1961 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Metal Ox

1961 is the year of the Metal Ox (辛丑 Xīnchǒu), from 15 February 1961 to 4 February 1962. Anyone born in 1961 before 15 February 1961 belongs to the Metal Rat year.

• Animal: Ox
• Element: Metal (Yin)
• Cycle name: 辛丑 Xīnchǒu, year 38 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 15 February 1961
• Ends: 4 February 1962

The Metal Ox

Metal years are traditionally linked with determination, precision and principle: the element of clear edges, strong will and high standards. The Ox is the patient worker of the zodiac. Tradition describes Ox people as dependable, methodical and quietly strong: slow to start, very hard to stop. They prefer proof to promises and build things meant to last, from a savings account to a family routine.

Born in January or February 1961?

Anyone born from 1 January to 14 February 1961 belongs to the Metal Rat year of 1960. From 15 February 1961 the Metal Ox year begins.

Famous people born in the Metal Ox year

• Eddie Murphy, born 3 April 1961
• George Clooney, born 6 May 1961
• Princess Diana, born 1 July 1961
• Barack Obama, born 4 August 1961
• Jim Carrey, born 17 January 1962

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

1960: Metal Rat · 1962: Water Tiger · All Ox years · All 12 animals