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Last Update: August 19, 2006
Added Photos of Zodiac Amulets

ZODIAC LORE


KANSHI (or ETO) = Zodiac Calendar
JUUNI SHI (or JUNI SHI) = 12 Zodiac Animals

 Origin = China

The Zodiac is part of an elaborate and laborious system based on Chinese astronomy, cosmology, and divination. It was used as a method for counting years, months, days and hours in the Chinese imperial court and civil calendar, and as a system for forecasting one's future and determining one's character. Although replaced in modern times by the Gregorian calendar, the Zodiac is still used today (unofficially) as a popular method of divination in many Asian and Western nations. Furthermore, the Zodiac is the preeminent calendar of old-world Asia. Its 60-year (sexagenary) cycle is still of crucial importance to modern art historians, for it helps them pinpoint the date of artwork made in much earlier times.

Most scholars believe the Chinese Zodiac originated sometime before 1100 BC, well before the Historical Buddha's birth in India around 500 BC. The system grew more elaborate and complex over the centuries, but its importance in China ensured its acceptance elsewhere, and thus it greatly influenced and colored the subsequent development of Buddhist traditions throughout Asia. In China, where Buddhism was introduced in the 1st & 2nd centuries AD, the 12 Zodiac animals became associated with Buddhism's 12 Heavenly Generals as early as the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD).

When Buddhism arrived in Japan in the mid-6th century AD, the Japanese eagerly imported both the Buddhist teachings and the Zodiac calendar -- the calendar was officially adopted in 604 AD. In Japan, the Zodiac calendar is known as Kanshi or Eto (干支 | えと), and the 12 animals of the Zodiac are known as the Juuni Shi (十二支). The Zodiac's popularity in Japan peaked during the Edo Era (1600-1868 AD), by which time each of the 12 animals were commonly associated with one of eight Buddhist patron deities. At many Japanese temples even today, visitors can still purchase small protective amulets or carvings of their patron Buddhist-Zodiac deity. 

Zodiac Animal Buddhist Patron Year of Birth Rat Senju Kannon 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 Ox Kokuzo Bosatsu 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 Tiger Kokuzo Bosatsu 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 Rabbit Monju Bosatsu 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 Dragon Fugen Bosatsu 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 Snake Fugen Bosatsu 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001 Horse Seishi Bosatsu 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 Sheep Dainichi Nyorai 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey Dainichi Nyorai 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster Fudo Myo-o 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog Amida Nyorai 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Boar Amida Nyorai 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 NOTE: It was probably in Japan's Edo Period (1603 - 1867 AD) when the 12 zodiac animals were each associated with one specific patron Buddhist deity, the Eight Buddhist Protector Deities (八保護仏、八仏). However, I'm not sure when this system was actually adopted, nor why it includes only eight patrons instead of twelve. This grouping of eight may have originated earlier in China, but I've been unable to confirm this. Click here for details & photos of the Eight Buddhist Zodiac Patrons

ZODIAC COMPONENTS
The Zodiac is based on a number of important Chinese systems of thought that were transmitted to Japan -- along with Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist philosophies -- between the 6th and 8th centuries AD. 

• TEN STEMS. The ten stems are a cyclic numeric system that date back to China's Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1046 BC). They correspond to the ten days of the ten-day week used by Shang rulers (these days relate to ten suns that appeared in a ten-day cycle in ancient Chinese mythology). The stem names also appear in the names given the early Shang kings. The ten are combined with the 12 zodiac animals (the "12 Branches," see below) to form 60 two-symbol units. Each unit represents a year in the Zodiac calendar, and the 60-year cycle is known as the sexagenary cycle. The cycle was repeated ad infinitum for counting years in China. In Japan, the sexagenary system was adopted in 604 AD by Empress Suiko, and is known as Jikkan Junishi 十干十二支 (literally "10 stems and 12 branches"). The modern-day cycle started in 1984. Alternate readings (names) for the ten stems were derived by combining the Five Elements with yin-yang dualism, yielding ten "alternate" combinations. For a complete listing of the 10 stems and 12 branches, see charts below.
  
  As a method for dating, the 60-year Zodiac cycle is crucial to modern art historians, for it helps them date artwork from much earlier times. For example, the online dictionary JAANUS says this: 

"The zodiac system is important in art history for dating art works. For example, according to the halo inscription on the bronze statues of Shaka Nyorai (Historical Buddha) and his attendant at the Daihouzouden 大宝蔵殿 (part of Houryuuji Temple 法隆寺), the statues were made in the year of Boshi 戊子 for Japanese Minister Soga 蘇我. Since the statues are in the very early Asuka 飛鳥 style and the Soga clan flourished until the mid-7th century AD, the year of Boshi can be pinpointed to 628 AD."

 

TEN STEMS (Jp. = Jikkan 十干) Japan (China) Reading Character kou (jia)  甲 otsu (yi)  乙 hei (bing)  丙 tei (ding)  丁 bo (wu)  戊 ki (ji)  己 kou (geng)  庚 shin (xin)  辛 jin (ren)  壬 ki (gui)  癸

60-YEAR SEXAGENARY CYCLE 10 Stems combined with 12 Branches Japanese = Jikkan Junishi 十干十二支 Current cycle began 1984 (Koushi); ends 2043 (Kigai) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 甲子 乙丑 丙寅 丁卯 戊辰 己巳 庚午 辛未 壬申 癸酉 甲戌 乙亥 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 丙子 丁丑 戊寅 己卯 庚辰 辛巳 壬午 癸未 甲申 乙酉 丙戌 丁亥 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 戊子 己丑 庚寅 辛卯 壬辰 癸巳 甲午 乙未 丙申 丁酉 戊戌 己亥 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 庚子 辛丑 壬寅 癸卯 甲辰 乙巳 丙午 丁未 戊申 己酉 庚戌 辛亥 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 壬子 癸丑 甲寅 乙卯 丙辰 丁巳 戊午 己未 庚申 辛酉 壬戌 癸亥 The 60-year cycle gets more complicated when