Year Of The Rat

What a cutie! The Year of the Rat ranks first on the Chinese zodiac signs. According to an ancient Chinese folktale, the Jade Emperor decreed that the years on the calendar would be named for each animal. The order will be determined in the order they cross the river and arrived at his palace. The Tiger and the Rat were poor swimmers so they decided to cross the river on the back of the Ox. Just as they reached the other side, the Rat pushed the Tiger into the river, jumped off the Ox, and dashed to the Emperor to be named first on the Zodiac calendar. The Ox came in second, then the Tiger and so on (rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog) and finally the slow-going Pig came in last. 2020 marks the rejuvenation of the calendar as we cycle through to the Metal Rat. Every 12 years is a new base element.

Our Rat is very cute; but watch out, they are a trickster! Rats are known for intelligence, resourcefulness, and shrewd sensibilities.

Year of the Rat: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032