1963 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Rabbit

1963 is the year of the Water Rabbit (癸卯 Guǐmǎo), from 25 January 1963 to 12 February 1964. Anyone born in 1963 before 25 January 1963 belongs to the Water Tiger year.

• Animal: Rabbit
• Element: Water (Yin)
• Cycle name: 癸卯 Guǐmǎo, year 40 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 25 January 1963
• Ends: 12 February 1964

The Water Rabbit

Water years are traditionally linked with adaptability, perception and communication: the element that finds a way around any obstacle. The Rabbit is the diplomat of the cycle. Tradition describes Rabbit people as gentle, tactful and careful, with good taste and a strong wish for peace. They notice atmosphere before words, and they would rather smooth a conflict than win it.

Born in January or February 1963?

Anyone born from 1 January to 24 January 1963 belongs to the Water Tiger year of 1962. From 25 January 1963 the Water Rabbit year begins.

Famous people born in the Water Rabbit year

• Michael Jordan, born 17 February 1963
• Johnny Depp, born 9 June 1963
• George Michael, born 25 June 1963
• Whitney Houston, born 9 August 1963
• Brad Pitt, born 18 December 1963
• Michelle Obama, born 17 January 1964

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.

1962: Water Tiger · 1964: Wood Dragon · All Rabbit years · All 12 animals