Astrology is often related to predictions; but it is more than that, in fact, it is a science of planets through which one can gain knowledge about himself and the environment he or she lives in. Well, astrology is divided into many streams and Chinese astrology is one of the most significant as well as followed science. One can define Chinese astrology as divination of the future from the Chinese calendar, which is based on astronomy, and ancient Chinese philosophy. In particular, it is based on the age-old sexagenary cycle of sixty years that have been documented since the time of the Shang Dynasty till date.

This basic cycle has been constructed from two cycles, such as the 10 heavenly stems, i.e. the five elements in their yin and yang forms and the 12 earthly branches, or the 12-year cycle of animals referred to as the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese animal zodiac operates on a cycle of the moon in a month and hours of the day. This zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle. In this there are equivalent constellations like those of the occidental zodiac. In ancient times there were astrologers who watched the sky for heavenly symbols and then would predict the future. The predictions ware done on many things like the state, but this was a quite different practice of divination from the popular present-day methods.

In fact, these ancient astronomers related five major planets by the names of the element they were associated with. The planet Venus corresponds to metal particularly with gold; Jupiter to wood; Mercury to water; Mars to fire and Saturn to earth. According to Chinese astrology, a person's destiny can be determined by the position these planets, along with the positions of the sun, moon, comet and the person's time of birth and zodiac sign.

One's fate and destiny are predicted by birth date and birth hours, and the system is still used in modern day Chinese astrology to predict fortune. The 28 Chinese constellations are very different from the 88 western constellations. For example, the big bear or Ursa Major is known as dÇ'u; the belt of Orion is known as shÄ"n, or the happiness, fortune, longevity trio of demigods. The seven northern constellations are referred to as xúanwÇ". Xuan Wu is also known as the spirit of the northern sky or the spirit of water in Taoism belief.

In addition to astrological readings of the heavenly bodies, in Chinese astrology, the stars in the sky form the basis of various folk tales. The other important significant things of Chinese astrology are the lunisolar calendar, the sixty year calendar, agricultural calendar and five elements like wood, fire, earth, metal and water. In fact, Chinese astrology has animal symbols unlike conventional zodiac signs, such as rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, dog, rooster and boar. Therefore, these elements form an important part of Chinese astrology. In fact, it is said that if one of these elements go missing then the horoscope will be of no significance. Hence, while preparing a horoscope one has to keep all the things in mind for a prosperous fortune.