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The
Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac; Qing dynasty (1644–1911) |
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he
twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent,
horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and pig) are well-known symbols associated
with forecasting people's futures and determining their character. By
the fourth century B.C., they were well established in Chinese thought;
the earliest depictions appear in ceiling paintings from a tomb dated
533. During the Tang dynasty, pottery representations of these symbols
were placed in tombs, reflecting the court's fascination with divination
and astrology. They were typically hybrid human/animal creatures similar
to the figurines shown here, created in the nineteenth century during
a revival of interest in mythology, astrology, and divination. 