Do you believe in astrology? If yes, this article is for you. You may have frequently heard about zodiac signs and horoscopes. If you are anything like me, you've perhaps already checked your yearly horoscope. If not, but want to, it's not too late if you would like to pick up the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine January 2024 New Year's and Pre-Valentine's Special Issue to quickly skim over the possible opportunities and obstacles for your zodiac sign this year. As you may have guessed, I am talking about the Western zodiac signs. However, I'd like to remind you that that's not the only zodiac system available around the world. Numerous astrologers in the past, from different cultural backgrounds, have attempted to read the constellations and predict human nature on the basis of the alignment of stars in the sky during their birth. Essentially, the zodiac is a belt around the heavens extending 9° on either side of the ecliptic (the great circle around which the constellations representing the 12 zodiac signs are arranged), the plane of Earth’s orbit, and the Sun’s apparent annual path. The word itself comes from the ancient Greek name of this belt, "zōdiakos kyklos", meaning "circle of animals", or "ta zōdia", meaning "the little animals". Various zodiac systems have cropped up among disparate communities of astrologers, such as Vedic astrology, Mayan astrology, etc. They all have their own interpretations of the zodiac and their own zodiac (or horoscope) system with a unique set of signs.

The Chinese Zodiac, or Sheng Xiao (生肖), is one of the oldest known horoscope systems in the world. The traditional Chinese calendar (lunar calendar) is also known as the "old calendar" (舊曆 jìulì), the "agricultural calendar", the "Xia calendar", or the "Yin calendar" (as in the concept of Yin and Yang). Interestingly, the Gregorian calendar that we follow is also prevalent in China by the name of the "common calendar" or "western calendar", also known as the "Yang calendar" due to its solar properties. Each month in the traditional Chinese calendar is represented by a number and an animal. Each of these animals, in turn, symbolizes a zodiac sign. It is very difficult to establish which Chinese zodiac sign you belong to since the Chinese New Year begins on different dates every year. If you were born, for example, on February 5, 2024, the Year of the Dragon, your Chinese zodiac sign would not be the dragon. This is because the Chinese New Year in 2024 began on February 10. However, if you were born on the same date in 2023, the Year of the Rabbit, your Chinese zodiac sign would be the rabbit because the Chinese New Year in 2023 began earlier than February 5, on February 1. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of both the date of birth and the year of birth in order to determine your Chinese zodiac sign, unlike the Western horoscope system, in which only the date of birth suffices for the purpose.

Let us now try to find out our Chinese zodiac signs with help from the following chart:

Rat - 鼠 (shǔ) - 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

Ox - 牛 (niú) - 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Tiger - 虎 (hǔ) - 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Rabbit - 兔 (tù) - 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Dragon - 龙 (lóng) - 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

Snake - 蛇 (shé) - 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

Horse - 马 (mǎ) - 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026

Goat - 羊 (yang) - 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027

Monkey - 猴 (hóu) - 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028

Rooster - 鸡 (jī) - 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029

Dog - 狗 (gǒu) - 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030

Pig - 猪 (zhū) - 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

The year 2024, as you can see above, is the Year of the Dragon. Those of you who were born in the Year of the Dragon, if you think this may be your lucky year because this is the Year of your Zodiac Animal, you may want to note that you are wrong. I hate to break your bubble but contrary to one's likely belief, the Year of your Zodiac Animal is actually seen as a hurdle you have to jump over. The Chinese do this by wearing red underwear everyday for the entire Year of their Zodiac Animal to protect themselves from evil spirits and bad fortune. I know this was a nasty truth to bring out.

Here are two little tips:

1. This cycle repeats itself every 12 years, so if you want to know the Chinese zodiac sign of someone whose birth year is not listed above, just add 12 to or subtract 12 from the years given above to expand the list either way.


2. If you want to find out if the current year is the Year of your Zodiac Animal, the answer is yes if your current age is a multiple of 12, and no if not.

What animal did you get? Are you ready to encounter your yearly Chinese horoscope for the Year of the Dragon? Dive in.

2024 is the Year of the Dragon, or more specifically, the Wood Dragon. It is supposed to be one of the luckiest of years in the Chinese zodiac. Dragons are considered very powerful and magical creatures in myriad cultures, and if you paid attention in your first-year Potions classes, you will have likely heard Professor Draekon discussing the wizarding world theories behind dragons being imbued with unbreachable magical immunity, but these are theories still under research. If you haven’t been to the dungeons to take his class yet, be forewarned that your silver Potions knife won’t cut through dragon liver if you are aiming to harvest potion ingredients. Spells by ordinary wizards and witches will simply bounce off the impenetrable dragon's hide like a glancing bullet because these creatures are extremely resistant to mundane and magical attacks alike. Most of us are already familiar with dragon eggs, which are Class A Non-Tradeable Materials, and dragon-hide gloves, which protect us not only in Potions, Alchemy, and Herbology classes but are also highly impervious to a wide variety of harmful chemicals and corrosives. Herbology enthusiasts, in particular, have a lot to say about the potency and usefulness of dragon dung. Besides the myriad uses of dragon-derived products (not to forget the 12 uses of dragon blood uncovered by former Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class), dragons also demand considerable popularity in Muggle mythological folklore. They are seen as intimidating, ferocious creatures associated with might, good fortune, and magic. The Chinese consider dragons to be a very lucky symbol and worship them in the form of the deity Longwang, who is also referred to as the Dragon King or the Dragon God, ruling over seas, all other bodies of water, and storms. Since times immemorial, they have depicted dragons in their royal flags and emblems to promote good luck and harmony. They also use the symbolism of the dragon in several festivals and particularly honor this majestic creature’s legacy through the unique and complex dragon dance, in which a team of experienced and fit individuals moves a long dragon puppet through beautiful and powerful moves to showcase the might of the dragon. As you may conclude from this discussion, the Chinese are very fond of and respect dragons, and they hope that the Year of the Dragon will be full of magic, sprinkled with the mythical creature’s good fortune. Here are the detailed, individual horsoscopes of those born in the Year of each Zodiac Animal for the entire Chinese Year of the Dragon which began in the Gregorian calendar year of 2024:

Rat - Rats get along well with dragons, so here’s the good news: they will be blessed all year with the dragon’s magical good luck dust. Although they will have a wonderful time ahead, especially in the workplace, they must keep the communication flowing in their love life as well to keep the good fortune there. Read about communication strategies in "This Month’s Valentine’s Special Topic by Hiya". The lucky color for those born in the Year of the Rat will be black this year.

Ox - Financial benefits will appear at work, and home life will be peaceful and calm. The principle that oxen will and must follow throughout this year will be "Slow and steady wins the race". The lucky numbers for these individuals for this year will be 1 and 4.

Tiger - Ahh, a very competitive year ahead. Expect to negotiate some speed bumps and analyze hard when it comes to finances, new relationships, and friendships alike. Make sure that the people in your life are a positive force, not a negative one. Your lucky colors this year are blue and gray, and the yellow lily is a flower that is known to bring tigers good fortune.

Rabbit - Hey there, bunnies! For those who are born in the Year of the Rabbit, it is not going to be your best year for social, professional, or personal relationships, but don’t lose hope, for you can still make the most of this year by staying calm and focusing on inner peace. It is a good year to spend on self-discovery. Your quick, adaptable, and smart nature will help you navigate all hurdles. Keep your eyes open for new opportunities, and play to your strengths and best attributes to negotiate curves in the path you are heading down. Your lucky colors this year are red, pink, purple, and blue.

Dragon - The Year of the Dragon is considered to be the best year to be born in, according to the Chinese zodiac. Your year will be blessed with fame and fortune, and your lucky colors will be silver and gold. You may experience a few roadblocks on the way to your desires, but overall, this is a good year for marriages, babies, and businesses.

Snake - If you are born in the Year of the Snake, get ready to use your snake-like flexibility, intelligence, and adaptability to new situations to face the changes coming your way. Discover new successes in the transforming world around you, both in the workplace and in your relationships with your loved ones. Be flexible with your style of communication as well. Keep stress relief on your list of priorities, and do not be stubborn, lest you end up poisoning your closest connections. The lucky numbers for you this year are 2, 8, and 9.

Horse - Giddyup! This looks to be a good year. A number of career advancements and positive changes may be afoot. However, nurture your calmer side and keep the happiness up at home, too. Overall, this is a year of prosperity and positivity, but occasional health issues may crop up.

Goat (or sheep) - You will have periods of calm in between highs and lows. Watch your finances during the lows and expect some quiet time with your family after these waves pass. Do not let the instability bother you, though, because your loved ones will be there to comfort you when it all comes to an end. Stick to your lucky numbers 2 and 7, and buy carnations to attract additional good fortune.

Monkey - Monkeys are certainly friends with dragons; therefore, they can expect a good outcome this year. Life at work will be good enough, but they must keep reminding their bosses that they are valuable assets in order to continue being appreciated. Working on developing themselves is recommended, perhaps learning a new skill could tip the scales in their favor.

Rooster - This is not the time to take big financial risks, and you also want to be careful not to step on others' toes this year. With careful investment, all will be well. Keep your wild side at bay and rely on the color red to bring you lucky opportunities and great fortune this year.

Dog - Your year won't be very stable, just like the goats'; however, your patience and loyalty will help you find success this year with increased wealth. Your relationships may suffer a few setbacks, but try to actually listen when you talk to your loved ones so that major problems are kept from sabotaging your bond. Rely on your best characteristic, which is your honesty, and on the numbers 3, 4, and 9.

Pig (or boar) - This may not be a very desirable zodiac sign owing to the ideas people associate these animals with, but this is actually one of the luckiest signs in Chinese astrology. The numbers 2, 5, and 8 will bring good fortune. Simply treat others as you want to be treated, and wait for the best.

I hope you enjoyed reading your horoscope for this year. Whether or not you believe in it, take it as a tool to very mildly influence your usual plans, and maybe you will find that things take a turn towards the best. I wish you a great Chinese New Year. All the best.

That was all for this topic. The next Chinese year, as you now know, in case you didn’t already, will be the Year of the Snake.

Sources: -

zodiacsign

Chinese calendar wiki fandom

chinesenewyear.net

Calgary Herald

Image taken from: -

chinesenewyear.net

- Hiya Debnath, Journalist, Editor-in-Chief, Compiler, Publisher, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.