Animal 1 of 12
Rat
The Rat is first of the twelve, the clever one who rode the Ox to win the race. Quick, resourceful and sociable, it spots chances early and keeps something in store for later.
The Rat is earthly branch 1 of 12, 子 Zǐ. It also names the double hour from 23:00 to 01:00.
Recent Rat years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020. Each one pairs the animal with a different element, so the full combination returns every sixty years.
- Earthly branch
- 子 Zǐ
- Fixed element
- Water
- Polarity
- Yang
- Double hour
- 23:00 – 01:00
Gifts
- resourcefulness
- quick wit
- charm
Watch for
- anxiety
- opportunism