I'm a Metal Sheep Baby

Growing up, we loved to eat at a local Chinese buffet. Almost immediately upon being seated, my mom would grab the little paper mat of the Chinese zodiac chart and go around the table pointing out our zodiacs.

“What year were you born Lynn? “

“1991 mom, I’m a sheep.”

“Oh yeah, you are a sheep. Very true.”

If you didn’t know about the Chinese zodiacs you would instantly assume that was an insult. The Chinese zodiac is a repeating 12-year cycle based on the lunar calendar. Birth years fall under a specific animal zodiac. For example, people born in the years 1955, 1967, and 1979 are sheep like me! Each animal has a set of attributes that are assigned to it, quite like the astrological birth charts.

The Chinese zodiac officially dates back to the Han Dynasty which was 206 B.C.– 9 A.D (though it appears back even further). Why animals? Some believe that the animals of the zodiac are a modified list from the 28 constellations of ancient Chinese astrology. There is also a legend that describes a great race held by the Jade Emperor (the ruler of Heaven). There were 12 animals that participated and their rankings in the zodiac were determined by their place in the race. The rat was the first animal to finish (tricking the ox by riding on its back across the river) followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and finally the pig. It’s quite a cute tale and I would suggest anyone interested to read more into it. As a fun fact, for the 8th zodiac placement, sheep, goat, and ram are interchangeable. I refer to my sign as a sheep but you may find on certain charts that it is labeled as a goat or ram (dependent on the translation of the yáng (羊) sign in certain languages).

Like the Gregorian based astrological birth charts, the 12 year Chinese zodiac is a part of a much larger 60 year cycle that also assigns elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) to those born in certain years. For metal, your birth year has to end in 0 or 1. For water, 2 or 3 and so on. Like the animal zodiacs, the elemental signs also have their own corresponding attributes. When reading your own zodiac, you may find yourself to be a water dog (anyone born in 1982) or earth rabbit (anyone born in 1999). Fun right?

As a 1991 metal sheep baby, I am described as being kind-hearted, creative, persistent, wise, and sympathetic. While I like socializing, I do not like being the center of attention. My flaws can be described as being moody, private, pessimistic at times, and allowing my timid nature to get in the way of seizing opportunities. For the most part, I agree with what my zodiac says. I am someone who cares deeply for loved ones and will often “pour from an empty cup”. I wholeheartedly believe I would not survive a “desk job” as I crave creativity and human connection. Though I am shy, I love engaging with people through conservation. My flaws are quite spot on as well. I have bad cases of imposter syndrome from time to time and have a hard time being happy for myself whenever I receive recognition for my work. I often doubt myself and let that get in the way when approaching people for job opportunities because I don't want to disappoint them.

When I compare my sheep zodiac to my Sagittarius zodiac, it’s fun to see the difference in attributes. As a Sagittarius, I enjoy traveling and am described as a wanderer, incredibly curious, and enthusiastic. I do agree with those statements. It’s interesting to see that both zodiacs align me with creativity, ambition, and love for people. As a Sagittarius, it states that I am an extrovert and free-spirited which I am certainly not by nature. Over the years I have gradually learned how to push myself out of my comfort zone but it definitely takes a pep talk or three!

Overall, I believe my Chinese zodiac is the most “accurate”. While I tend to believe more in the “nurture versus nature” development of character, it’s fun to read into these things and compare with friends and family. Our zodiacs can be a mix of things that we are and what we strive to become so perhaps looking into the stars may have the answers we need after all.