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A Comparison of the Chinese and Western Horoscope

In the olden times (as well as today), many people firmly believed that the movements of the sun, moon and other planetary objects had a major effect on the person’s personality, and even behavior patterns. This helps explain the continuing popularity of horoscopes and zodiac charts today, regardless of cultural or ethnic background. Divination and astrology experts from both east and west however, have different interpretations (and designs) of the zodiac chart, and they also use different signs or symbols.  Let’s take a brief look at the major differences (and  similarities) between Western and Chinese astrology.

Western Astrology’s Sun Signs

Western astrologers generally utilize “sun” or “moon” signs. The Western zodiac chart also features a chart that is divided into equal divisions, which point where the sun or moon was located, during the day and time of the person’s birth.  Western astrologers also often make comparisons between person’s sun and moon signs.    The Western zodiac’s complete turn from west to east is also divided into twelve parts, which are called “houses” or “sun signs”. The zodiac signs include Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

Chinese Astrology’s Animal Symbols

The Chinese horoscope uniquely features twelve animal signs, one for each year in a 12-year cycle. These animals include the ox, rat, rabbit, tiger, dragon, sheep, snake, horse, rooster, dog and pig.  Each of the animal signs in the Chinese zodiac has their own unique personalities and traits.  The Chinese zodiac is also based on the “lunar calendar”, which follows the moon’s phases.  The Chinese Zodiac was believed to have begun, or originated, in 206 AD, during the Han Dynasty. Others, however, believe that the Chinese zodiac was developed during the reign of Emperor Huang Ti. 

What Are Their Similarities Between The Horoscopes Of East And West?

The Western and Chinese horoscope, while manifesting a lot of major differences, surprisingly  share a number of similarities. For example, the number of signs of both Chinese and Western zodiacs feature twelve signs. Each sign too (or almost all of it) in the Chinese Zodiac has its own counterpart in the West. Chinese astrologers also use decimals, which is the same thing used by Western astrologers. The difference, however, lies in the way by which Chinese astrologers make their computations. 

In Chinese astrology, the astrological signs are divided by years. In the West however, the zodiac chart  is separated by months. Chinese astrologers also strongly affirm that people who were born in the same year also share the same behaviors and traits. In the West however, people are grouped, or identified, on a monthly basis. The differences in Eastern and Western astrology all boil down to cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In the east, society places, or puts more emphasis,  on generational differences. In the West however, more emphasis is placed on the individual’s psychological background.  The Western calendar is also based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun, while in the Chinese zodiac, each month starts with a New moon, and lasts for around twenty-nine days   

 

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