Lau ra - The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes

Copyright 1979, 1988, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2007 by Theodora Lau. Copyright 2019 by the Estate of Theodora and Laura Lau, a.k.a. Laura Karmarkar. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the written permission of the publisher. For information contact North Atlantic Books.

Published by

North Atlantic Books

Berkeley, California 94712

Calligraphy and cover art by Kenneth Lau

Cover design by Howie Severson

Book design by Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Printed in Canada

The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes: 40th Anniversary Edition is sponsored and published by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences (dba North Atlantic Books), an educational nonprofit based in Berkeley, California, that collaborates with partners to develop cross-cultural perspectives, nurture holistic views of art, science, the humanities, and healing, and seed personal and global transformation by publishing work on the relationship of body, spirit, and nature. North Atlantic Books publications are available through most bookstores. For further information, visit our website at www.northatlanticbooks.com or call 800-733-3000.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Lau, Theodora, author. | Lau, Laura, illustrator.
Title: The handbook of Chinese horoscopes / Theodora Lau and Laura Lau ;
calligraphy and illustrations by Kenneth Lau.
Description: 40th [edition]. | Berkeley : North Atlantic Books, 2019. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2019017409 (print) | LCCN 2019018734 (ebook) | ISBN
9781623173746 (E-book) | ISBN 9781623173739 (trade paper : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Astrology, Chinese. | Horoscopes.
Classification: LCC Bc17f014.C5 (ebook) | LCC Bc17f014.C5 L38 2019 (print) | DDC
133.5/9251dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019017409

This book includes material from well-managed forests and from recycled materials. North Atlantic Books is committed to the protection of our environment. We print on recycled paper whenever possible and partner with printers who strive to use environmentally responsible practices.

For Alexander

When my mother, Theodora Lau, wrote the first edition of The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes forty years ago, few books of any depth were available on Chinese astrology in English. The zodiac and its twelve animals were only known in a very simple way. As a result, people knew their animal birth year but little more than a short list of adjectives to go with it. Theodoras clear teaching of Chinese astrology, paired with her gift for interpreting each animals full personality in captivating stories, helped many readers around the world unlock a connection to their zodiac animal. With an animal as their guide, many found a previously undiscovered path of self-reflection. Today, a new generation is ushering in a fresh perspective on personal growth, and with it a renaissance of sorts in astrology. In a time when everything old is being reexamined, Chinese astrology and wisdom have found a new and very engaged audience. With the recent explosion of interest in living in harmony with nature, Chinese astrology joins a mix of modern and ancient tools to help us navigate our lives.

The Chinese traditionally kept their birth dates secret, not solely out of vanity (though this is the case for many) but also to maintain their privacy. After all, our date and time of birth reveal significant clues to our personality, communication style, and thoughts, which is why Chinese people rarely shared these intimate details with anyone. Fortune-tellers entrusted with such knowledge were often part of a familys inner circle for years, perhaps generations. Only life milestones, such as matchmaking with a worthy spouse, would warrant exchanging these secret dates with a trusted intermediary. Our astrological chart gives insight into whom we are compatible with, how we engage with the world, and how we adapt to changing situations, so the very act of personally taking control of ones astrological chart is incredibly empowering. Theodora referred to this path of self-discovery through Chinese astrology as learning about the animal that hides in your heart. By truly getting to know our animal, we are forced to analyze ourselves and confront our strengths and weaknesses. The process is thrilling, thought provoking, and sometimes humbling.

Many readers have written letters and emails to my mother and me to share their inspiring stories of personal growth and self-discovery aided by past editions of The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes. For example, a Rooster English teacher who described himself as more honest than kind was infamous for his brutal honesty. He shared how he learned to soften his constructive criticism in his high school classroom and formed the habit of having private conversations rather than public ones with his more tenderhearted students. For many years he was unaware of how harshly he was perceived because he saw his honestyand the time he took to dispense itas among his most generous gifts to students. But when he read how other animal signs responded to his approach, he was inspired to modify his blunt conversational style because he realized that his students could learn even more from him if he softened his language.

Then there was the Ox mother who lamented her rebellious young Horse sons need to learn through experimentation. The young man listened to his heart more than his head, and his ups and downs in love and his career were often difficult to watch. However, after the mother contemplated how he inhabited his Horse sign, she did her best to embrace his spirit and support him to avoid pushing him away. She came to accept her sons need to explore as a counterpoint to her rigid guidelines. Over the years, her Horse got much of his adventuring out of his system and came to appreciate his Ox mothers strength and stability, even seeking out her advice and eventually her approval. It was through Chinese astrology that this mother could reflect upon and even laugh at how her son was a force of nature. Indeed, our animals can be a powerful tool for evaluating our loved ones and ourselves. The wisdom of Chinese astrology is perhaps most illuminating and comforting at key decision points of our lives. During these times of happiness and struggle, we look for answersoften in the stars. From flirtation to heartbreak, commitment to parenthood, starting a business to shuttering one, we are able to gain a valuable perspective on ourselvesa wider view that brings our whole being into focusby way of the zodiac.

An editor once remarked to me that it must be strange to have written a book that readers do not read from beginning to end. It is true. This is a book in which one hops, skips, and jumps around, not in one sitting, but sometimes through many years. The first reading is always a deep dive into oneself. What is my sign? What is my ascendant? What does the new year hold? As ones relevant chapters become quite dog-eared, slowly but surely one starts to visit the other animals as one learns (and often guesses) what another persons sign may be. A challenging boss, a charming new neighbor, or perhaps the hope of welcoming a child to the familynew encounters with the people in our lives inspire us to travel through the zodiac and the Handbook. We cannot help but see patterns in the people we connect with. There are zodiac signs we are drawn to, others we are repelled by, and some we always seem to have in our lives no matter what we do. When I was a very young child I remember asking my mother, Which animal is the best? I will always remember her answer: What do you define as the best? Every animal has good and bad qualities. Who you love and get along with may be different from someone elses preferences. Every animal is the best to someone. Wise and diplomatic words indeed, but also a great encapsulation of how Chinese astrology is a tool and language for understanding. It is important to remember that while we may have different affinities for different animals, each one can provide lessons to each of us.