Page 417 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book
P. 417
A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 410
There are many legends concerning the zodiac – e.g. why the rat beat the ox into first
place, and why the cat is absent. During the Middle Ages, the Chinese became acquainted
with the zodiac of Western astronomy, but it never made any headway among them.
The geomantic compass which is still used to locate favourable i.e. lucky sites for
dwelling places and graves, gives as many as three readings indicating the cycle of the
Twelve Branches, the cycle of the Ten Celestial Stems, and often the cycle of 28 lunar
signs (xiu).
