The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac, with each sign symbolized by an animal, is a millennia-old concept predominantly followed in East Asian cultures. Each animal represents one birth year in the single twelve-year cycle.
People in many countries, stretching from Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and Russia, to Eastern Europe, tend to believe they have a strong attachment to the animals associated with their own birth years.
The Twelve Animals of the Zodiac.