The Chinese Zodiac
The Ancients30 Jan 2025

The Chinese Zodiac

The Year of the Snake is here! But how did a legendary tale of twelve animals shape Chinese astronomy and culture for over 3,000 years?


In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor John Steele from Brown University to dive into the origins of the Chinese Zodiac to mark the Chinese New Year. They uncover how this ancient zodiac, associated with 12 animals, ties into Chinese astronomy and philosophy. Professor Steele explains the intricate cycles of 12 earthly branches and 10 heavenly stems that form a 60-year pattern deeply embedded in Chinese culture. Discover the mythical origins, the influence of lunar calendars, and the evolution of this zodiac from the Shang dynasty to today.


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.


Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sounds


The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(622)

The Fall of Athens

The Fall of Athens

In 404 BC, Athens faced total defeat. Once the dominant power of the Greek world, their navy was shattered, their food supply cut off, and on the horizon an armada of Spartan ships signalled the city’...

23 Mar 202557min

The Iliad

The Iliad

A story of war, honour, and destiny, The Iliad is one of the greatest epics in history. Written by Homer and featuring legendary figures like Achilles, Hector, and Agamemnon, it captures the drama and...

20 Mar 202553min

Rise of Julius Caesar

Rise of Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous figures. But before his legendary conquests and romance with Cleopatra, how did he rise to power?In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes is j...

16 Mar 202551min

Obelisks

Obelisks

Ancient Egyptian obelisks stand as towering symbols of power and engineering brilliance, scattered across the world. But how were they built and what purpose did they serve?In this episode of The Anci...

13 Mar 202555min

Sodom and Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah

What really happened to the damned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Tristan Hughes and Dr. Dylan Johnson delve into the infamous biblical story to discover the context and supposed locations of these cit...

9 Mar 202539min

Göbekli Tepe: The First Temple?

Göbekli Tepe: The First Temple?

Long before Stonehenge, ancient builders in southeast Türkiye were creating some of the world’s first monumental stone structures. Their most famous site? Göbekli Tepe.In this episode of The Ancients,...

6 Mar 202550min

Elektra: Revenge in Ancient Greece

Elektra: Revenge in Ancient Greece

Few figures in Greek mythology embody vengeance like Elektra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Betrayal, grief, and justice shaped her tragic fate.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughe...

2 Mar 202556min

The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis

The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis

In 486 BC, King Xerxes ascended the Persian throne, inheriting its vast and glittering world empire. But his ambition didn’t stop there - he sought revenge on Greece.In this episode of The Ancients, t...

27 Feb 20251h 18min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
henrettelsespodden
med-egne-oyne
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-bisarr-historie
aftenposten-historie
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-verden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
sektledere
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
historiepodden
rss-katastrofe
rss-historier-fra-gudbrandsdalen
vare-historier
virkelig-grusomt
rss-historiepodden-ww2
liberal-halvtime
rss-politisk-preik