Whenever you meet a person and get to know them, sharing zodiac signs is one way to break the ice, especially if you discover that you share the same sign. Ancient civilizations used the zodiacs as a way to predict significant events and weather patterns, but now we treat them as personality tests. Although the personality traits associated with each sign are not backed by science, the zodiac signs allow us to get a general sense of a person.

The western and Chinese zodiacs are drastically different from each other. “The signs” are associated with the western zodiac. There are 12 signs that are associated with constellations, including one of the Olympians and a story from Greek mythology. People born within the monthly cycle belong to a specific sign.

The exact origin of the Chinese zodiac is unknown, but the origin story associated with it is super interesting. The Jade Emperor, also known as the ruler of Heaven,  held a race where animals would have to race through a river and cross a finish line to become part of the twelve animals used to create a time measurement for the Chinese. The rat won and became the first of the zodiac animals. The Chinese zodiac is associated with years, not months, so we’d say that starting on January 22, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit.

If you’re curious to learn more about zodiacs around the world, then read the latest edition of the Armijo Signal. We’ve even got a profile on an astrologer that could accurately predict the future even years after his death.