What is the real origin of 12 Zodiac?

The ancients explained the relationship between earthly branches and small animals from the perspective of ancient midnight. Then, inspired by twelve o'clock, the order of twelve constellations was invented.

1, when children:

Midnight, also known as midnight and midnight: the first hour of twelve o'clock. (23: 00 to 0 1 hour Beijing time).

From 1 1 in the evening to 1 in the next morning, it is the time when rats are active in the dead of night, so they are called "offspring rats".

2. Ugly times:

Cockcrow, also known as pheasant: the second hour in twelve hours. ? (Beijing time 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock).

1 It's ugly until 3 am. Cattle are used to eating grass at night. Farmers usually wake up at night to feed the cows, so they are called "ugly cows".

3. Yin Shi:

Dull, also known as dawn, morning light, day, etc. Hours refer to the time between day and night. ? (3: 00 to 5: 00 Beijing time).

From 3 am to 5 am, it's Yin Yin. At this time, the tiger that walks day and night is the fiercest. The ancients often listened to the roar of tigers at this time, so they were called "silver tigers"

4. Shi Mao:

Sunrise, also known as the beginning of the sun, dawn, sunrise and so on. Refers to the time when the sun just appeared and rose. ? (5: 00 to 7: 00 Beijing time).

At dawn from 5 am to 7 am, the rabbit came out of the nest. They like eating grass and morning dew, so they are called "hairy rabbits".

5. Chen Shi:

Meal time, also called breakfast, etc. The time for the ancients to "eat in the morning" was also breakfast time (07:00-09:00 Beijing time).

7 am to 9 am is the time of day. It's usually foggy at this time. It is said that Longxi is flying in the clouds, which is worth the rising sun, so it is called "Chen Long".

6. when:

Corner, also known as Yu Ri, etc. : near noon, it is called the corner. (09: 00 to 1 1: 00 Beijing time).

It's the fourth time from 9 am to 1 1. The fog cleared, the sun was shining, and snakes came out of their holes to feed, so they were called "four snakes".

7. At noon:

Feeding times, also known as Ripu, Shi, etc. : (Beijing time 15 to 17).

The application time is 3 o'clock? 5: 00 to 5: 00 p.m.? At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when the sun goes down, the monkey is crying, so it is called "afternoon monkey".

8. Not yet:

Sundial, also known as sunset, sun center, etc. : The sun sets in the west. (Beijing time 13 to Beijing time 15).

65438+ 0 pm to 3 pm, inappropriate. Some places call it "sheep out of the slope", which means it is a good time to herd sheep, so it is called "Weiyang".

9. Application:

Feeding time, also known as day shop, late food and so on. : (Beijing time 15 to 17).

From 3 pm to 5 pm, it is the application time. When the sun sets in the west, monkeys like to crow, so they are called "Shen monkeys".

10, unitary:

Sunrise, also known as sunset, sunset and dusk: refers to the time when the sun sets. (Beijing time 17 to 19).

From 5 pm to 7 pm, it's one yuan time. When the sun goes down, the chicken spins in front of the nest, so it is called "unitary chicken".

1 1, Qi Shi:

Dusk, also known as sunset, sunset glow, dusk, etc. When the sun sets, the sky will be dark. The world is dark and everything is hazy, so it is called dusk. (Beijing time 19 to Beijing time 2 1).

From 7 pm to 9 pm, it's time. After a hard day's work, I bolted the door and got ready to have a rest. The dog crouched in front of the door to guard. As soon as there is movement, it barks and screams, so it is called "dog".

Shihai 12:

People are determined, also called unconscious, etc. It was already deep at this time, and people stopped their activities and had a rest. Calm means quiet. (Beijing time 2 1 hour to 23: 00).

From 9: 00 p.m. to 1 1 p.m. is the sea time. You can hear the sound of the pig arch in the dead of night, so it is called "sea pig".

Extended data

The zodiac is also called the Twelve-Year Animal. In China's calendar, twelve kinds of New Year animals appear in turn, so in our China year, rats, cows, tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, horses, sheep, monkeys, chickens, dogs and pigs are used in the calendar.

The zodiac began in the sixth century BC. The early numbers and the collection of earthly branches were applied to each other, and later became the number of years.