The Rabbit in 2014: Your Chinese Horoscope

About the Author

Neil Somerville is one of the leading writers in the West on Chinese horoscopes. He has been interested in Eastern forms of divination for many years and believes that much can be learned from the ancient wisdom of the East. His annual book on Chinese horoscopes has built up an international following and he is also the author of

What’s Your Chinese Love Sign?

 (Thorsons, 2000; HarperElement, 2013),

Chinese Success Signs

 (Thorsons, 2001) and

The Answers

 (Element, 2004).

Neil Somerville was born in the year of the Water Snake. His wife was born under the sign of the Monkey, his son is an Ox and daughter a Horse.

TO ROS, RICHARD AND EMILY

Epigraph

As we march through life,

we each have our hopes, our ambitions and our dreams.

Sometimes fate and circumstance will assist us,

sometimes we will struggle and despair,

but march we must.

For it is those who keep going,

and who keep their aspirations alive,

who stand the greatest chance of securing what they want.

March determinedly,

and your determination will, in some way, be rewarded.

Neil Somerville

Contents

Cover

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Epigraph

Acknowledgements

Introduction

The Chinese Years

Welcome to the Year of the Horse

The Rabbit

Appendix

Relationships between the Signs

Your Ascendant

How to Get the Best from your Chinese Sign and the Year

A Closing Thought

Other titles in this series

Copyright

About the Publisher

Acknowledgements

In writing

Your Chinese Horoscope 2014

 I am grateful for the assistance and invaluable support that those around me have given.

I would also like to acknowledge Theodora Lau’s

The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes

 (Harper & Row, 1979; Arrow, 1981), which was particularly useful to me in my research.

In addition to Ms Lau’s work, I commend the following books to those who wish to find out more about Chinese horoscopes: Kristyna Arcarti,

Chinese Horoscopes for Beginners

 (Headway, 1995); Catherine Aubier,

Chinese Zodiac Signs

 (Arrow, 1984), series of 12 books; E. A. Crawford and Teresa Kennedy,

Chinese Elemental Astrology

 (Piatkus Books, 1992); Paula Delsol,

Chinese Horoscopes

 (Pan, 1973); Barry Fantoni,

Barry Fantoni’s Chinese Horoscopes

 (Warner, 1994); Bridget Giles and the Diagram Group,

Chinese Astrology

 (HarperCollins

Publishers

, 1996); Kwok Man-Ho,

Complete Chinese Horoscopes

 (Sunburst Books, 1995); Lori Reid,

The Complete Book of Chinese Horoscopes

 (Element Books, 1997); Paul Rigby and Harvey Bean,

Chinese Astrologics

 (Publications Division, South China Morning Post Ltd, 1981); Ruth Q. Sun,

The Asian Animal Zodiac

 (Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1996); Derek Walters,

Ming Shu

 (Pagoda Books, 1987) and

The Chinese Astrology Workbook

 (The Aquarian Press, 1988); Suzanne White,

The New Astrology

 (Pan, 1987),

The New Chinese Astrology

 (Pan, 1994) and

Chinese Astrology Plain and Simple

 (Eden Grove Editions, 1998).

Introduction

The origins of Chinese horoscopes have been lost in the mists of time. It is known, however, that oriental astrologers practised their art many thousands of years ago and even today Chinese astrology continues to fascinate and intrigue.

In Chinese astrology there are 12 signs named after 12 different animals. No one quite knows how the signs acquired their names, but there is one legend that offers an explanation. According to this legend, one Chinese New Year the Buddha invited all the animals in his kingdom to come before him. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to the animals, only 12 turned up. The first to arrive was the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and finally Pig. In gratitude, the Buddha decided to name a year after each of the animals and that those born during that year would inherit some of the personality of that animal. Therefore those born in the year of the Ox would be hardworking, resolute and stubborn, just like the Ox, while those born in the year of the Dog would be loyal and faithful, just like the Dog.

In addition to the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac there are five elements and these have a strengthening or moderating influence upon the signs. While it is not possible that everyone born in a particular year can have all the characteristics of the sign, it is incredible what similarities do occur, and this is partly where the fascination of Chinese horoscopes lies.

To find out which sign you were born under, refer to the

Chinese Year tables

. As the Chinese year is based on the lunar year and does not start until late January or early February, it is particularly important for anyone born in those two months to check carefully the dates of the Chinese year in which they were born.

Also included, in the appendix, are two charts showing the compatibility between the signs for personal and business relationships and details about the signs ruling the different hours of the day. From this it is possible to locate your ascendant and, as in Western astrology, this has a significant influence on your personality.

In writing this book I have taken the unusual step of combining the intriguing nature of Chinese horoscopes with the Western desire to know what the future holds, and have based my interpretations upon various factors relating to each of the signs. Over the years in which

Your Chinese Horoscope

 has been published I have been pleased that so many have found the sections on the forthcoming year of interest and hope that the horoscope has been constructive and useful. Remember, though, that at all times you are master of your own destiny.

I sincerely hope that

Your Chinese Horoscope 2014

 will prove interesting and helpful for the year ahead.

The Chinese Years

Ox

 6 February 1913 to 25 January 1914

Tiger

 26 January 1914 to 13 February 1915

Rabbit

 14 February 1915 to 2 February 1916

Dragon

 3 February 1916 to 22 January 1917

Snake

 23 January 1917 to 10 February 1918

Horse

 11 February 1918 to 31 January 1919

Goat

 1 February 1919 to 19 February 1920

Monkey

 20 February 1920 to 7 February 1921

Rooster

 8 February 1921 to 27 January 1922

Dog

 28 January 1922 to 15 February 1923

Pig

 16 February 1923 to 4 February 1924

Rat

 5 February 1924 to 23 January 1925

Ox

 24 January 1925 to 12 February 1926

Tiger

 13 February 1926 to 1 February 1927

Rabbit

 2 February 1927 to 22 January 1928

Dragon

 23 January 1928 to 9 February 1929

Snake

 10 February 1929 to 29 January 1930

Horse

 30 January 1930 to 16 February 1931

Goat

 17 February 1931 to 5 February 1932

Monkey

 6 February 1932 to 25 January 1933

Rooster

 26 January 1933 to 13 February 1934

Dog

 14 February 1934 to 3 February 1935

Pig

 4 February 1935 to 23 January 1936

Rat

 24 January 1936 to 10 February 1937

Ox

 11 February 1937 to 30 January 1938

Tiger

 31 January 1938 to 18 February 1939

Rabbit

 19 February 1939 to 7 February 1940

Dragon

 8 February 1940 to 26 January 1941

Snake

 27 January 1941 to 14 February 1942

Horse

 15 February 1942 to 4 February 1943

Goat

 5 February 1943 to 24 January 1944

Monkey

 25 January 1944 to 12 February 1945

Rooster

 13 February 1945 to 1 February 1946

Dog

 2 February 1946 to 21 January 1947

Pig

 22 January 1947 to 9 February 1948

Rat

 10 February 1948 to 28 January 1949

Ox

 29 January 1949 to 16 February 1950

Tiger

 17 February 1950 to 5 February 1951

Rabbit

 6 February 1951 to 26 January 1952

Dragon

 27 January 1952 to 13 February 1953

Snake

 14 February 1953 to 2 February 1954

Horse

 3 February 1954 to 23 January 1955

Goat

 24 January 1955 to 11 February 1956

Monkey

 12 February 1956 to 30 January 1957

Rooster

 31 January 1957 to 17 February 1958

Dog

 18 February 1958 to 7 February 1959

Pig

 8 February 1959 to 27 January 1960

Rat

 28 January 1960 to 14 February 1961

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