Many stories and legends surround the origin of the Chinese zodiac signs. A widespread story tells that in ancient times people always asked themselves how to calculate their own age. Thus, the mythological Jade Emperor Yu Di came up with the idea of selecting 12 animal signs and giving them a place in the Chinese horoscope so that the years could be counted from now on.

The Jade Emperor organised a competition for this: the first 12 animals to cross a river would become a Chinese zodiac sign in the order of their arrival.
The cat was a late riser, but wanted to be first. Therefore, the cat asked its good friend the rat to wake it up. But the cunning rat did not do so and took part in the competition alone. It could not swim and so crawled onto the back of the participating buffalo. When the buffalo took the lead, the rat jumped off and came in first place.

The dragon came in fifth place. Everyone expected the mighty dragon to be first at the finish line, but it was not until the fifth animal that it crossed the water. Because on the way he passed a village that was suffering from drought. Therefore, he first made sure it rained there before continuing on his way.
When the other animals arrived at the Jade Emperor, he gave each one a year in the order of their arrival. Thus it happens that a new sign of the zodiac is celebrated each year.