2008 - The Year of the Rat
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The 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac are symbolised by 12 animals. It is believed that a person takes the characteristics of the animal in whose year they were born.
Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from Earth. Only 12 of the animals came to bid him farewell, so Buddha honoured them each with a year.
The order was taken from the sequence that they appeared to him; first the Rat, then the Ox, the Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Other Rat years are: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
Were you born in the Year of the Rat?
People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Loyal and loving, Rat people inspire loyalty in others who are close to them. They are essentially honest individuals and loath to betray a confidence. However, their quick wit and restlessness can sometimes lead to chattiness, and they can often be relied upon for a good story or a juicy bit of gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. They may even sometimes be viewed as opportunists who cajole others into helping them accomplish a great ambition. Rat people are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox.
Famous Rat people: Charlotte Bronte, Truman Capote, prince Charles, Eminem, Peter the Great, Mata Hari, Wolfgang Mozart, Plato, William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, George Washington
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