TheChineseAnimalZodiac1.十二生肖ChineseanimalzodiacWesternhoroscopesCharacterTheChineseanimalzodiac,orShengXiaoinChinesePinyin,isarotatingcycleof12years,witheachyearbeingrepresentedbyananimalanditsreputedattributes.Traditionallytheserecurringanimalswereusedtodatetheyears,adifferentanimalforoneyear,witheachanimalyearrepeatedevery12years.Therearealtogether12animals,whichare,inorder,rat,ox,tiger,rabbit,dragon,snake,horse,ram,monkey,rooster,dogandpig.ActuallyChineseanimalzodiachascertainsimilaritieswiththeWesternhoroscopes.Bothhaverotatingcyclesdividedinto12parts,andbothimplytheinfluenceofeachsignonaperson’spersonality.However,thedifferencesaremajor.Chineseanimalzodiacisdividedintoyears,whileWesternhoroscopesisdividedintomonths,andtheanimalsarenotassociatedwithconstellations.Kong-RongGivesuptheBiggestPear2.孔融讓梨孔融讓梨IntheEasternHanDynasty,therewasapersoncalledKongRong.Hewasverysmarteversincehewasalittleboy.Hehadseveralolderbrothersandoneyoungerbrother.Onedayhisfatherboughtsomepears,pickingoneofthelargestandgivingittoKongRongdeliberately.ButKongRongshookhisheadandpickedupthesmallestone.Hisdadwasverycurious,andasked:“Why?”

KongRongsaid:“Iamyounger,soIshouldeatthesmallerpear,andbrothersshouldeatthebiggerones.”

Hisdadwasverygladafterhearinghiswords,butaskedfurther:“Whataboutyouryoungerbrotherwhoisyoungerthanyouare?”KongRongsaid:“Iamolderthanhim,soIshouldleavethebiggeronetomylittlebrother.”

Hisfatherpraisedhimsoproudly!Later,KongRongbecameagreatscholar.MisfortunemightbeaBlessinginDisguise3.塞翁失馬焉知非福MisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseMisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseMisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseMisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseMisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseOnceuponatime,therewasanoldmanlivinginthefrontierfortress,hiswascalledhim“SaiWeng”.Oneday,thefamilyhorsewaslost,andhissonfeltverysadaboutit.Buthedidn‘tthinkso,andsaid:“Maybeit’sagoodthingtoloseahorse?”Thelosthorsereturnedsoonafter,andbroughtbackanotherhorse.Hissonwashappyaboutit.SaiWengwasveryworried:"Idon'tknowifthishorsewillbringdisastertome?"Oneday,hissonrideoutforadrive,felloffthehorseandbecamedisabled.ButSaiWengwasstilloptimistic,"Maybeit'sagoodthing?“Hesaid.MisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseThenanotheryearlater,theHupeopleinvadedthecountryandarrestedalltheeliteandmiddle-agedpeopleinthevillage.Manypeoplediedonthebattlefield.ButSaiWeng’ssonwasexemptedfrommilitaryservicebecauseofhislameness,andthefatherandsonavoidedthisdisaster.MisfortunemightbeablessingindisguiseThestorytellsusthatundercertainconditions,goodthingsandbadthingscanbeconve