Lunar New Year: Year of the Ox Forever Stamps, 2021 Sheet – Lunar New Year Cards and Greetings

The Chinese zodiac animal is always paired with an element each time it comes up in the cycle. Those elements are known as the “five elements” or “phases.” They are fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. In 2021, the phase was metal. When put together with the zodiac animal, it was the year of the metal ox. The Chinese also assign zodiac animals to hours of the day. The hours of the ox fall between 1:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.

Ancient Chinese astronomers divided zodiac stars into groups known as the “28 Mansions.” This is because of how the moon moves in its monthly journey across the sky. It is said the moon “visits” these mansions as it passes by. The ox is located in one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise. Western tradition places it within the constellation Capricornus.