Since the Song Dynasty in China, many scholars have attempted to explain the order of the 12 zodiac animals, but to this day, they have yet to succeed.
The 12 zodiac animals are an integral part of the traditional culture in many Asian countries. In China, the concept of the zodiac was formed during the Qin Dynasty and solidified during the Han Dynasty with the animals arranged in the following order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, which has remained unchanged to this day.
This order leaves many people puzzled. Why is it arranged this way? Did the ancients choose this order arbitrarily or was there a specific intention behind it?
Theory 1: Arrangement Based on Daily Habits
Many find the order of the 12 zodiac animals illogical. For instance, the author Wang Youguang of “Wu Xia Yan Lian” from the Qing Dynasty expressed his viewpoint:
“The Pig is last, the Dragon is near the end, the Rat is first—who would accept this? The Dragon is divine, the Tiger is fierce, representing power and majesty, yet it is placed in the middle, below the Pig but above the Rat—doesn’t that seem contradictory?” (translated).
We all know that the 12 zodiac animals correspond to the 12 Earthly Branches, namely: Zi-Rat, Chou-Ox, Yin-Tiger, Mao-Rabbit (known as Cat in Vietnam), Chen-Dragon, Si-Snake, Wu-Horse, Wei-Goat, Shen-Monkey, You-Rooster, Xu-Dog, and Hai-Pig.
The 12 Earthly Branches represent the 12 months and 12 two-hour intervals (1 interval corresponds to 2 hours today). Consequently, people interpret the order based on the daily habits of these zodiac animals.
As the Southern Song scholar Li Changqing stated in his work “Cong He Guan Zhuo Yan”:
- Zi Hour (11 PM – 1 AM), is when the Rat is most active, hence the association with the Rat.
- Chou Hour (1 AM – 3 AM), the Ox is still chewing its cud, preparing to plow early in the morning.
- Yin Hour (3 AM – 5 AM), the Tiger is hunting in the forest, being the most ferocious during this time.
- Mao Hour (5 AM – 7 AM), the sun has not yet risen, the moon (Yin) still shines, and the Jade Rabbit is pounding medicine.
- Chen Hour (7 AM – 9 AM), the Dragon is creating rain.
- Si Hour (9 AM – 11 AM), the Snake is coiled up in its den.
- Wu Hour (11 AM – 1 PM), the sun is high, and horses are on the road.
- Wei Hour (1 PM – 3 PM), the Goat is grazing.
- Shen Hour (3 PM – 5 PM), the Monkey is jumping around the forest.
- You Hour (5 PM – 7 PM), the Rooster goes into the coop.
- Xu Hour (7 PM – 9 PM), the Dog is alert, guarding the house.
- Hai Hour (9 PM – 11 PM), the Pig is fast asleep.
However, while this explanation is interesting, it lacks a solid foundation. If we consider habits, the Rooster typically crows in the morning, thus aligning with the Mao Hour, rather than the You Hour.
Theory 2: Arrangement Based on Yin and Yang Principles
The 12 Earthly Branches are divided into Yin and Yang: Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu belong to Yang; Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai belong to Yin. Accordingly, Yang is assigned odd numbers, while Yin is assigned even numbers.
An interesting discovery is that the number of claws on the 12 zodiac animals also follows the odd and even counting of Yin and Yang.
The first to make this observation was Hong Tun from the Song Dynasty. In his book “Yang Guo Man Lu”, he categorized the zodiac animals into two types of Yin and Yang: The Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, and Dog have 5 toes, while the Horse has 1 hoof, placing them in the odd group. The Ox, Rabbit, Goat, Rooster, and Pig all have 4 claws, belonging to the even group.
As for the Rat and Snake, the Snake has no legs but a forked tongue, so it is classified as even. The case of the Rat is the most unique: the front feet of the Rat have 4 toes (even), while the back feet have 5 toes (odd). The Zi Hour spans from 11 PM the previous night (Yin) to 1 AM the following day (Yang). Therefore, the Rat is associated with the Zi Hour and ranks first among the 12 zodiac animals.
Theory 3: Based on Folk Legends
Chinese folklore recounts the story of how the 12 zodiac animals originated:
The Jade Emperor selected 12 animals to represent each year. On the day of the ceremony to determine their positions in the zodiac, the Jade Emperor declared: “The largest is the Ox, so I will place it first.” The Rat protested, arguing that humans regard it as larger and more significant than the Ox.
To prove the Rat’s claim, the Jade Emperor and all the animals descended to Earth for verification. When the Ox passed by humans, they remarked, “This Ox is really fat and strong,” but did not mention its size.
At that moment, the Rat jumped onto the Ox’s back, standing upright on its hind legs, which made the humans exclaim: “This Rat is too big!”. Thus, the Rat was chosen by the Jade Emperor to be placed first among the 12 zodiac animals.
In folk legends, the Rat is known for its cunning and crafty nature. It used its wits to secure the top position among the 12 zodiac animals.
In ancient times, the population was primarily agrarian; fields with rats were devastated, and houses with rats suffered damage, with rice and grains being consumed by them. However, catching or exterminating rats was not an easy task due to their cleverness, leading to their unfavorable reputation. Therefore, ancient Chinese believed that the Rat, being the smartest, deserved to be ranked first among the 12 zodiac animals.
