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Chinese Zodiac Adaptations

Many people are familiar with the traditional Chinese calendar and their use of the 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs that consisted of various animals.  But did you know that many other places in the world have their own variation or adaptation of Zodiac Signs that were inspired or influenced by the Chinese Zodiac?  This is especially true in various Asian countries where China had played a huge cultural influence.  So let’s have some fun exploring these various places and people groups who have their own system!

Table of Contents

    Japan 🇯🇵

    Japan uses the same Chinese Zodiac animal signs, which makes sense considering the strong influence China has played on the country’s history.  There is one difference in that instead of the Chinese Zodiac Pig, it is the Japanese Boar.  (Fun Side Note: While the Chinese Zodiac uses the lunar calendar, the Japanese Zodiac follows the solar calendar since it stopped using the lunar calendar back in 1872.)  In Japanese, sometimes the animal name is a different word from the Zodiac animal year.  For example, Mouse in Japanese is nezumi (ネズミ), but when talking about the Zodiac animal it’s called ne (子), and when saying the Year of the Mouse it’s nedoshi (子年) (toshi/doshi [年] means year).  Thus, if there’s such a difference, in the chart you’ll find the Zodiac animal name and the common animal name in parenthesis.  You may find similarities between the Japanese Zodiac animal written name and its corresponding Chinese Zodiac animal written name!

    South Korea 🇰🇷

    For South Korea, there are 12 animal guardians (called sibijisin 십이지신) that are the same as in the Chinese Zodiac. (This is not surprising considering China played a big role in South Korean history.)  They call each Zodiac animal ddi (띠) which refers to the year one was born and a set of traits or personality characteristics one has corresponding to it.  A few people also use the Zodiac for astrology purposes of compatibility, but it is less common than merely having fun for saying one’s age.  So, for example, if you were born in the Year of the Mouse (jwi 쥐), you would say you were born in jwi-ddi or jwi-tti (쥐띠).  So in the chart below I put the name for the animal year and the usual animal name in parenthesis.  (Side Note: I tried looking up information as to whether North Korea 🇰🇵 uses the Chinese Zodiac as of today, but I could not find such information.  So I’m going based on what I could find on South Korea.  If you happen to know more, please share in the comments!)  Take a look at the chart below and see if you can spot any similarities in pronunciations between some of the Korean and Chinese Zodiac Sign names!

    Vietnam 🇻🇳

    I really enjoyed learning more about the Vietnamese Zodiac, in particular!  It is quite similar to the Chinese Zodiac, but there are some differences!  To start, instead of the Chinese Zodiac Sign the Ox, the Vietnamese Zodiac has a Water Buffalo.  Also, instead of the Chinese Zodiac Sign of the Rabbit, the Vietnamese Zodiac replaces it with the Cat.  Take a look below!

    Thailand 🇹🇭

    Thailand offers a quite unique adaptation to the Chinese Zodiac with their own.  To start, not everyone follows this calendar and for many, the New Year starts on the 1st day of the 5 month of the Thai lunar calendar or during the Songkran New Year holiday (which is now celebrated every year around April 13 – 15).  Also, instead of the Chinese Zodiac of the Dragon, the Thai Zodiac uses the Naga, which is a mythical monster which looks like a snake, is sometimes worshipped as a bringer of wealth or fertility, and can be seen in many temples in Thailand.  On top of that, in Northern Thailand, the Chinese Zodiac of the Pig is sometimes replaced with the Thai Zodiac of the Elephant.

    Myanmar / Burma 🇲🇲

    Instead of the Zodiac representing different years, the Burmese Zodiac uses animal signs to represent different days of the week along with specific directions.  You’d think there would be 7 Zodiac Signs, then, right?  Well, there are actually 8 since there are 2 Zodiac Signs for Wednesday Morning and Wednesday Afternoon!   So your Zodiac Sign is determined on what day you were born, as opposed to year.  Here is the brief list!

    Bulgar 🇹🇷 🇷🇺 🇰🇿 🇹🇲

    The Bulgar Zodiac is based on an old Bulgar solar calendar system that can be traced all the way back to the 2nd Century.  This Bulgar Calendar was created by the Bulgars, a ancient Turkic people located in Central Asia (such as where parts of Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan are currently located).  Compared to the Chinese Zodiac, It follows a similar 60-year cycle with 12 Zodiac animal years.  However, there is still some uncertainty as to which animals were used.  For now, below is a comparison between the Bulgar Zodiac and the Chinese Zodiac.  

    Volga Bulgaria 🇷🇺

    Between the 7th and 13th Centuries, in Volga Bulgaria (in what is now found in European Russia) the Volga Bulgars, Kazars, and other Turkic people groups replaced the Zodiac Signs with local animals.  I couldn’t find the names of these animals in Bulgar (the language used at the time), so I’ll just merely list what they were in comparison to the Chinese Zodiac.

    Other Variations Worth Noting

    • In Cambodia 🇰🇭, the New Year is celebrated in April, rather than January/February, like in China.  The Cambodian Zodiac is exactly the same as the Chinese Zodiac, except the Chinese Dragon is sometimes seen as a Neak (nāga), which is a Cambodian sea snake.  Also, a Sheep and Goat are interchangeable like in other countries.
    • The Cham people of Vietnam 🇻🇳 is a lunisolar calendar that closely resembles both the Chinese Zodiac and the Vietnamese Zodiac.  For example, the Cham Zodiac uses the Rabbit and Rooster like in the Chinese Zodiac (not the Vietnamese Zodiac Signs of the Buffalo and Chicken).  The Cham Zodiac also uses the Buffalo Zodiac Sign as in the Vietnamese Zodiac (the Chinese Zodiac uses an Ox).  Interestingly, instead of a Monkey Zodiac animal (found in both the Chinese and Vietnamese Zodiac), the Cham Zodiac uses a Turtle!
    • The Malay Zodiac 🇲🇲🇹🇭🇲🇾🇸🇬 is similar to the Chinese Zodiac, but instead of the Chinese Rabbit, there is the Malay Mousedeer Zodiac Sign.  Also, intead of the Pig, the Malay Zodiac uses the Tortoise.  The Dragon Zodiac is typically interchangeable or equated to the Nāga (the mythical sea snake) even though it’s sometimes called ular besar, meaning “Big Snake.”  Thus, the Malay Zodiac’s Snake Sign is called ular sani, or “Second Snake.” 
    • In Nepal🇳🇵, the Gurung Zodiac has several changes when adapting the Chinese Zodiac.  To start, they use a Cow and not an Ox.  Also, the Gurung Zodiac replaces the Rabbit with a Cat.  Instead of the Chinese Zodiac of the Dragon, an Eagle is represented.  The Chinese Rooster is also changed into the image of a Bird.  Lastly, the Gurung Zodiac uses a Deer instead of the Chinese Zodiac’s Pig.

    So what are your thoughts on these Zodiac adaptations and variations?  Are there any you are familiar with or like?  Are you familiar with other variations to the Chinese Zodiac that I did not mention?  Also, if I got things incorrect or misunderstand some information, please let me know.  So go ahead and share your thoughts in the comments for I would love to learn and communicate with you, my friends!  Thank you again, as always, and I look forward to learning more with you in the near future!

    “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

    -Abraham Lincoln

    • Image Captions (in order of appearance):
    • Chinese zodiac signs. Astrological year symbols, asian traditional animals horoscope characters, animal silhouettes with gold flowers, ornaments and clouds. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user YummyBuum; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • Kimono boar family & Kadomatsu with white background. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Ayusloth; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • 2021 Year of the White Cow. Vector illustration for Korean New Year’s Day. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user woocat; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • Vietnamese Zodiac illust Vector Set (Hand draw fill version). Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Satoshi Kikyo; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • Four clans of the Naga. Big snake Thai art graphic vector. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Paragorn Dangsombroon; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • Burmese zodiac signs animals vector illustrations set. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user GooseFrol; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
    • Tiger Portrait. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Donnie Ray Crisp; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
    • Wolf in Golden, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Andrew Ly; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
    • Camel Portrait. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Jassim Shanavas; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
    • Tiger Animal. Image courtesy of Pexels user Pixabay; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
    • Black Crocodile Lying on the Ground. Image courtesy of Pexels user Pixabay; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
    • White Hedgehog in Grass. Image courtesy of Pexels user Pixabay; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
    • Close-up Photo of Elephant. Image courtesy of Pexels user Adrian Greyling; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
    • Vector Chinese horoscope set watercolor style illustration in red ink typography. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user mimibubu; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.

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