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The myth behind the Chinese zodiac - Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen

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What’s your sign? In Western astrology, it’s a constellation determined by when your birthday falls in the calendar. But according to the Chinese zodiac (生肖), it’s your shuxiang, meaning the animal assigned to your birth year. And of the many myths explaining these animal signs and their arrangement, the most enduring one is that of The Great Race. Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen recount this classic myth.

Using the system outlined in the video, determine your animal and your element.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Megan Campisi, Pen-Pen Chen
  • Director Marta Prokopová
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Animator Marta Prokopová
  • Art Director Marta Prokopová
  • Storyboard Artist Marta Prokopová
  • Illustrator Marta Prokopová
  • Character Designer Marta Prokopová
  • Composer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen

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