大纲：1.简介中国十二生肖。

（about 5min）2.讲解“生肖”、“属相”两词的含义，十二生肖是哪十二种动物（放视频《汉字解读十二生肖》），以及古人发明十二生肖的作用。

（15min）3.关于十二生肖排序的神话传说。

（为什么没有猫？为什么龙没有排第一？…）（15min）4.放视频《十二生肖歌》（配英文字幕）（3min）4.生肖与个性。

（各个动物的性格特点、各生肖的人适合的职业以及外国名人们的生肖）（15min）5.生肖与婚配。

（5min）6.本命年。

（5min）以下为英文讲稿：General Introduction：In Chinese culture，twelve animals are very special：they are selected as twelve symbolic animals to form twelve-year cycles. Since each year has an animal as its symbol, a person born in a certain year will have one of the twelve animals as his/her symbolic animal . That is called a person's shengxiao(生肖）or shuxiang（属相）.The twelve shengxiao, or the twelve symbolic animals are of great importance to many Chinese, and people all of the country tell many interesting stories and follow various customs associated with the twelve symbolic animals.Warming-up Questions:(1)What are the twelve symbolic animals?(2)What is the sequence of the twelve symbolic animals ?rat , ox , tiger, rabbit , dragon , snail , horse , sheep(or goat) , monkey , rooster , dog , pigLectureExplanation of Shengxiao(生肖）and Shuxiang(属相）Sheng 生：the year one is bornXiao 肖：resemblanceShu 属：belong toXiang 相：resemblanceBoth phrases mean that a person will resemble the symbolic animal that is used to denote to his/her year of birth.When talking about the origin of the twelve symbolic animals, information is needed concerning the ten Heavenly Stems(天干）and twelve Earthly Branches（地支）. The ten Heavenly Stems consist of：1Jia甲: Bud - the sign of growth2Yi乙: Sprout - the spread of growth, bursting forth from Earth3Bing丙: Concentrated growth like fire in the house4Ding丁: Maturity, solidity, Heavens kiss.5Wu戊; Flourishing and nuturing6Ji己: Full bloom7Geng庚: Harvesting and abundance. Fullness leading to changes8Xin辛: Dead heading, reformation9Ren壬: Sustenance, supporting life10Gui癸: Regenerating roots and preparation for spring甲、乙、丙、丁、戊、己、庚、辛、壬、癸And the twelve Earthly Branches consist of：1Zi子: Young shoot of a plant2Chou丑: Young plant supported by stick3Yin寅: Celebration of spring and New Year4Mao卯: Life springing forth5Chen辰: Pregnant and timid6Si巳: 7 months pregnant with fully formed embryo7Wu戊: Summer solstice8Wei未: Big tree with solid branches9Shen申:Expansion10You酉: Harvest, celebration11Xu戌: Clearing and preparation12Hai亥: Conception, mating of yin and yang子、丑、寅、卯、辰、巳、午、未、申、酉、戌、亥If we combine each of the ten Heavenly Stems with one of the twelve Earthly Branches in sequence, we will have sixty chronological symbols.For example, 甲子（Jia, the first Heavenly Stem, Zi, the first Earthly Branch),乙丑，丙寅，etc.In this way, sixty chronological symbols are formed and used in circles.It is revealed by the oracle-bone inscriptions that during the Shang Dynasty , the ancient Chinese began to dominate days using the combinations of ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches to form sixty-day circles. Later they dominated years using the combinations of ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches to form sixty-year circles. Probably from the Eastern Han Dynasty , twelve symbolic animals were used to correspond to the twelve Earthly Branches, from the twelve year cycle within the sixty-year cycle.The twelve symbolic animals connected with the twelve Earthly Branches are: 子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔辰龙巳蛇午马未羊申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪In correspondence with the birth （or the zodiac）sign in the West, this system can also be called the Chinese zodiac, or Chinese astrology.Another point worth mentioning is that the use of the twelve animal symbols is not unique to the Hans in China. Many ethnic groups have their own animal symbols with minor differences. For example, the inner Mongolians use the same animals but they are arranged in a different sequence with tiger as the first one; the Dai people eliminated the pig and added the elephant instead. Some sociologists think that the Hans inherited their twelve animals from the northern tribes in ancient times and gradually evolved their own. Others believe that exchange between different cultures cultivated the various differences in the twelve animal symbols. Similar animal symbols can also be found in some other Asian countries. But today we will only focus on the twelve symbolic animals of the Hans.The Origin:People interested in the twelve symbolic animals keep asking themselves questions like why these twelve animals are favoured,and why the sequence(for example, why the rat is No. 1)?Actually there are many legends explaining the beginning of the Chinese zodiac.The Story about the Jade Emperor and the Twelve AnimalsLegends have it that in order to select twelve animals as symbols of the years, a race was organized by the Jade Emperor. To win the race, animals participating in the race must cross a river . Among them, the cat and the rat were the worst swimmers but that was no problem since they were both intelligent. They turned to the ox for help, who is known for its great strength and warm-heartedness in the animal kingdom. The ox agreed to help them cross the river, so together the cat and and the rat hopped on the back of the ox.In the middle of the river, however, it suddenly occurred to the rat that in order to win, it must get rid of the cat first. The cat was promptly pushed into the river by the rat. The ox, so absorbed in swimming, did not notice this and soon left the cat far behind.Just as the ox was about to step on the shore of the river, the rat jumped ahead and reached the finish line first. Hence it is named the first animal among the twelve. The second place went to the strong ox that followed closely behind.Then came the tiger, another animal with powerful strength, and it became the third one in the circle.The next animal arrived the finish line was the nimble rabbit. It explained to the Jade Emperor how it managed to cross the river. In the beginning, it jumped from one stone to another. After a while, however, there were no stones in sight, so it had to land on a floating log. Luckily a sudden and gentle wind pushed it to the shore.The rabbit could hardly finished its story when the dragon reached the finish line. The Jade Emperor was very curious as to why a strong and flying creature such as the dragon should fail to reach first. The dragon explained that when he was flying he found there was a great drought on earth. As we know, the dragon is the King of the ocean and in charge of the rain in Chinese culture. Therefore, though it was eager to win the competition, the mighty dragon was so guilt-haunted that it had to stop to make rain for all the people and creatures first. In this way it was held back a little. Then, just as he was about to reach the finish line, he saw a little helpless rabbit clinging onto a floating log on the river. The dragon thought he might as well do a good deed so he gave a puff of breath to the poor creature. This explained to the rabbit where the sudden and gentle wind came from. The Jade Emperor was pleased with what dragon had done, and it was added to the zodiac circle.The horse was galloping to the finish line. What escaped the horse's notice, however, was a snake hidden on its hoof. Then the snake suddenly made its appearance, which frightened the horse to such a degree that it fell back behind the snake. Hence the snake and the horse were named the sixth and seventh animals respectively among the twelve.Not long after that, the sheep, monkey and rooster arrived. These three creatures helped each other to cross the river by riding a raft. The Jade Emperor was glad to see their combined efforts and promptly named the sheep as the eighth animal, the monkey as the ninth, and the rooster thetenth.The dog was the eleventh animal to arrived. Since it has always been regarded as an excellent swimmer in the animal kingdom, the Jade Emperor asked it the reason why he was so late. The dog explained saying that the temptation of the fresh water was so irresistible that for a while he forgot about the race completely and took a long bath in the river.Then for a long time no animal arrived. The Jade Emperor was about to call it a day when an oink was heard from a little pig. It seemed that during the race ,the pig suddenly felt hungry so it stopped for a feast. Then it fell asleep because it was so full. After the nap, the pig continued the race and almost didn't make it to the finish line. It was named the twelfth and last animal of the zodiac circle.This is how the twelve animals were selected and and how they were put in sequence.And the poor cat, alas, finished too late as the thirteenth animal to win any place in the zodiac, and has never forgiven the cat, who caused all its misfortune.Although the legend story lack scientific support, they, in a way reflect ancient people's understanding of the animals and associations with them.The Twelve Symbolic Animals and PersonalitiesEven though Chinese people now number the years and their age under the Gregorian calendar, they will use the lunar calendar and the twelve symbolic animals. If we know under what animal sign a person is born , what can we do with the help of the information?First, we can infer his/her age. We can guess his/her probably age from his/her appearance, and then, with the help of his/her symbolic animal, we can infer his/her exact age and year of birth.Second, we can infer his/her personality since the Chinese believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics of the animal associated with that year.The Twelve Symbolic Animals and MarriageThe Year of FateThe Symbolic Animals in Western Culture外国名人的生肖Dog 狗( 1910 - 1922 - 1934 - 1946 - 1958 - 1970 - 1982 )The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent.Some Dogs: Cher, Winston Churchill邱吉尔, Bill Clinton比尔克林顿, Dorothea Dix, Benjamin Franklin, George Gershwin, Jane Goodall, Herbert Hoover, Shirley McLaine, Golda Meir, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Socrates苏格拉底.Dragon 龙( 1916 - 1928 - 1940 - 1952 - 1964 - 1976 - 1988 )Full of vitality and enthusiasm, the Dragon is a popular individual even with the reputation of being foolhardy and a "big mouth" at times. You are intelligent, gifted, and a perfectionist but these qualities make you unduly demanding on others. You would be well-suited to be an artist, priest, or politician.Some Dragons: Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, Joan of Arc, Pearl Buck, Sigmund Freud, Theodore Seuss Geisel, John Lennon约翰连侬, Florence Nightingale南丁格尔, Pat Schroeder, Mae West.Goat 羊( 1919 - 1931 - 1943 - 1955 - 1967 - 1979 - 1991 )Except for the knack of always getting off on the wrong foot with people, the Goat can be charming company. You are elegant and artistic but the first to complain about things. Put aside your pessimism and worry and try to be less dependent on material comforts. You would be best as an actor, gardener, or beachcomber.Some Goats: Rachel Carson, Michelangelo米开朗基罗, Mark Twain马克吐温, Rudolph Valentino, Barbara Walters, Orville Wright.Horse马( 1918 - 1930 - 1942 - 1954 - 1966 - 1978 - 1990 )Your capacity for hard work is amazing. You are your own person-very independent. While, intelligent and friendly, you have a strong guard against being egotistical. Your sign suggests success as an adventurer, scientist, poet, or politician.Some Horses: Louisa May Alcott, Chopin, Davy Crockett, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Sandra Day O'Connor, Rembrandt, Teddy Roosevelt.Monkey 猴( 1920 - 1932 - 1944 - 1956 - 1968 - 1980 - 1992 )You are a very intelligent and a very clever wit. Because of your extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, you are always well-liked. The Monkey, however, must guard against begin an opportunist and distrustful of other people. Your sign promises success in any field you try.Some Monkeys: Julius Caesar, Bette Davis, Annie Oakley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betsy Ross, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor伊莉莎白泰勒, Harry S. Truman, Leonardo da Vinci里奥那多, Alice Walker.Ox 牛( 1913 - 1925 - 1937 - 1949 - 1961 - 1973 - 1985 )A born leader, you inspire confidence from all around you. You are conservative, methodical, and good with your hands. Guard against being chauvinistic and always demanding your own way. The Ox would be successful as a skilled surgeon, general, or hairdresser.Some Oxen: Napoleon Bonaparte拿破仑, Walt Disney沃特迪士尼, Clark Gable, Richard Nixon尼克森, Rosa Parks, Sylvia Porter, Vincent Van Gogh梵高.Boar猪( 1911 - 1923 - 1935 - 1947 - 1959 - 1971 - 1983 )You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naive. Your quest for material goods could be your downfall. The Boar would be best in the arts as an entertainer, or possibly a lawyer.Some Boars: Lucille Ball, Ernest Hemingway海明威, Mahalia Jackson, Albert Schweitzer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton.Rabbit 兔( 1915 - 1927 - 1939 - 1951 - 1963 - 1975 - 1987 )You are the kind of person that people like to be around - affectionate, obliging, always pleasant. You have a tendency, though, to get too sentimental and seem superficial. Being cautious and conservative, you are successful in business but would also make a good lawyer, diplomat, or actor.Some Rabbits: Confucius孔子, Albert Einstein爱因思坦, Coretta Scott King, Rudolph Nureyev, Queen Victoria维多利亚女王, Orson Welles, Jane Yolen.Rat鼠( 1912 - 1924 - 1936 - 1948 - 1960 - 1972 - 1984 )You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the person you love. However, you have a tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist. Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or as a writer, critic, or publicist.Some Rats: Charlotte Bronte, Truman Capote, Catherine I, Mata Hari, Wolfgang Mozart莫扎特, William Shakespeare莎士比亚, George Washington乔治华盛顿.Rooster鸡( 1921 - 1933 - 1945 - 1957 - 1969 - 1981 - 1993 )The Rooster is a hard worker; shrewd and definite in decision making, often speaking his mind. Because of this, you tend to seem boastful to others. You are a dreamer, flashy dresser, and extravagant to an extreme. Born under this sign you should be happy as a restaurant owner, publicist, soldier, or world traveler.Some Roosters: Virginia Apgar, Catherine the Great, Amelia Earhart, Rudyard Kipling, Groucho Marx马克思, Peter Ustinov.Snake 蛇( 1917 - 1929 - 1941 - 1953 - 1965 - 1977 - 1989 )Rich in wisdom and charm, you are romantic and deep thinking and your intuition guides you strongly. Avoid procrastination and your stingy attitude towards money. Keep your sense of humor about life. The Snake would be most content as a teacher, philosopher, writer, psychiatrist, and fortune teller. Some Snakes: Clara Barton, Liz Claiborne, Charles Darwin达尔文, Mary Baker Eddy, Elizabeth I依利莎白一世, Fannie Farmer, Anne Frank, Mahatma Gandhi甘地, Ellen Goodman, Carole King, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln林肯, Edgar Allen Poe.Tiger 虎( 1914 - 1926 - 1938 - 1950 - 1962 - 1974 - 1986 )You are sensitive, emotional, and capable of great love. However, you have a tendency to get carried away and be stubborn about what you think is right; often seen as a "Hothead" or rebel. Your sign shows you would be excellent as a boss, explorer, race car driver, or matador.Some Tigers: Judy Blume, Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Isadora Duncan, Dwight D. Eisenhower艾森豪威尔, Mary Harris (Mother) Jones, Barbara McClintock, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo马克波罗, Beatrix Potter.。