The Vietnamese zodiac - The CAT

Gemini đã nói

Some ancient religions believed that cats were highly wise, noble spirits, loyal companions, or even guides for humanity. In ancient China, the cat was seen as an omen of good fortune, and its movements along with those of the leopard were imitated in traditional agricultural dances.

In Vietnam, the Cat is the fourth zodiac animal in the Sexagenary cycle (Can Chi). Among the twelve zodiac animals, the Cat is also one of the seven species most commonly domesticated and kept close to humans (alongside the water buffalo, horse, goat, chicken, dog, and pig).

The Vietnamese zodiac system is nearly identical to the Chinese version, with the notable exception that the Rabbit is replaced by the Cat. Some researchers suggest this occurred because, during the process of cultural transmission, the Chinese Earthly Branch symbol pronounced as "mǎo" (meaning rabbit) sounds very similar to "máo" (meaning cat), leading to this unique linguistic shift.