The Rat in 2014: Your Chinese Horoscope

The Rat in 2014: Your Chinese Horoscope
Neil Somerville

The year 2014 is the Chinese Year of the Horse – what will this mean for you? This complete guide contains all the predictions you will need to take you into the year ahead – a lively fast-paced year favouring ideas, innovation and personal growth.The ancient art of Chinese astrology, which predates the Western zodiac, is a detailed system of divination that has been in use in the Orient for thousands of years.The depth of its wisdom and the accuracy of its character analysis and prediction has caught the imagination of the Western world in recent years and led to a rapid rise in its popularity.This popular and enlightening bestselling guide – now in its 27th year – includes:• Everything you need to know about the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac.• An explanation of the Five Elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth, and which one governs your sign.• Individual predictions to help you find love, luck and success.• What the Year of the Horse has in store for you, your family, your loved ones and friends.

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About the Author (#u78c72811-e843-5f58-af14-1caa9f05ff8e)

Neil Somerville is one of the leading writers in the West on Chinese horoscopes. He has been interested in Eastern forms of divination for many years and believes that much can be learned from the ancient wisdom of the East. His annual book on Chinese horoscopes has built up an international following and he is also the author of What’s Your Chinese Love Sign? (Thorsons, 2000; HarperElement, 2013), Chinese Success Signs (Thorsons, 2001) and The Answers (Element, 2004).

Neil Somerville was born in the year of the Water Snake. His wife was born under the sign of the Monkey, his son is an Ox and daughter a Horse.

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TO ROS, RICHARD AND EMILY

Epigraph (#u78c72811-e843-5f58-af14-1caa9f05ff8e)

As we march through life,

we each have our hopes, our ambitions and our dreams.

Sometimes fate and circumstance will assist us,

sometimes we will struggle and despair,

but march we must.

For it is those who keep going,

and who keep their aspirations alive,

who stand the greatest chance of securing what they want.

March determinedly,

and your determination will, in some way, be rewarded.

Neil Somerville

Contents

Cover (#u3eb9db1a-1560-5c96-93a6-60f057e43e4a)

Title Page (#ulink_56c6445f-07c3-573e-9230-579307d73946)

About the Author (#ulink_05b5b8db-4862-5ec9-85bb-67955715539d)

Dedication (#ulink_f9d6973c-c851-5a55-ba84-98ea78139e10)

Epigraph (#ulink_ee7912fa-e0cf-5ad2-807c-d856fa795285)

Acknowledgements (#ulink_778d4ec8-b1d9-52f3-8c6f-3928953dfd13)

Introduction (#ulink_c0a06b35-01d8-5b22-be47-eaf543e4c2e3)

The Chinese Years (#ulink_0ec021d5-aa81-53aa-af61-09b4e0323fad)

Welcome to the Year of the Horse (#ulink_29dce8fe-2850-507a-a33f-9f2dc7e98f65)

The Rat (#litres_trial_promo)

Appendix (#litres_trial_promo)

Relationships between the Signs (#litres_trial_promo)

Your Ascendant (#litres_trial_promo)

How to Get the Best from your Chinese Sign and the Year (#litres_trial_promo)

A Closing Thought (#litres_trial_promo)

Other titles in this series (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#u78c72811-e843-5f58-af14-1caa9f05ff8e)

In writing Your Chinese Horoscope 2014 I am grateful for the assistance and invaluable support that those around me have given.

I would also like to acknowledge Theodora Lau’s The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes (Harper & Row, 1979; Arrow, 1981), which was particularly useful to me in my research.

In addition to Ms Lau’s work, I commend the following books to those who wish to find out more about Chinese horoscopes: Kristyna Arcarti, Chinese Horoscopes for Beginners (Headway, 1995); Catherine Aubier, Chinese Zodiac Signs (Arrow, 1984), series of 12 books; E. A. Crawford and Teresa Kennedy, Chinese Elemental Astrology (Piatkus Books, 1992); Paula Delsol, Chinese Horoscopes (Pan, 1973); Barry Fantoni, Barry Fantoni’s Chinese Horoscopes (Warner, 1994); Bridget Giles and the Diagram Group, Chinese Astrology (HarperCollinsPublishers, 1996); Kwok Man-Ho, Complete Chinese Horoscopes (Sunburst Books, 1995); Lori Reid, The Complete Book of Chinese Horoscopes (Element Books, 1997); Paul Rigby and Harvey Bean, Chinese Astrologics (Publications Division, South China Morning Post Ltd, 1981); Ruth Q. Sun, The Asian Animal Zodiac (Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1996); Derek Walters, Ming Shu (Pagoda Books, 1987) and The Chinese Astrology Workbook (The Aquarian Press, 1988); Suzanne White, The New Astrology (Pan, 1987), The New Chinese Astrology (Pan, 1994) and Chinese Astrology Plain and Simple (Eden Grove Editions, 1998).

Introduction (#u78c72811-e843-5f58-af14-1caa9f05ff8e)

The origins of Chinese horoscopes have been lost in the mists of time. It is known, however, that oriental astrologers practised their art many thousands of years ago and even today Chinese astrology continues to fascinate and intrigue.

In Chinese astrology there are 12 signs named after 12 different animals. No one quite knows how the signs acquired their names, but there is one legend that offers an explanation. According to this legend, one Chinese New Year the Buddha invited all the animals in his kingdom to come before him. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to the animals, only 12 turned up. The first to arrive was the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and finally Pig. In gratitude, the Buddha decided to name a year after each of the animals and that those born during that year would inherit some of the personality of that animal. Therefore those born in the year of the Ox would be hardworking, resolute and stubborn, just like the Ox, while those born in the year of the Dog would be loyal and faithful, just like the Dog.

In addition to the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac there are five elements and these have a strengthening or moderating influence upon the signs. While it is not possible that everyone born in a particular year can have all the characteristics of the sign, it is incredible what similarities do occur, and this is partly where the fascination of Chinese horoscopes lies.

To find out which sign you were born under, refer to the Chinese Year tables (#ulink_0ec021d5-aa81-53aa-af61-09b4e0323fad). As the Chinese year is based on the lunar year and does not start until late January or early February, it is particularly important for anyone born in those two months to check carefully the dates of the Chinese year in which they were born.

Also included, in the appendix, are two charts showing the compatibility between the signs for personal and business relationships and details about the signs ruling the different hours of the day. From this it is possible to locate your ascendant and, as in Western astrology, this has a significant influence on your personality.

In writing this book I have taken the unusual step of combining the intriguing nature of Chinese horoscopes with the Western desire to know what the future holds, and have based my interpretations upon various factors relating to each of the signs. Over the years in which Your Chinese Horoscope has been published I have been pleased that so many have found the sections on the forthcoming year of interest and hope that the horoscope has been constructive and useful. Remember, though, that at all times you are master of your own destiny.