Changes

Whereas most people are probably familiar with the names of the zodiac, each of which is named after an animal (rat, monkey, etc.), few outside of [[China]] or [[Japan]] will be aware of the associated stem. The combination of the two will relate to a specific year within the 60-year cycle.

Whereas most people are probably familiar with the names of the zodiac, each of which is named after an animal (rat, monkey, etc.), few outside of [[China]] or [[Japan]] will be aware of the associated stem. The combination of the two will relate to a specific year within the 60-year cycle.

Thus, whereas the zodiacal year repeats every 12 years, so for example the Year of the Rat would be 1972, 1984, 1996, and so forth, the year of ''ko-ne'' (1^st sign of the calendar and 1^st sign of the zodiac) will only fall on the years 1924, 1984, 2044 and so on.  

Thus, whereas the zodiacal year repeats every 12 years, so for example the Year of the Rat would be 1972, 1984, 1996, and so forth, the year of ''ko-ne'' (1st sign of the calendar and 1st sign of the zodiac) will only fall on the years 1924, 1984, 2044 and so on.  

==Other uses==

==Other uses==

With regards to time, the day starts at midnight, which is designated ''ne'' (rat, the first sign of the zodiac) and progress to each subsequent sign every two hours. Thus, 2pm would be the "Hour of the Horse".

With regards to time, the day starts at midnight, which is designated ''ne'' (rat, the first sign of the zodiac) and progress to each subsequent sign every two hours. Thus, 2pm would be the "Hour of the Horse".

Days of the month would also cycle through the 12 signs, a tradition which still holds in many [[shrine|shrines]] and [[temple|temples]] to this day. For example, ''Inari'' shrines (<font size=3>稲荷</font>, dedicated to the fox deity of harvests) would hold their annual festival on the first Horse Day of February and ''Benten'' shrines (<font size=3>弁天</font>, the goddess of Arts and Wisdom) hold theirs on the first Snake Day of February.

Days of the month would also cycle through the 12 signs, a tradition which still holds in many [[shrine]]s and [[temple]]s to this day. For example, ''Inari'' shrines (<font size=3>稲荷</font>, dedicated to the fox deity of harvests) would hold their annual festival on the first Horse Day of February and ''Benten'' shrines (<font size=3>弁天</font>, the goddess of Arts and Wisdom) hold theirs on the first Snake Day of February.

The same principle applies to direction, with ''ne'' pointing due north, and each subsequent sign being assigned to the next 30 degree arc.

The same principle applies to direction, with ''ne'' pointing due north, and each subsequent sign being assigned to the next 30 degree arc.

[[category:Japanese Mythology]][[category:China]]

[[Category:Japanese Mythology]][[Category:China]]