The 12 Chinese Animals: Create Harmony in your Daily Life through Ancient Chinese Wisdom Hardcover – September 15, 2010

Wonderful book - much needed for the field. Master Wu describes the energetics in details and offers great insights. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Classical Chinese Culture/Medicine.

I read it from the library and had to have my own copy. Great book.

nice reference

How many times have you gone to a Chinese restaurant and figured out what animal from the Chinese zodiac represented you? You also probably read the description of those of that animal's characteristics and nodded in agreement or shook your head thinking, "that's not me." But have you ever wanted to know more about the Chinese zodiac and the twelve animals? Have you ever wondered how these twelve animals came to represent different years? Well, wonder no longer. "The 12 Chinese Animals: Create Harmony In Your Daily Life Through Ancient Chinese Wisdom" by Master Zhongxian Wu presents what can be a complex Eastern topic in a very easy to understand and accessible manner for the Western reader.The first part of the book explains the wisdom behind the twelve animals. The numerological meanings are explained, and a short primer on Chinese zodiac or Chinese astrology is presented in a few pages. There are also short explanations of the eight trigrams, twelve tidal hexagrams, and the cycle of nature. This obviously isn't as in depth as you could go, but for most people, these simple explanations will suffice to gain a better understanding.The next section instructs on how to find your Chinese animal symbol. The little charts on menus are incomplete, and this section provides a more accurate and complete way to determine your Chinese zodiac symbol, but it is still done so in a easy to understand manner. The section covers yearly, monthly, and hourly animal symbols.Next come chapters on each of the twelve animals and related tidal hexagram: Rat and Fu (Rebirth), Ox and Lin (Deliver), Tiger and Tai (Balance), Rabbit and DaZhuang (Prosper), Dragon and Guai (Transform), Snake and Quan (Strengthen), Horse and Gou (Copulate), Goat and Dun (Retreat), Monkey and Pi (Break), Rooster and Guan (Observe), Dog and Bo (Peel), and Pig and Kun (Flow). Each of these chapters have a general description, a page with a picture and poem or saying, and general features for that animal such as personality, health, relationships, career, finance, color, and food. So if you like reading this short descriptions on menus, you will like this additional information.The book concludes with a short afterword on living in harmony. Overall, this is a good little book for anyone who wants to know more about this topic. It's clear and easy to read, and provides the basics regarding Chinese astrology and zodiac. It contains attractive photographs and wisdom to meditate on if you desire to pursue that path.Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks.

Amazing book to read!

Good book

Master Zhongxian Wu's book is actually a wonderful introduction to Chinese Astrology (although the title does not give an indication of this). If you have ever had an interest in Chinese Astrology, I recommend this guide. Many of the websites that I have visited give you a simplified overview of basic Chinese animal symbols. This book gives a brief history of Chinese wisdom and philosophy and is intended to give westerners information concerning some of the history of Chinese Wisdom of 12, an overview of ancient cultural beliefs and how their shamans determined the numerological meanings of 12, Chinese Astrology and the 12 animal symbols. Obviously, the subject is very complex and takes a great deal of time to master. This book is an introductory guide to the correct way to determine your Chinese Astrological symbols and how use the information to help improve your life. There is a great deal of information introduced in the opening chapters that I had to read several times. It is interesting reading (it is not a large book, but packed with a great deal of information in the various chapters). After the first chapters covering historical information and what some of the various symbols mean in relation to the universe and the cycle of nature (this is provided to help you understand how the 12 Animal symbols can help give you insight into your personality and how to make better choices to improve your life), Master Wu then presents an excellent section on how to find your correct animal symbols. Most information given in the US concerning Chinese Astrology is incorrect because they base the information on the Chinese Lunar calendar which starts on the Chinese New Year. That method generally mentions only one animal symbol, where in fact you actually have three. A yearly animal symbol (what the general method refers to), a monthly animal symbol and an hourly animal symbol. Depending on the date and time of your birth, all three may be completely different. The Chinese calendar is actually a lunisolar calendar. Master Wu provides several helpful animal symbol index tables for the yearly, monthly and hourly animal symbols. After looking up your signs, you can then read the corresponding chapter with information about the animal, differentiations for yearly, monthly and hourly aspects, along with overviews for personality, health, relationships, career, finance, color and food. If you enjoy meditation, there are sections provided for meditative prayers and photos of postures to use. This section is the heart of the book and the most helpful. It is designed to help you gain insight into yourself. It is not preachy or condescending and I enjoyed the sections on how ancient shamans learned to associate the Wisdom of 12 with the Cycles of Nature.Chapter are:Introduction: the Wisdom of 12, Numerological meanings of 12, Chinese Astrology and 12 Animal Symbols, Eight Trigrams, 12 Tidal Hexagrams and the Cycle of NatureThe Beginning: Finding Your Animals, Rat and Fu, Ox and Lin, Tiger and Tai, Rabbit and DaZhuang, Dragon and Guai, Snake and Qian, Horse and Gou, Goat and Dun, Monkey and Pi, Rooster and Guan, Dog and Bo, Pig and Kun.Afterward:Living in HarmonyIf you would like to learn about the real meaning of Chinese Astrology, the Cycle of Nature and basics of Chinese philosophy of living in harmony, this book is an excellent introduction.

I've been after a book about the 12 animal signs that dealt with the spiritual and energetic part of them instead of the pop and superficial aspects that most books present. This book turned out to be just what I needed. Thank you

Zunächst zum Verkäufer: das Buch ist in sehr gutem Zustand, der Versand aus England hat gut funktioniert!Zum Buch:Master Wu gibt in diesem Buch eine genauere Anleitung für das Finden des chinesischen Jahreshoroskops als es viele andere machen. Zu jedem "Jahrestier" gibt es zusätzlich ein "Monats-Tier" und ein "Stunden-Tier".Man bekommt dazu jeweils ein "Mudra", also eine Fingerhaltung, eine Meditationsübung und allgemeine Hinweise zu den jeweiligen "Tierkreiszeichen". Alles in allem ein sehr interessantes Buch, daß ich jedem Interessierten nur empfehlen kann!

The Mudras shown are a part of earlier Hindu culture

Great intro to Chinese Astrology and to other stuff in a nicely presented book.A meditation for the soul and a very calming book with deep insights into the symbolism of the 12 animals..

Das Buch ist ganz gut, auch wenn ich mir mehr tiefe gewünscht hätte. Motiviert zu einem umfangreicheren Studium. Meine Empfehlung.