Based on a 12-year rather than a 12-month cycle, Chinese horoscopes are represented by animal symbols, each with its own special characteristics and personality. Each symbol also has one of five elements - metal, water, wood, fire and earth, as well as an ascendant which is the sign based on the hour of birth. The reader's personal Chinese symbol is shown by an easy-to-use reference chart. The basic reading is divided into three sections: the general characteristics of each animal symbol, the modifying traits of the ascendent and a comparison between the Chinese animal symbol and the Western zodiac sign.