Chicken (one of the 12 zodiac signs)

There are several versions of the story about the zodiac rooster becoming one of the twelve zodiac signs. Here’s one widely known version:

In ancient times, the Jade Emperor decided to choose the 12 zodiac signs according to their contributions to humanity. At first, chickens did not make a special contribution to humans, so they were not chosen. However, the chicken was so envious of the chosen animals that it thought hard and finally figured out that it could rely on its “golden voice” to wake up humans and help them start their day. Every morning, chickens raise their voices to wake humans from sleep. Humans were so grateful that they went to the Jade Emperor and asked for the rooster to be included in the zodiac. Although the Jade Emperor’s original standard was to choose only animals, at the insistence of the chicken and the request of the humans, the Jade Emperor eventually changed his mind and agreed to the chicken’s request, and listed it as one of the twelve zodiac signs, and awarded it a large red flower to wear on its head.

There are other versions of the legend, such as chickens helping other animals escape floods in ancient times, or serving as an important assistant to the Yellow Emperor in his search for undead grass. These legends emphasize the importance of the chicken in human life and its image of bravery and wisdom.

The chicken’s birthday
In the lunar calendar, the chicken’s birthday is closely linked to the first day of the first month. According to the Han Dynasty Dongfang Shuo’s “Zhanshu” and Jin Dynasty Dong Xun’s “Answer and Ask Etiquette and Custom” records, the first eight days of the Lunar New Year were regarded as the birthdays of different livestock crops, among which the first day of the first month was the birthday of chicken. This traditional custom is widely spread throughout China, and people will celebrate the chicken’s birthday in various ways on this day, such as offering sacrifices and praying for good luck.

The chicken’s good or bad luck
Different cultures and traditions have different opinions about the good or bad luck of chickens. In zodiac culture, the chicken is usually regarded as a symbol of hard work, bravery and wisdom. However, when it comes to predicting good or bad luck, chickens’ fortunes can be influenced by a variety of factors, including birth month, time of day and personal numerology.

Some traditional fortune-finding methods hold that chickens born in different months and times may face different fortunes. For example, it is said that chickens born in January or November may suffer from accidental damage or difficulties in consummating; And chickens born in May or June may not escape peach trouble or with evil, disaster and so on.