Individuals born during the Chinese year of the Earth Rat are generally stable, peaceful, and happy individuals who live prosperous, comfortable, and healthy lives. The Chinese consider being born during the year of the Earth Rat auspicious because fate has blessed Earth Rats with lifelong luck and the ability to turn bad luck into good, even in difficult situations.
About the Year of the Earth Rat
The Rat is the first of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. A Chinese Zodiac Rat year occurs every 12 years, and because it's first, it sets the tone and pace for the next 12 years. Every Rat year is assigned one of the five Chinese elements; Earth, Fire, Wood, Water, or Gold. An Earth Rat year occurs every 60 years. The last Earth Rat year was from February 6, 2008, until January 25, 2009. Those born from January 1 through February 5, 2008, are Chinese zodiac Fire Pigs. The previous Earth Rat year was February 5, 1948, to January 28, 1949.
Overview of Earth Rat Years
Earth Rat years bring the beginning of a new concern for financial security, jobs, home, and family. In 2008, there was a worldwide recession. There were many housing foreclosures, and many jobs disappeared. In 1948 there was also a recession. Unemployment was up as soldiers returning from WW2 began looking for jobs. So, while it's said that those born during Earth Rat years are lucky, perhaps their luck comes from their ability to work hard, overcome any challenge, and seize every opportunity that presents itself.
2008 Earth Rats
Individuals born in a year ruled by the Earth Rat are typically blessed with their share of good fortune. Rats are generally resourceful and adaptable, but rats can also be a bit capricious and frankly reckless. However, the Earth element makes those born during an Earth Rat year more careful, methodical, calm, and pragmatic.
How Being an Earth Rat Impacts a Personality
Although the 2008 Earth Rats are still very young, they are realistic, deal with things sensibly, and seem more mature than their years. Under the influence of the Earth element, these young Rats find happiness and contentment in order, discipline, and financial security.
General characteristics of Earth Rats:
- Interested in work and money
- Hard-working, clever, and quick thinking
- Masters at research
- Curious and sociable
- Reserved and tend to hide emotions
- Optimistic and opportunistic
- Sentimental and value ties with family and friends
- Hate unnecessary waste, laziness, and people who do not keep their word or are late
- Can be nervous, critical, and make cutting remarks when upset
MoneyWise
Earth Rats need money to feel safe and secure. For this reason, they are thrifty, even a bit selfish. They are hard workers who have fantastic agility in money matters. Earth Rats are always concerned with improving their financial status and usually do quite well using their natural talents and skills.
Earth Rat Careers
Earth Rats are the most constant and realistic of all the rats. These rats want to achieve many great things and enjoy a stable future. They're natural entrepreneurs who are honest, thoughtful, have a nose for business, common sense, and a strong work ethic. Earth Rats possess the intelligence and cunning of the rat but are not as impulsive. They make well-thought-out decisions and won't hesitate to use any information they acquire to their advantage. Earth Rats are usually well-regarded leaders with successful careers.
Traditional
Earth Rats are not impulsive or adventurous like other rats. They respect tradition and prefer to stay put rather than moving around. They tend to stick with the tried and true, seldom take risks, or test their good fortune.
Careful Planners and Problem Solvers
Earth Rats are intelligent, reliable, industrious, inventive, and capable of solving any problem that confronts them. They tend to prepare in advance and move forward cautiously. As a result, everything in their life is carefully planned out and executed.
Earth Rat Relationships
Earth Rats care about their reputations and are sensitive to what others think of them. They want to make a good impression and can charm anyone with their cleverness. Earth Rats are natural peacekeepers who are caring towards their friends and usually have the support and admiration of a circle of close friends. However, because Earth Rats are perfectionists, they can be very demanding and critical of themselves and others.
Earth Rat in Love
An Earth Rat isn't a player. Like everything else in an Earth Rat's life, they are methodical and cautious when it comes to love. But they are warm, protective, and generous with their loved ones, especially their children. However, an Earth Rats' life can become complicated because they tend to have difficulty letting go of anyone or anything they love.
More Than an Earth Rat
Just as you are more than your Sun sign in Western astrology, you are more than your animal sign in Chinese astrology. The 12 Chinese animals are also assigned to the months and hours of the day. The animal assigned to the month is your inner animal. The animal assigned to the hours of the day is your secret animal. So, while you may be an Earth Rat because you were born in the year of the Earth Rat, you might also be a Water Snake internally and a Gold Ox secretively. The Chinese animal system is every bit as complex as the zodiac signs and planets of Western astrology.
