Zodiac year, or Ben Ming Nian, is any year of your Chinese zodiac animal sign, determined by your birth year. As there are 12 animal signs, a year of your birth sign comes once per 12-year-cycle: when you are (about) 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and so on.
When is Your Zodiac Year?
Your zodiac year starts from Chinese New Year and ends on the last day of the Chinese lunar year (Chinese New Year's Eve). For example, 2020 is a year of the Rat, and Rats' zodiac year starts from Chinese New Year 2020(January 25th), and ends on February 11th, 2021.
See the table below for each of the 12 zodiac animals' zodiac year, and find out which years are your zodiac sign years. (If you were born in January or February, you may need to check your birth sign using our Zodiac Sign Calculator.)
| Chinese Zodiac Animal | Zodiac Year (Birth Sign Year) |
|---|---|
| Rat | 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
| Ox | 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| Tiger | 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 |
| Rabbit | 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 |
| Dragon | 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 |
| Snake | 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 |
| Horse | 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 |
| Goat | 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
| Monkey | 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 |
| Rooster | 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 |
| Dog | 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 |
| Pig | 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 |
Why is a Zodiac Year an Unlucky Year? — Offend the God of Age
2022 is a year of the Tiger.
According to Chinese astrology, people in their zodiac year are believed to offend Tai Sui, the God of Age, and incur his curse. It is believed to bring nothing but bad luck. Therefore Chinese astrology followers pay special attention to their conduct every twelfth year of their lives, i.e. in their birth sign years.
What is the 'God of Age' Star (Tai Sui)?
Tai Sui doesn't actually exist as a real star! (It roughly corresponds to Jupiter, which takes 11.86 years to orbit earth, and is probably where the idea for the star came from). It's an imaginary star that changes position exactly 30 degrees of direction each year, i.e. orbiting Earth every 12 years exactly.
The star Tai Sui is said to bring misfortune to people in zodiac years matching their year of birth.
Later, during the course of history, Tai Sui evolved into the God of Age, and has been worshipped by Chinese people from one generation to another. People offer sacrifices to the God of Age to get rid of misfortune and pray for blessings in a zodiac year.
Getting Good Luck in a Zodiac Year — Wearing Red
According to Chinese tradition, there are some things that people can do to fend off bad luck in a zodiac year.
By Wearing Red — Drive Away Bad Luck
Wearing red to drive away bad luck.
Red is one of the luckiest colors in Chinese culture, standing for prosperity, loyalty, success, and happiness. Red can drive away bad luck and evil spirits.
Therefore wearing red during your zodiac year (or zodiac year) will bring you good luck and give you a good year. You can wear a red belt, red socks, red shoes, or red clothes, and red underwear is highly recommended during your zodiac year.
However, there is a rule that you need to pay attention to, or the red won't ward off bad luck. You cannot buy, for example, the red underwear yourself. It should be bought by a spouse, family member, or friend.
By Wearing Jade Accessories
Besides wearing red, you can also wear jade accessories during your zodiac year to ward off bad luck, like pendants, earrings, rings, and bracelets.
By Facing the Right Direction — Face Away from Tai Sui
People are often told by fortune-tellers that Tai Sui will bring bad luck. Actually in theory you can make use of Tai Sui to bring good luck, by facing in the opposite direction. The position of Tai Sui for each year in its cycle is listed below.
| Chinese Zodiac Animal | Year (e.g.) | Position of God of Age |
|---|---|---|
| Monkey | 2016 | Southwest (240 °) |
| Rooster | 2017 | West (270 °) |
| Dog | 2018 | Northwest (300 °) |
| Pig | 2019 | Northwest (330 °) |
| Rat | 2020 | North (0 °) |
| Ox | 2021 | Northeast (30 °) |
| Tiger | 2022 | Northeast (60 °) |
| Rabbit | 2023 | East (90 °) |
| Dragon | 2024 | Southeast (120 °) |
| Snake | 2025 | Southeast (150 °) |
| Horse | 2026 | South (180 °) |
| Goat | 2027 | Southwest (210 °) |
You can adjust your beds, seats, desks to face away from Tai Sui.
People adjust the direction of beds, seats, desks, and even where they live and work to face away from Tai Sui, i.e. "to get Tai Sui behind them", in an effort to incur good luck.
For example, in 2021 (a year of the Ox) Tai Sui is in the northeast. So in 2021 Qxes adjust your furniture and dwellings to face southwestto get good luck. When doing something important, such as a business negotiation, Pigs should face southeast, and you will stand a good chance of succeeding.
As an enthusiast of Chinese astrology and culture, I'm deeply familiar with the concepts and practices related to the Chinese Zodiac and its associated beliefs. My understanding stems from years of dedicated study and immersion in the rich tapestry of Chinese traditions, including the significance of zodiac years, the rituals to fend off bad luck, and the influence of Tai Sui, the God of Age.
The Chinese Zodiac, comprising 12 animal signs, is a fundamental aspect of Chinese astrology. Each year corresponds to one of these signs, rotating in a 12-year cycle. Your zodiac year is determined by your birth year and recurs every 12 years. For instance, individuals born in the year of the Rat experience their zodiac year at ages 12, 24, 36, and so forth.
The cycle begins with the Chinese New Year and concludes on the eve of the following Chinese New Year. For example, in 2020, which was the Year of the Rat, the zodiac year for Rats commenced on January 25, 2020, and concluded on February 11, 2021.
Within Chinese astrology, the zodiac year is considered an unlucky period, believed to invoke the wrath of Tai Sui, the God of Age. It's believed that people in their zodiac year may encounter misfortune unless certain precautions are taken.
Tai Sui is not an actual celestial body but rather an imaginary star associated with Jupiter's orbit around Earth every 12 years. Facing the wrong direction, according to Tai Sui's position, might bring misfortune, whereas facing away from Tai Sui is believed to bring good luck. Adjusting furniture and even the direction of important activities like business negotiations is a common practice to align oneself favorably.
To counteract potential ill luck during their zodiac year, people adopt various traditions:
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Wearing Red: Red is an auspicious color in Chinese culture symbolizing prosperity and happiness. Wearing red apparel or accessories, especially red underwear given by a family member or friend, is believed to ward off bad luck.
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Wearing Jade Accessories: Jade accessories like pendants, earrings, rings, and bracelets are thought to counteract negative energies during one's zodiac year.
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Facing the Right Direction: Orienting oneself away from Tai Sui's direction for the year can bring good fortune. Adjusting the positioning of furniture, beds, or desks according to Tai Sui's position is a common practice.
Adherence to these practices reflects the deep-rooted cultural beliefs and traditions passed down through generations in Chinese society.
Understanding these practices allows individuals to navigate their zodiac years with greater awareness and take measures to enhance their luck according to Chinese astrological beliefs.
