Cultural Significance of the Chinese Zodiac

Chow Fan-fu

The twelve-animal-sign zodiac is not a cultural feature unique to the Chinese; other countries such as India, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Korea, Greece, Egypt, or ethnic groups like Mongolian, Tibetan, Kazakh, and Uighur, and ancient Babylon, all boast such an animal zodiac or related legends. But for the Chinese, the zodiac has since time immemorial been closely tied up with their way of life, culture and art.

The Chinese Zodiac refers to twelve animals signs used to represent a repeated cycle of twelve years in the order of the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. Its origin is inconclusive, and related legends are especially abundant in China. When used in real life, the Chinese Zodiac is paired off with the twelve “earthly branches” of the Chinese calendar system (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu and Hai) respectively to record the hours, days, months and years of the calendar. It is also linked up with the traditional yin-yang theory of the five elements: a person will take on the characteristics of the animal sign for his year of birth from which his personality and destiny, and even marriage prospects, can be foretold.

Having adopted a “subversive” approach to its conception which departs from the traditional, the full-scale Chinese choral work in the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra concert, ‘The Chinese Zodiac’, is naturally going to examine anew the cultural significance of the titular theme in a modern context. In fact, with the rapid change in people’s thinking and social values, and the adherent shifts in social structures with the emergence of urban living, the Chinese Zodiac as a cultural entity is also gradually losing its social basis and even fading into obscurity. Under these circumstances, this full-scale Chinese music composition incorporating choral singing and drama, in whatever way they have “subverted” the traditional view of the twelve animal signs, is nevertheless paving a way for people to re-acquaint themselves with and to reflect on the functions and value of the Chinese Zodiac.

The traditional animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac may well contain a certain element of superstition in its objectification, yet the traditional Zodiac culture indeed encompasses many customs and a large amount of folk wisdom, ways of thinking, ethical and moral concepts, social and aesthetic values as well as edifying functions. It contains many layers of relationships: between Man and himself, Man and Nature, Man and Man, and Man and society. Derived from the Chinese Zodiac and are still thriving in contemporary life are innumerable traditional legends, parables, proverbs, literary works, traditional drama, drama, sculpture, folk song and dance, and folk arts. What is more, the Chinese Zodiac has also updated itself and made inroads into modern animation, novels, computer games, music, cinema, stamps, coins, etc. In other words, the life force of the Zodiac has not abated at all; rather, its manifestations have morphed into other forms along with social change.

Therefore, when appreciating this full-scale choral piece The 12 Animal Signs of Chinese Zodiac, apart from taking pleasure in its originality and the carnival-like fantasy of the animal world thanks to the “subversive” approach made possible by the free musical imagination and its coupling with dramatic elements, one should indeed contemplate seriously the cultural significance behind the message about the zodiac theme. Amidst the humorous laughs and wondrous applause, just how much of the modern Chinese wisdom and life experience is embedded in it? When adopting that angle in enjoying the music, you would perhaps see more vividly how the life force of the Chinese Zodiac remains vibrant today!