中英雙語話中國民風民俗 第45期:生肖的起源
The Origin of Chinese Zodiac
生肖的起源In ancient times, our ancestors counted the years with 10 celestial stems and 12 terrestrial branches. Although this was scientific, most people were illiterate and could not memorize or calculate easily. Thus the animals that influenced people's lives were chosen to symbolize the terrestrial branches： the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep，monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
在古代，我們的祖先認爲一年有10個天干和12個地支。雖然這是科學的，大多數人是文盲，無法記憶或計算不容易。因此，這影響了人們的生活，12種動物被選爲象徵着12地支：鼠，牛，虎，兔，龍，蛇，馬，羊，猴，雞，狗，豬。For a long time there has been a special relationship between humans and the 12 zodiacal animals. Humans admired them, took them totems, and in the artistic field，those animal signs were among the features of those themes. This can be reflected in artisans' paper-cut works, New- Year pictures, pottery and bronze wares, especially on the bronze mirrors before the appearance of glass ones, on which elaborate forms showed creativity and passion as well as wishes for a good life.
很長一段時間人類和12生肖之間有特殊關係。人類羨慕他們，拿它們做騰圖，並在藝術領域裏，這些動物的象徵着那些主題。這可以體現在工匠的剪紙作品上，新年畫，陶器和青銅器，特別是那些青銅器的外觀，其精心製作的形狀表現出創造力和熱情，以及祝願美好生活。
