The Year of the Ox: What Does It All Mean?!

If you have ever been asked “What is your zodiac sign?” by a Chinese friend don’t think they are just making small talk. Not only will you unwittingly reveal your age by stating your zodiac sign, but people will also take the opportunity to evaluate your personality, career prospects, and even love compatibility right there on the spot.

So what exactly is the Chinese zodiac?

The Chinese zodiac, or shēng xiāo (“born resembling”), is a 12-year cycle that has been calculated according to the Chinese lunar calendar for over 2,000 years. Each year in the cycle relates to an animal sign, which are rat (鼠 shǔ), ox (牛 niú), tiger (虎 hǔ), rabbit (兔 tù), dragon (龙 lóng), snake (蛇 shé), horse (马 mǎ), sheep (羊 yáng), monkey (猴 hóu), rooster (鸡 jī), dog (狗 gǒu), and pig (猪 zhū).

2021, which begins on Feb 12, 2021, and will end on Jan 31, 2022, is a year of the Ox. Below are four things that you might not know about the Ox-people in your life (or about yourself should you happen to be of the bovine variety).

Nice guys finish second

There are many versions of the zodiac legend depending on where you travel in China. However, the most widespread story has it that one day the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝 yù huáng dà dì) – aka the Heavenly Emperor in folklore – wished to select 12 animals as the calendar signs. He spread the word and for a little motivation added that the earlier each animal came to him, the higher they would rank. The following day, not wanting to miss out on this once-in-a-cosmic-lifetime opportunity, every animal set off towards the Heavenly Gate. As it happens, the rat led the pack, however, was stopped in its tracks upon arriving at a river. Soon after the ox arrived and, ever the benevolent bovine, allowed the rat to hitch a ride either on its back or inside its ear (we prefer the latter). After crossing the river and approaching the palace of the Jade Emperor, the rat jumped off the ox and rushed to first place, forever relegating the kindly ox to second.

Personality of the Ox

If you say you are born in the year of the Ox, people immediately know that you are either 12, 24, 36, 48, or 60, etc. years old and born in 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, and so on. Of course, you may have also been born in 2021 (welcome!), but if so we're a bit surprised to find that a) you're reading this blog and b) have taken such an early interest in your zodiac sign.

Oxen have quite a lot going for them: resilient and determined, honest and dependable, faithful, steadfast, and full of ambition and valor, once they make their mind up, they will devote themselves to the cause. Given their penchant for planning and mapping out every possible course of action before taking on a task, they tend not to be bothered by the whims of others and are often successful in their pursuits. As one might imagine, however, they can be incredibly stubborn, and ultimately shy away from communicating with others, nor are they open to new ideas.

Career prospects of the Ox

As mentioned above, oxen are very much into planning, meaning they have a superb eye for detail. What’s more, with a long history of working the fields alongside their human counterparts, ox-folk tend to be very good with their hands and are well-suited to careers in mechanics, engineering, draftsmanship, artistry, and (perhaps obvious) agriculture. Likewise, thanks to their stubborn nature and unwillingness to compromise, they also make good politicians! All of which is to say, while their strength of character makes them good at dealing with stress and tension, their headstrong ways mean that they often give too much of themselves to work at the expense of rest and relaxation.

Love compatibility of the Ox

Some Chinese, especially the older generations, still believe certain animals get on better with others and that the right combination of animals can bring harmony to their families.

Best match: Rat, Snake, Rooster

One might be tempted to think that because the rat exploited the ox to become first in the Celestial Olympic Games, the ox may resent the tiny creature. Not so, however, when it comes to the rat and the ox, it is precisely this spirit of cooperation that makes them such a good fit. Meanwhile, the rooster shares the ox’s devotion and appreciation for efficiency and planning. Lastly, on a more intimate level, the snake provides the ox with romance and physical attraction.

Worst match: Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Sheep

These signs all tend to be more – how shall we put this – free spirits, which definitely doesn’t jive with the surprise-averse ox. For example, horses like to roam on the wild plains and are given to flights of fancy, not ideal for someone who likes to plan everything ahead of time and stick to the agenda. Likewise, the dragon is a flamboyant braggart, whereas the ox prefers a more quiet, introspective, and meditative existence. Moreover, both the dragon and the ox-like to be in control, a recipe for disaster.

Of course, these astrological readings are largely taken with a grain of salt by outsiders and China's younger generation but that's not to say you can't have a little fun with them. Who knows, you may find your perfect ox match just by striking up a conversation.

READ: Mandarin Monday: The Many Auspicious Symbols of Spring Festival

Additional research by Maria Yao

Images: Reddit, desktopbackground.org