A Chinese horoscope is based on twelve animals that are used to define certain years. As well as using these twelve animals in Chinese horoscopes there is also the added use of the five elements of Ying-Yang that include earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. These five elements are used to determine certain aspects of your Chinese horoscope such as success, love, and happiness. Determining your Chinese horoscope can be as simple or as complicated as you would like it to be. There are some web sites on the Internet that will give you very detailed information about your Chinese horoscope. Some of the information that your Chinese horoscope can provide you include:

  •  What the upcoming year holds for you.
  •  Your lucky days of the week, month, and year.
  •  Places that will bring you more luck.
  •  How your love life will be affected and what you should do in preparation for love.
  •  Information about your health and the things you should be aware of.
  •  How to prosper and what to be cautious of when it comes to your wealth and success       with money.
  •  What to do to add more happiness to your life.

To find out what animal sign you are linked to you, you only need to look up the year that you were born to find the result. For example, if you were born in 1968 your animal sign is the monkey. The twelve animals that are a part of Chinese horoscopes are:

  •  Rat
  •  Ox
  •  Tiger
  •  Rabbit
  •  Dragon
  •  Snake
  •  Horse
  •  Sheep
  •  Monkey
  •  Rooster
  •  Dog
  •  Pig

Your Chinese horoscope based on your animal sign will give you some general information about your personality. Here is a summary guide for someone born in 1968 and whose Chinese horoscope animal sign is the monkey:

The Monkey

Ranking order : Ninth
Hours ruled by the Monkey: 3 pm - 5 pm
Direction of sign : West - Southwest
Season and principal month : Summer - August

Corresponds to Western sign : Leo
Fixed Element : metal
Stem : Positive
Greatest Affinity : Dragon, Rat
Greatest Enmity : Tiger

Charming, cheeky, mischievous and ingenious, monkeys have little respect for authority, and often find themselves in trouble. Monkeys are born under the sign of fantasy and of all the twelve signs, monkeys are the nearest to mankind. Monkeys are blessed with great intelligence, and having a high regard for knowledge, they are capable of thinking through even the most complex problems.

Monkeys are not the best business people in the world, being something of 'Arthur Dailey' or 'Del and Rodney' figures. They are opportunistic, and often end up chasing profits rather than following through any business strategy. However, their quick wits and intelligence often brings them through, and they may make a fortune from nothing. A powerful memory coupled with a cool temperament when under pressure all give the monkey extremely strong survival skills.

The Chinese warn that the charm of the monkey, together with its tendency to fantasize can result in them telling extraordinary tales which you end up believing, however improbable. This helps them get out of difficult situations, and often helps them escape punishment for their mischief.

The monkey is a bit of a thrill seeker, and is always looking for a new experience. As such they find long-term relationships somewhat elusive

The above information was obtained from the Chinatown Online web site: