Zodiac

Author: Chang Jun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The series takes Chinese figures, social classes, historical sites, cultural relics, folk customs, and daily life as its themes, vividly recreating the profound historical and cultural heritage and traditional cultural elements of China through highly visualized illustrations and text. Whether in content or expression, it strives to break the boundaries between sophistication and popular appeal. While incorporating advanced academic research, it maintains a sense of reading enjoyment, offering a comprehensive interpretation of Chinese culture. It is a classic illustrated book that appeals to both the refined and the general audience.
The Twelve Zodiac Animals; To every Chinese person, they are so familiar and close. They are innate to us, accompanying us throughout our lives, yet truly understanding them can be as distant and mysterious as unraveling an inextricable knot. When did they originate? Where did they come from? How were they formed? Why are there exactly twelve? What criteria were used to arrange the twelve animals? A series of questions have attracted scholars, literati, and artists since ancient times to seek answers. Despite numerous new theories and interpretations, the Twelve Zodiac Animals remain as elusive as clouds and mist, reluctant to reveal their true nature.
The origin of the Chinese Twelve Zodiac Animals is quite ancient, dating back to the matriarchal clan society over 10,000 years ago. They emerged from the fusion of totem worship and the ancient October calendar. In the evolution of human civilization, animals were the earliest companions of our ancestors. In an era where the boundaries between humans and animals blurred, there were both competition and conflict, as well as moments of harmony. To ensure their survival, ancestors often formed kinship ties with certain animals or regarded them as ancestors, seeking protection. Thus, totem worship arose, and totem animals were used to name their clans. This already reflected the idea of entrusting and belonging to a particular animal.
The Twelve Zodiac Animals are an important cultural element of ancient Chinese civilization, encompassing the birth of the ancient calendar and the philosophy of the Yin-Yang Five Elements.