As legend would have it, it was Buddha himself who gave each animal its place in the Asian zodiac. When he called all the animals together following the creation, only twelve felt it necessary to attend the meeting. As a reward for their effort in making the long journey, Buddha offered each of them their own year, which would from then on bear the name of that animal. In addition, each animal was also given the opportunity to directly influence history during that time - and thus, in turn, the fate of those humans born in that year. Analogous to the characteristics of the respective animal symbol, and by means of your date of birth, you too can read those characteristic traits that may - or may not - apply to you. 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996---People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox.