How does the Chinese zodiac differ from the Western zodiac?

The Chinese and Western zodiacs are different systems. The Western (European) zodiac relies on the Sun's position in the month of birth: 12 signs (Aries, Taurus, etc.), each lasting about a month, changing throughout the year. The Chinese zodiac relies on the year of birth: 12 animals, each ruling a whole year, with the cycle repeating every 12 years, plus 5 elements are added.\n\nRoughly speaking, the Western sign tells you which month you were born in, the Chinese one tells you which year. So a person has both (for example, an Aries by Western and a Dragon by Eastern).\n\nBoth systems are symbolic and describe character in their own way; they can be used together.\n\nHonest framing: neither is a science or a prediction, but a language of self-knowledge. You can find your Eastern animal in the Chinese zodiac, and a full breakdown by date in the Destiny Matrix.