richard Stallman, Robert Downey Jr., Henry Fonda, Max Planck, Jeff Goldblum, Isabelle Huppert, Stephen Colbert, Bruce Lee, Noam Chomsky, Martin Luther King, Mao Zedong, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Paul Krugman, Audrey Hepburn, Lenin, Ryan Reynolds, Bob Dylan, John F. Kennedy, Henry VIII, Jean Paul Sartre, Stanley Kubrick, Pablo Picasso, Hayao Miyazaki, Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, Frank Zappa, Robert Pirsing, Mary-Louise Parker, Nora Ephron

Miguel Induráin, José María Aznar, Joaquin Leguina, Miguel Primo de Rivera, Alfonso Guerra, Victor Erice, Plácido Domingo, Santiago Abascal, Andreu Buenafuente

Horse (Jupiter in Gemini)

The most: Watchful
Quality: Mutable: Fluctuating, versatile
Underlying element: Fire: Popular, alert; Drastic, worldly, watchful

The Horse is the most watchful of sings. It quickly picks up social dynamics, mood, style. It has great reflexes and is decisive. Popularity comes easily to Horses; they’re so multi-talented and cool. But they don’t enjoy wading into depths and speculation. The Horse is made for quick appraisal of situations, courage and decisive action. The Horse has many interests that it jumps between, so it could at times become scattered or impatient. Chinese astrology says the Horse is the only sign that can take several paths at once, and the one most capable of leaving everything for love.

Famous Horses

Clint Eastwood, Richard Feynman, Billy Wilder, Bernie Sanders, Marquis de Sade, Muhammad Ali, Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Edward VIII, Thomas Friedmann, Thomas Edison, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jackie Chan, Kanye West, Xi Jinping, John Cassavettes, Jane Austen, Martha Stewart, Lord Byron, John Travolta, Steve McQueen, Dennis Quaid, Myrna Loy, Igor Stravinski, J.K. Rowling, Aldous Huxley, Slobodan Milosevic, Robert Mitchum, Yasser Arafat, Alicia Silverstone, Jesse Jackson, Grace Kelly, Theodore Roosevelt, Michael Haneke, Josef von Sternberg

Felipe González, Jordi Pujol, María Teresa Campos, Rosa María Sardá, Ana Botella, Santiago Segura, Pablo Motos

Goat (Jupiter in Cancer)

The most: Watchful
Quality: Cardinal: Central, stable
Underlying element: Wood: Genuine, observant; Spiritual, watchful, steady

The Goat is, like the Horse, a most watchful sign. It is steadily observant and captures situations, esthetics, beauty. The Goat is often artistic, or highly skilled thanks to its observation capabilities. It is genuine and not that interested in social convention, but a sense of fairness and balance gives it the capacity to organize and become a pervasive presence in its family or social circle. The Goat can be very tolerant and thoughtful. It appreciates persons individually and hates “strings attached” and labels.

Famous Goats

Steve Jobs, Taylor Swift, Jessie Buckley, George Harrison, Harold Bloom, Emmanuel Macron, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, J.D. Salinger, Michael Mann, James Dean, Bruce Willis, Billie Eilish, Joe Biden, Warren Buffett, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Angela Merkel, Mike Tyson, Rita Hayworth, Martin Scorsese, Carlos Kleiber, Jean-Luc Godard, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bobby Fischer, Katharine Hepburn, Paul McCartney, Laurence Olivier, Mark Twain, Adam Sandler, Ingmar Bergman, Benito Mussolini, Kobe Bryant, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Barbara Stanwyck, Teresa Wright, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Bill Hader, Jennifer Lawrence, Ken Thompson, Alice Munro, Gottfried Leibniz, Évariste Galois, Werner Herzog, Carl Orff

Ana Obregón, Maruja Torres, Mariano Rajoy, Javier Solana, Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, José Ortega y Gasset, Iñaki Gabilondo, Antonio Gala, Ana Pastor, Antonio García Ferreras, Eduardo Mendoza

Monkey (Jupiter in Leo)

The most: Drastic
Quality: Fixed: Forceful, focused
Underlying element: Water: Unconventional, intuitive; Imaginative, spiritual, drastic

The Monkey is the most drastic sign, together with the Tiger. It pursues goals with a steely focus at the exclusion of all else. When it achieves or abandons goals, it makes for a dramatic event. The Monkey is intuitive and unconventional. It does not feel bound by social strictures, and is self-motivated. It can at times alienate others. It has an imaginative mind which at times goes into full speculative mode, as it tries to figure out motivations and mechanisms. Monkeys can communicate with great frankness, even though they are also reserved. They can at times be erratic.

Famous Monkeys

George Lucas, Bill Gates, William Shakespeare, Ian Fleming, Richard Wagner, Robert de Niro, Austin Butler, Magnus Carlsen, Robert Crumb, Peter Thiel, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Rogan, Greta Thunberg, Terrence Malick, John Kerry, Federico Fellini, Umberto Eco, Anthony Bourdain, Sinéad O’Connor, Will Ferrell, James Stewart, Joni Mitchell, Willem Dafoe, Pope Leo 14th, Debbie Reynolds, Eric Rohmer, John Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Lean, Ashley Judd, Patricia Arquette, Herbert von Karajan, James Stewart, Lars von Trier, Andrei Tarkovsky, Bjorn Borg, Peter O’Toole, Ian Holm, Leonhard Euler, Gerhard Schröder, Mick Jagger, Barbara Walters, Buster Keaton, Catherine Deneuve, Setsuko Hara, Jim Morrison, Jaques Tati, Blaise Pascal, Jordan Peele, Sally Rooney, Rutger Hauer

Carlos Alcaraz, Norma Duval, Julio Iglesias, Pablo Iglesias, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, Rocío Jurado, Ramón Trecet, El Gran Wyoming, Baltasar Garzón, Manuela Carmena, Francisco Umbral

Rooster (Jupiter in Virgo)

The most: Worldly
Quality: Mutable: Fluctuating, versatile
Underlying element: Metal: Influential, analytical; Imaginative, steady, worldly

The Rooster is a most worldly sign. An analytical person that loves to organize things and dispense advice. Its steady sociability is sometimes upended by moments of excessive, unvarnished frankness, and perhaps even of indiscretion. Since it is a fluctuating sign and can be at times scattered, it will get involved in a variety of teams and roles. The Chinese call the Rooster the small Dragon, and legend says that it is capable of digging food out of the ground by force of its perseverance. It can be an exhibitionist while at the same time it’s conventional and ultimately seeks approval.

Famous Roosters

Jaques Chirac, Larry Bird, Tom Hanks, Daniel Day-Lewis, Paolo Maldini, Michael Caine, Victor Hugo, Tucker Carlson, Kim Kardashian, Carrie Fisher, Carole Lombard, Pat Riley, Severiano Ballesteros, Thomas Jefferson, Harry Houdini, Carol Burnett, Frank Capra, Steffi Graf, Eddy Merckx, Frances McDormand, John Glenn, Michael Douglas, Will Smith, Martina Navratilova, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Julia Roberts, Sylvia Plath, Jean Paul Belmondo, Gene Tierney, Roman Polanski, Jaqueline Bisset, Danny DeVito, Zohran Mamdani, Jason Segel, Wes Anderson, Gillian Anderson

Ana Rosa Quintana, Felipe VI, Pau Gasol, Miguel Delibes, Pío Baroja, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Isabel Pantoja, Adolfo Suárez, Pepe Sancho, Juan Luis Cebrián, Silvia Intxaurrondo, Montserrat Caballé

Dog (Jupiter in Libra)

The most: Worldly
Quality: Cardinal: Central, stable
Underlying element: Fire: Popular, alert; Drastic, worldly, watchful

The Dog is extremely worldly. It will love being in the limelight, basking in popularity and approval. The Dog is also very watchful, and is ready to act if trouble arises for loved ones. It is loyal and courageous, and can get bossy. Since it has a certain balance and fairness, and an innate gregariousness, it will command wide support and be very popular. However it may also want to be the center of attention, pervading all aspects and involved in all decisions, and may become aggressive if it feels challenged in its control. The Dog can be very bossy and even intimidating, but everything it does is focused on the good of the team. Ultimately it seeks popularity.

Famous Dogs

Winston Churchill, Ryan Gosling, Donald Trump, Michael Jackson, Serena Williams, David Lynch, Beyoncé Knowles, Jodie Comer, Michael Schumacher, Joan of Arc, Ralph Nader, George Washington, Otto von Bismark, Cher, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Phil Jackson, Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, Hristo Stoichkov, Martin Luther, George Patton, Larry King, Lucy Liu, Shirley Maclaine, Prince, Sylvester Stallone, Edward Norton, Vittorio Gassman, Dolly Parton, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jesse Helms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, John Fetterman, Bertolt Brecht

Iker Casillas, José Coronado, Carmen Maura, Nacho Duato, Marisa Paredes, Eusebio Poncela, Carlos Alsina, Javier Bardem, Máximo Pradera, Willy Toledo, Joaquín Cortés

Pig (Jupiter in Scorpion)

The most: Steady
Quality: Fixed: Forceful, focused
Underlying element: Wood: Genuine, observant; Spiritual, watchful, steady

Also known as Boar.

The Pig is the steadiest of signs, like the Snake. It can be single minded and narrow in its pursuit of goals. It extremely steady and dedicated. A creature of habit. It may be perceived as stubborn or even slow, but it’s executing to plan. The Pig reacts to change gradually but steadily. The Pig is genuine and self-motivated. It generally doesn’t allow itself to bother others, and may not ask for help when in need. It is very observant and can be gallant and thoughtful. The Chinese say that once the Pig starts rolling in the mud, it can’t stop. The Pig is a great enjoyer of sensual pleasures. It is considered the most voluptuous, even raunchy, of signs, and is said to have a dark beauty, in contrast with the Snake’s ethereal elegance.

Famous Pigs

Steven Spielberg, Britney Spears, Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, Linus Torvalds, Jonathan Franzen, Hoagy Carmichael, Elvis Presley, Jack London, Al Capone, David Bowie, Sharon Stone, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Andre Agassi, Johan Cruyff, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Napoleon Bonaparte, T.E. Lawrence, Charles Manson, Stephen King, Ronald Reagan, Ethan Hawke, Hugh Laurie, Marianne Faithful, Marco Pantani, Glenn Close, David Letterman, Gary Oldman, Rupert Everett, Pete Sampras, Leo Tolstoy, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chico Marx, Rob Reiner, Donald Sutherland, Chuck Yeager, Marshall McLuhan

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Javier Gurruchaga, Lola Flores, Iván Espinosa de los Monteros, Gabriel Rufián, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, Manuel Fraga Iribarne, Jose Borrell, Julia Otero, Victoria Abril, Massiel, Nancho Novo, Francisco Álvarez-Cascos, Maribel Verdú, Julio Medem

The Philosophy of the Signs. Elements and qualities

I like the Chinese signs better than the Western signs, and the Elements too, though in Chinese astrology, the Elements get quite convoluted. The Western zodiac is better organized. What follows is a synthesis, keeping a Chinese view of the signs and elements, but organized according to a more Western way. I pick and choose the bits I like, like a magpie.

While there are books and pages that attempt to reconcile the Western and Chinese view, I think that what follows is original.

Complementaries

Something I like about the Chinese way is the emphasis on complementary qualities, in the form of Yin / Yang. Not that I have figured out a good way to tell which is which, so I won’t use Yin / Yang much. What I do take to heart is that there are always two complementary sides to the coin, not opposites. To prepare for the introduction of the Elements, here are some pairings of complementaries-not-opposites which have a Myers-Briggs feel:

Identity

Worldly: Focuses on the outside world, on career and society and material obligations. Is aware of social constraints, existing relationships, the possibility of conflict and scarcity.
On the positive side, the worldly people are community oriented, traditional, firm, dutiful, protective of their loved ones. On the negative side they can be cynical, distrustful, conventional, and carry strings attached.
Spiritual: Focuses on self knowledge and self cultivation. Is aware of others’s motivations and ideas, is open minded about different ways of being and different paths that can be taken.
On the positive side, spiritual people are kind, genuine, idealistic, unconventional, tolerant. On the negative side they can be unrealistic, malcontent, naïve, and neglectful.

Perception

Watchful: Perceives the world as is. Seeks accuracy and will tend towards vividness in communication. Experimental mindset, takes things as they come.
Spontaneous, affectionate.
On the negative, they can be superficial or obscure.
Imaginative: Perceives the underlying structure. Seeks clarity and will tend towards abstraction in communication. Planning mindset, anticipates things.
Intellectual, loyal.
On the negative, they can be speculative or detached from reality.

Movement

Drastic: Pursues interests with fervor, to the exclusion of all else. Is not interested in half measures or phasing. Abrupt changes of direction and pace.
Steady: Pursues interests incrementally, a little every day, over protracted periods. Gradual changes of direction and pace. A creature of habit.

Harmonies: The Elements

If you put the 12 signs on a circle, and make sets taking every fourth sign, you get the four elements, each of which underlies three signs. The elements give an idea of the temperament of a sign. Signs with the same underlying element are harmonic.

Underlying element	Signs
Fire	Horse, Dog, Tiger
Metal	Rooster, Ox, Snake
Water	Rat, Dragon, Monkey
Wood	Rabbit, Goat, Pig

Fire

Signs it underlies: Horse, Dog, Tiger
Season: summer
Characteristics: Popular, alert; Worldly, watchful, drastic

Fire people are watchful. They take things as they come, have good reflexes and react with spontaneity. They communicate vividly though not always coherently. They can be affectionate and appreciative.

Fire people are drastic. They don’t like half measures, and will go headlong in pursuit of goals, or will suddenly stop or abruptly change direction.

They are worldly. Not necessarily sociable, though they often are, but they find realization out in the “real world”, in their relationships, their family, their career. They are fiercely protective of loved ones. Ultimately they seek approval, success, and companionship.

Metal

Signs it underlies: Rooster, Ox, Snake
Season: autumn
Characteristics: Influential, analytical; Worldly, imaginative, steady

Metal people imaginative. They are interested in underlying principles, they anticipate and plan. They communicate with clarity, though they may tend towards abstraction. They can be intuitive and loyal.

Metal people are steady. They don’t like abrupt changes, and prefer to pursue goals incrementally and sustainably.

Water

Signs it underlies: Rat, Dragon, Monkey
Season: winter
Characteristics: Unconventional, intuitive; Spiritual, imaginative, drastic

Water people are drastic. They don’t like half measures, and will go headlong in pursuit of goals, or will suddenly stop or abruptly change direction.

They are spiritual. They seek self knowledge and cultivate themselves. They look for experiences that will expand their knowledge. Not that they spurn the “real world”, but in their careers, relationships and family life they will seek freedom and openness, and will measure success in their own terms.

Wood

Signs it underlies: Rabbit, Goat, Pig
Season: spring
Characteristics: Genuine, observant; Spiritual, watchful, steady

Wood people are watchful. They take things as they come, have good reflexes and react with spontaneity. They communicate vividly though not always coherently. They can be affectionate and appreciative.

Wood people are steady. They don’t like abrupt changes, and prefer to pursue goals incrementally and sustainably.

Seasons and specialties

The organization of the elements into signs by harmonic elements is my nod to Western astrology. In Chinese astrology, though the grouping into Elements is based on seasons, the harmonies follow the same pattern as the Western Elements. By this I mean that if in Western astrology, say, the Air signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are harmonic, in Chinese astrology the corresponding signs of Horse, Dog, and Tiger, are harmonic though they are considered to have different Elements.

In a nod to the Chinese way, let’s consider grouping the signs according to their season.

Season	Seasonal element	Signs
Summer	Fire	Goat, Monkey, Rooster
Autumn	Metal	Dog, Pig, Rat
Winter	Water	Ox, Tiger, Rabbit
Spring	Wood	Dragon, Snake, Horse

Each sign has an underlying element and a seasonal element which combine accentuating some aspects and moderating others. Each sign gets one aspect accentuated.

For example, the Rat has underlying Water and seasonal Metal. Metal and Water both are imaginative, so that aspect gets accentuated. Metal is worldly and Water is spiritual, so that aspect is moderated. Metal is steady while Water is drastic, so that aspect is moderated.
The Ox has underlying Metal and seasonal Water, and the Metal and Water combination accentuates the same aspects and moderates the same aspects as in the case of the Rat.

The most…

Imaginative: Rat (underlying Water, seasonal Metal); Ox (underlying Metal, seasonal Water)
Drastic: Tiger (underlying Fire, seasonal Water); Monkey (underlying Water, seasonal Fire)
Spiritual: Rabbit (underlying Wood, seasonal Water); Dragon (underlying Water, seasonal Wood)
Steady: Snake (underlying Metal, seasonal Wood); Pig (underlying Wood, seasonal Metal)
Watchful: Horse (underlying Fire, seasonal Wood); Goat (underlying Wood, seasonal Fire)
Worldly: Rooster (underlying Metal, seasonal Fire); Dog (underlying Fire, seasonal Metal)

The Qualities

If you put the 12 signs on a circle, and make a set taking every third sign, you get the three qualities, each of which characterizes four signs. The qualities tell you how signs act and use their energies.

Western Quality	Signs
Fixed	Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig
Mutable	Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit
Cardinal	Dog, Ox, Dragon, Goat

Fixed

Signs: Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig
Characteristics: Forceful, focused

These signs concentrate their strength onto a narrow focus that they pursue with force. They have a clearly delineated identity and a sense of mission.

These are the hedgehogs, not the foxes. They put their eggs in one basket, and win big or lose big. This makes them captivating.

On the positive side they can gather great force. On the negative, they can have blind spots.

Mutable

Signs: Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit
Characteristics: Fluctuating, versatile

These signs cast their energy in different directions that they jump between. They have a multifaceted identity. They like to explore. Variety is the spice of life.

The mutables are mercurial, charming, and hard to pin down.

On the positive side they’re versatile, on the negative they can scatter and can be inconsistent.

Cardinal

Signs: Dog, Ox, Dragon, Goat
Characteristics: Central, stable

These signs use their energy to pervade. They have a wide focus and are stable. They like to become central figures in their environments. They look at issues from many fronts; they fight the war, not the battle.

These are like the joke about the Buddhist who goes to a hot dog stand and asks for “one with everything”.

On the positive side they are resilient and balanced, on the negative they can spread thin, and can become control freaks.

Chinese astrology also has harmonies and qualities

The information in this section about Hidden Elements and seasonal characteristics is not widely written about in Chinese astrology books and pages.

I got the information from Classical Five Element Chinese Astrology Made Easy by David Twicken, published by Writers Club Press, 2000. I don’t follow it fully, but this is a book I found really helpful to reconcile Western and Chinese astrologies.

Harmonies: Hidden Elements

Here is the table of seasons from the Seasons section:

Seasonal element	Signs
Fire	Goat, Monkey, Rooster
Metal	Dog, Pig, Rat
Water	Ox, Tiger, Rabbit
Wood	Dragon, Snake, Horse

The seasons here are at odds with Chinese astrology books, since in Chinese astrology the seasons are assigned differently. Spring is considered to begin in February and end in April. Summer is considered to star in May.
This is how it looks:

Chinese seasonal element	Signs
Fire	Snake, Horse, Goat
Metal	Monkey, Rooster, Dog
Water	Pig, Rat, Ox
Wood	Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon

Harmonic trios in Chinese astrology are handled with “Hidden Elements”, with the signs at the middle of Chinese seasons, i.e. the Rat, Rabbit, Horse, and Rooster, having no Hidden Element, being considered pure manifestations of the Element.
For example, the Horse is considered the paradigm of Fire, and the harmonic signs of Dog and Tiger are said to have Hidden Element Fire.

Element	Embodied in	Hidden in
Fire	Horse	Dog, Tiger
Metal	Rooster	Ox, Snake
Water	Rat	Dragon, Monkey
Wood	Rabbit	Goat, Pig

This matches the table of underlying elements from the Elements section:

Underlying element	Signs
Fire	Horse, Dog, Tiger
Metal	Rooster, Ox, Snake
Water	Rat, Dragon, Monkey
Wood	Rabbit, Goat, Pig

Qualities: Earth and Yin/Yang

In Chinese astrology there is a fifth Element: Earth. It is considered to represent a combination of the other Elements, and it doesn’t really have a season. Its “season” is the end of each of the other seasons. Since in Chinese astrology, spring is considered to end in April (Dragon), summer in July (Goat), autumn in October (Dog), and winter in January (Ox), it means those animals are considered to be native Earths. Which means that in Chinese astrology, the Earth Element corresponds to the Western Cardinal quality.

We saw previously that the signs of Horse, Rooster, Rat, and Rabbit are considered pure manifestations of their underlying element. These correspond to the Western Mutable Quality. In the book these are the “Peach Blossom” sings.

Lastly, in Chinese astrology, spring is considered to begin in February (Tiger), summer in May (Snake), autumn in August (Monkey), and winter in November (Pig). These signs are considered to have Yang energy, as they are the initiators of seasons. Compared to the pure signs, they have some more stability, expressed by a Hidden Element Earth (Yang). These signs correspond to the Fixed Quality in Western astrology.

Speaking of Yin and Yang, the pure signs of Horse, Rooster, Rat and Rabbit are considered Yin. And of the Earth signs, half are Yang (Dragon and Dog), half are Yin (Ox and Goat).

Essence	Yin / Yang	Hidden elements	Signs
Yang	Yang	Underlying element, Yang Earth	Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig
Element	Yin	-	Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit
Earth	Yin / Yang	Underlying element	Dog, Dragon (Yang Earth) Ox, Goat (Yin Earth)

For example, the essence of the Horse is the Fire element. The essence of the Tiger is that it’s Yang, and has hidden Fire and hidden Earth (adding stability). The essence of the Dog is Earth (Yang), and hidden Fire.

The table above strongly resembles the table in the Qualities section:

Western Quality	Signs
Fixed	Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig
Mutable	Horse, Rooster, Rat, Rabbit
Cardinal	Dog, Ox, Dragon, Goat

We got to this point in the Qualities section with a lot less trouble. Not to mention that if Earth and Hidden Elements seem obscure, the Yin and Yang is read differently from different perspectives. In this section we’ve said, for example, that the Horse is Yin. However, the Horse is often also regarded as Yang, and strongly so.

Ah well.