<P> The 12 animals are also linked to traditional Chinese agricultural calendar, which runs alongside the better known Lunar calendar . Instead of months, this calendar is divided into 24 two week segments known as Solar Terms . Each animal is linked to two of these solar terms for a period similar to the Western month . Unlike the 60 year Lunar calendar, which can vary by as much as a month in relation to the Gregorian calendar, the agricultural calendar varies by only one day, beginning on the Gregorian calendar on February 3 or 4 every year . Again unlike the cycle of the lunar years, which begins with the Rat, the agricultural calendar begins with the Tiger as it is the first animal of spring . Around summer days are longer than winter days, because it occurs differences of perihelion and aphelion . </P> <P> As each sign is linked to a month of the solar year, it is thereby also linked to a season . Each of the elements is also linked to a season (see above), and the element that shares a season with a sign is known as that sign's fixed element . In other words, that element is believed to impart some of its characteristics to the sign concerned . The fixed element of each sign applies also to the year and hour signs, and not just the monthly sign . It is important to note that the fixed element is separate from the cycle of elements which interact with the signs in the 60 - year cycle . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Season </Th> <Th> Lunar month </Th> <Th> Fixed element </Th> <Th> Solar longitude </Th> <Th> Solar term </Th> <Th> Gregorian date </Th> <Th> Approx . Western zodiac </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Spring </Td> <Td> 1st--寅 (yin) Tiger </Td> <Td> Wood </Td> <Td> 314 ° </Td> <Td> 立春 lìchūn </Td> <Td> Feb 4--Feb 19 </Td> <Td> Aquarius </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 329 ° </Td> <Td> 雨水 yǔshuǐ </Td> <Td> Feb 20--Mar 5 </Td> <Td> Pisces </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2nd--卯 (mao) Rabbit </Td> <Td> Wood </Td> <Td> 344 ° </Td> <Td> 啓蟄 qǐzhé (驚蟄 jīngzhé) </Td> <Td> Mar 6--Mar 20 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 359 ° </Td> <Td> 春分 chūnfēn </Td> <Td> Mar 21--Apr 4 </Td> <Td> Aries </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3rd--辰 (chen) Dragon </Td> <Td> Wood </Td> <Td> 14 ° </Td> <Td> 清明 qīngmíng </Td> <Td> Apr 5--Apr 20 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 29 ° </Td> <Td> 穀雨 gǔyǔ </Td> <Td> Apr 21--May 4 </Td> <Td> Taurus </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Summer </Td> <Td> 4th--巳 (si) Snake </Td> <Td> Fire </Td> <Td> 44 ° </Td> <Td> 立夏 lìxià </Td> <Td> May 5--May 21 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 59 ° </Td> <Td> 小滿 xiǎomǎn </Td> <Td> May 22--Jun 5 </Td> <Td> Gemini </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5th--午 (wu) Horse </Td> <Td> Fire </Td> <Td> 74 ° </Td> <Td> 芒種 mángzhòng </Td> <Td> Jun 6--Jun 21 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 89 ° </Td> <Td> 夏至 xiàzhì </Td> <Td> Jun 22--Jul 6 </Td> <Td> Cancer </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6th--未 (wei) Goat </Td> <Td> Fire </Td> <Td> 104 ° </Td> <Td> 小暑 xiǎoshǔ </Td> <Td> Jul 7--Jul 22 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 119 ° </Td> <Td> 大暑 dàshǔ </Td> <Td> Jul 23--Aug 6 </Td> <Td> Leo </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Autumn </Td> <Td> 7th--申 (shen) Monkey </Td> <Td> Metal </Td> <Td> 134 ° </Td> <Td> 立秋 lìqiū </Td> <Td> Aug 7--Aug 22 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 149 ° </Td> <Td> 處暑 chùshǔ </Td> <Td> Aug 23--Sep 7 </Td> <Td> Virgo </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8th--酉 (you) Rooster </Td> <Td> Metal </Td> <Td> 164 ° </Td> <Td> 白露 báilù </Td> <Td> Sep 8--Sep 23 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 181 ° </Td> <Td> 秋分 qiūfēn </Td> <Td> Sep 24--Oct 7 </Td> <Td> Libra </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9th--戌 (xu) Dog </Td> <Td> Metal </Td> <Td> 194 ° </Td> <Td> 寒露 hánlù </Td> <Td> Oct 8--Oct 23 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 211 ° </Td> <Td> 霜降 shuāngjiàng </Td> <Td> Oct 24--Nov 6 </Td> <Td> Scorpio </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Winter </Td> <Td> 10th--亥 (hai) Pig </Td> <Td> Water </Td> <Td> 224 ° </Td> <Td> 立冬 lìdōng </Td> <Td> Nov 7--Nov 22 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 244 ° </Td> <Td> 小雪 xiǎoxuě </Td> <Td> Nov 23--Dec 6 </Td> <Td> Sagittarius </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11th--子 (zi) Rat </Td> <Td> Water </Td> <Td> 251 ° </Td> <Td> 大雪 dàxuě </Td> <Td> Dec 7--Dec 21 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 271 ° </Td> <Td> 冬至 dōngzhì </Td> <Td> Dec 22--Jan 5 </Td> <Td> Capricorn </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12th--丑 (chou) Ox </Td> <Td> Water </Td> <Td> 284 ° </Td> <Td> 小寒 xiǎohán </Td> <Td> Jan 6--Jan 20 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 299 ° </Td> <Td> 大寒 dàhán </Td> <Td> Jan 21--Feb 3 </Td> <Td> Aquarius </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Season </Th> <Th> Lunar month </Th> <Th> Fixed element </Th> <Th> Solar longitude </Th> <Th> Solar term </Th> <Th> Gregorian date </Th> <Th> Approx . Western zodiac </Th> </Tr>

Names of the animals chinese years are named after