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The rat is a special symbol in the Chinese tradition. Let's find out why the Chinese New year rat symbol is considered to be so special.

People in general wouldn't like to be linked up with a rat beyond the Chinese traditions. That's because for most westerners, the rat is a tiny, dirty and shady creature that stays in the filthy places. However, great Chinese rationalists draw a different theory for the image of this rat.

Intelligence is one of the moralities given to the rat. The Chinese have also observed the rat to be a dedicated and creative animal that likes to be in control of things. In fact they even classified the animal as a perfectionist. These are some of the qualities that the Chinese philosophers have observed in this particular animal.

According to the Chinese culture and traditions, each New Year has an animal allotted to it. Behind it are a lengthy process and a legend that follows the assigning of such special animal symbols to the years. But as the lunar calendar goes, there are basically twelve animals that are repeated after every twelfth year.

The rat possesses a very special place according to ancient Chinese tradition. Legend has it that the twelve animals that form the cycle were made to compete in a race. All the time the ox was winning the race without knowing that the rat was riding on its back. Just when the ox was about to reach the finish line the rat jumped off his back and secured the first position.

So the whole animal legend begins with the year of the rat. Hence when the year of the rat returns it is a very special event because it means that one whole cycle has been completed and a new one has just begun.

The rat thus has proved its mettle in being one of the most innovative and sharp personalities. It is admired for its capability to get into the depth of all sorts of trouble and find a way to achieve success. Intelligence being its key characteristicit finds it easy to get success.

Chinese thinkers have come up with a personality sketch of the rat symbol and thus people now are more in favor of accepting any comparison to the Chinese perception of the rat's persona. However, it is definitely simple to picture why the idea is difficult for the westerners because, the west have their own perception of the tiny creature.

Another intriguing aspect about the animals of the 12 year cycle is the compatibility issues. How the Chinese philosophers came up with these connections is unclear but they have drawn conclusions as to which animal sign is compatible with another and which is likely to have confrontations.

It's amazing to know that the rat has great compatibility with the monkey. But where do the philosophers get this conviction is still unknown. However, these beliefs prevail in China. From the ancient era, the year of the rat is believed to be the sign of protection and wealth.