Chinese Zodiac
Author
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Reviewed by Antonia P. Sani
Alston was born in Los Angeles. As a dual citizen of Switzerland and the USA, she considers both Europe and America home. She is a free lance writer, artist and astrologer, currently living on the North Carolina coast with her husband, a US Marine and their dog, Archer.
Here, she traces the origins of Chinese astrology to the Han Dynasty and its evolution in close association to broad Chinese philosophical concepts-most notably Confucianism and Taoism
The passage of time in the Chinese culture has traditionally been measured in a 60 year cycle. Each year represents on of the 12 animal in the zodiac and each transition plays out under the influence of one of the five elements; earth’ fire, water, metal and wood.
Symbolising the interactions of Heaven and Earth are influences of to Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches.