Editing Astrology (section)

=== Chinese and East Asian ===

{{Further|Chinese zodiac}}

[[Chinese astrology]] has a close relation with [[Chinese philosophy]] (theory of the three harmonies: heaven, earth and man) and uses concepts such as [[yin and yang]], the [[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Five phases]], the 10 [[Celestial stem]]s, the 12 [[Earthly Branches]], and [[Chinese units of measurement|shichen]] (時辰 a form of timekeeping used for religious purposes). The early use of Chinese astrology was mainly confined to [[History of astrology|political astrology]], the observation of unusual phenomena, identification of [[Omen|portent]]s and the selection of auspicious days for events and decisions.{{sfn|Sun|Kistemaker|1997|pp=22, 85, 176}}

The constellations of the Zodiac of western Asia and Europe were not used; instead the sky is divided into [[Chinese constellations|Three Enclosures]] (三垣 sān yuán), and [[Twenty-Eight Mansions]] (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci ([[:zh:分野|十二次]]).<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Stephenson|first1=F. Richard|title=Chinese roots of modern astronomy|date=1980-06-26|journal=[[New Scientist]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zqkoAAAAMAAJ&q=Chinese%20roots%20of%20modern%20astronomy%20Stephenson,%20F.%20Richard|volume=86|issue=1207|pages=380–383}}</ref> The Chinese zodiac of twelve [[Astrological sign#Chinese zodiac signs|animal signs]] is said to represent twelve different types of [[personality]]. It is based on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the day (the shichen). The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the [[Rat (zodiac)|Rat]], and the cycle proceeds through 11 other animal signs: the [[Ox (zodiac)|Ox]], [[Tiger (zodiac)|Tiger]], [[Rabbit (zodiac)|Rabbit]], [[Dragon (zodiac)|Dragon]], [[Snake (zodiac)|Snake]], [[Horse (zodiac)|Horse]], [[Goat (zodiac)|Goat]], [[Monkey (zodiac)|Monkey]], [[Rooster (zodiac)|Rooster]], [[Dog (zodiac)|Dog]], and [[Pig (zodiac)|Pig]].<ref>Theodora Lau, ''The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes'', pp&nbsp;2–8, 30–5, 60–4, 88–94, 118–24, 148–53, 178–84, 208–13, 238–44, 270–78, 306–12, 338–44, Souvenir Press, New York, 2005</ref> Complex systems of predicting fate and destiny based on one's birthday, birth season, and birth hours, such as ''ziping'' and [[Zi wei dou shu|Zi Wei Dou Shu]] ({{lang-zh|s=紫微斗数|t=紫微斗數|p=zǐwēidǒushù}}) are still used regularly in modern-day Chinese astrology. They do not rely on direct observations of the stars.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC&q=astrology+in+China+Springer&pg=PA76 | title=Astrology in China | publisher=Springer | encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures | year=1997 | access-date=22 July 2012 | editor=Selin, Helaine|editor-link=Helaine Selin| isbn=978-0-7923-4066-9 }}</ref>

The [[Korean zodiac]] is identical to the Chinese one. The [[Vietnamese zodiac]] is almost identical to the Chinese, except for second animal being the ''[[Water buffalo (zodiac)|Water Buffalo]]'' instead of the ''[[Ox (zodiac)|Ox]]'', and the fourth animal the ''[[Cat (zodiac)|Cat]]'' instead of the ''[[Rabbit (zodiac)|Rabbit]]''. The<!--'''Japanese zodiac''' includes the ''boar'' instead of the ''[[Pig (zodiac)|Pig]]'',{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} and the--> Japanese have since 1873 celebrated the beginning of the new year on 1 January as per the [[Gregorian calendar]]. The Thai zodiac <!--includes a ''[[naga (mythology)|Naga]]'' in place of the ''[[Dragon (zodiac)|Dragon]]''{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} and -->begins, not at [[Chinese New Year]], but either on the first day of the fifth month in the [[Thai lunar calendar]], or during the [[Songkran (Thailand)|Songkran]] festival (now celebrated every 13–15 April), depending on the purpose of the use.<ref>{{cite web|title=การเปลี่ยนวันใหม่ การนับวัน ทางโหราศาสตร์ไทย การเปลี่ยนปีนักษัตร โหราศาสตร์ ดูดวง ทำนายทายทัก ('The transition to the new astrological dates Thailand. Changing zodiac astrology horoscope prediction')|url=http://www.myhora.com/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C-004.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103152835/http://www.myhora.com/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C-004.aspx|archive-date=3 January 2011|df=dmy-all}} (in Thai)</ref>