十二生肖羊的由来
羊在十二生肖中居第八位，与十二地支配属“未”，故一天十二时辰的“未时”－－午后一点至三点又称“羊时”。易卦以“兑为羊”。在五行中，羊属火，所以为火畜。
在中国民间传说中，羊因盗五谷种子给人间而舍生取义。在远古洪荒时代，人间是没有五谷的，人类靠蔬菜和野草为生，严重的营养不良，使人类面黄肌瘦。有一天秋天，一只神羊从天宫来到凡间，发现人类面有菜色，神情萎靡。问及原因，才知道人类不种粮食，连什么叫粮食也不知道。神羊善心大发，当即告诉人们下次一定给他们带些粮种来。原来当时只有天宫御田里才种有营养丰富的粮食。吝啬的玉帝不愿把粮食的美味拿给人类分享。神羊回到天宫，趁半夜守护天神熟睡之际，偷偷溜进御田里，摘下五谷（稻、稷、麦、豆、麻），含在口中，趁天未亮，溜至凡间，人类听说神羊给他们带来了五谷种子，都十分好奇。神羊把种子交给人类，又吩咐了种植五谷的方法，就悄悄地回到天宫去了。
人类播下五谷种籽，当年就长出了庄稼。在收获时，人类见到五谷的穗，即似羊头，又像羊尾，收获的粮食又香又甜，收获的麻织成的衣裳又轻又暖。人们在秋收冬藏之后，便举行了盛大的祭祀仪式，以感谢神羊的送种之恩，这类秋收冬藏的农家祭祖仪式至今仍有部分农村在举行。
盛大的祭羊仪式惊动了玉帝，玉帝又想到了人间出现五谷。立即想到神羊把谷各带给人间。查明情况后，玉帝迁怒神羊，命令天宫宰羊于人间，并要人们吃掉羊肉。
第二年奇怪的事儿发生了，在神羊行刑的地方，先是长出了青草，后来长出了羊羔，羊从此在人间传宗接代，以吃草为生，把自己的肉、奶无私地贡献给人类，人类则出于对羊舍身这种的感谢，每年都举行腊祭，以示纪念。当人类听说玉帝要挑十二种动物为人类生肖，并赐为神之后，人们一致推举羊作为这类生肖。尽管玉帝对羊盗谷之事耿耿于怀，但难拗众人意见，只好同意羊当上了生肖。下午1－3时（即“未时”），据说羊在这时候，洒尿最勤，洒的尿可治愈自身一种惊疯病，因此，未时属羊。
The origin of the Chinese zodiac sheep
Sheep in eighth place, in the Chinese zodiac and the twelve earthly branches bundled "not", so the day "at the seventh hour" - afternoon 12:00 Chen one to three also known as "sheep".
In the five elements, the sheep belongs to fire, so fire for livestock.
In the Chinese folklore, sheep steal the corn seed to human. There is no grain in ancient times, human survival by vegetables and weeds, looks like severe malnutrition, sallow and emaciated. One day in the autumn, and a sheep came to earth from heaven, he found human face sallow, look weak. Asked why, just know the human being is not food, doesn't even know what is food. God sheep with benevolence, promptly tell people must give them to bring some seeds next time. Originally was only Tiangong royal field kind of nutritious food in abundance. Stingy, the jade emperor wouldn't share delicious food to human. God the sheep back to the heavenly palace, guardian angel was sleeping in the middle of the night, while sneaking into the field, took the grain (rice, millet, wheat, beans, hemp), contain in the mouth, in the morning, sneak to the earth, humans heard God bring them corn seeds, sheep are very
curious. God sheep give seeds to humans, and commanded the
method of planting grain went quietly back to the heavenly palace.
Human sown corn seeds, this year to grow crops. At the time of harvest, the human saw the corn ear, namely looks like sheep head, entered, and like grain fragrant and sweet, the harvest of linen clothes, light and warm. People after the autumn harvest winterizing, held a grand ceremony of sacrifice, to thank God sheep sending such a peasant to human. This ceremony still a part of the autumn harvest winterizing held in rural areas.
Big sheep ritual shocked the Jade emperor, the Jade emperor and thought about the world in the grain. Immediately think the God sheep bring the seed to human. Sheep, after find out the situation, the jade emperor was angry with God sheep and commands Tiangong slaughtered sheep on the earth, and people eat mutton.
The second year in a strange thing happened, in the place where God sheep on the execution, the first long out of the grass, then long out of the lamb, sheep from now on in the human family, eating grass for a living, his own meat, milk selflessly contribution to human beings, human is out of gratitude, for sheep give the Greek festival, held each year, as a
souvenir. When humans heard Chinese zodiac jade emperor wants to choose twelve animals to human beings, and given to God, after people rallying around the sheep for this type of Chinese zodiac. In spite of the jade emperor angry about the matter of the sheep stolen valley, but difficult to ignore the public opinions, so we have to agree to sheep when the Chinese
zodiac. 1-3 PM (that is, "at the seventh hour"), it is said that sheep at this time, most frequently, pee is aspersed urine can cure the disease itself a surprise, therefore, at the seventh hour is belong to the sheep.
Humans have no food.
The God sheep gave the seeds to the humans.
The jade emperor punished the God sheep.
Human elected the sheep as one of the twelve Chinese zodiacs.
十二生肖羊的由来
羊在十二生肖中居第八位，与十二地支配属“未”，故一天十二时辰的“未时”－－午后一点至三点又称“羊时”。易卦以“兑为羊”。在五行中，羊属火，所以为火畜。
在中国民间传说中，羊因盗五谷种子给人间而舍生取义。在远古洪荒时代，人间是没有五谷的，人类靠蔬菜和野草为生，严重的营养不良，使人类面黄肌瘦。有一天秋天，一只神羊从天宫来到凡间，发现人类面有菜色，神情萎靡。问及原因，才知道人类不种粮食，连什么叫粮食也不知道。神羊善心大发，当即告诉人们下次一定给他们带些粮种来。原来当时只有天宫御田里才种有营养丰富的粮食。吝啬的玉帝不愿把粮食的美味拿给人类分享。神羊回到天宫，趁半夜守护天神熟睡之际，偷偷溜进御田里，摘下五谷（稻、稷、麦、豆、麻），含在口中，趁天未亮，溜至凡间，人类听说神羊给他们带来了五谷种子，都十分好奇。神羊把种子交给人类，又吩咐了种植五谷的方法，就悄悄地回到天宫去了。
人类播下五谷种籽，当年就长出了庄稼。在收获时，人类见到五谷的穗，即似羊头，又像羊尾，收获的粮食又香又甜，收获的麻织成的衣裳又轻又暖。人们在秋收冬藏之后，便举行了盛大的祭祀仪式，以感谢神羊的送种之恩，这类秋收冬藏的农家祭祖仪式至今仍有部分农村在举行。
盛大的祭羊仪式惊动了玉帝，玉帝又想到了人间出现五谷。立即想到神羊把谷各带给人间。查明情况后，玉帝迁怒神羊，命令天宫宰羊于人间，并要人们吃掉羊肉。
第二年奇怪的事儿发生了，在神羊行刑的地方，先是长出了青草，后来长出了羊羔，羊从此在人间传宗接代，以吃草为生，把自己的肉、奶无私地贡献给人类，人类则出于对羊舍身这种的感谢，每年都举行腊祭，以示纪念。当人类听说玉帝要挑十二种动物为人类生肖，并赐为神之后，人们一致推举羊作为这类生肖。尽管玉帝对羊盗谷之事耿耿于怀，但难拗众人意见，只好同意羊当上了生肖。下午1－3时（即“未时”），据说羊在这时候，洒尿最勤，洒的尿可治愈自身一种惊疯病，因此，未时属羊。
The origin of the Chinese zodiac sheep
Sheep in eighth place, in the Chinese zodiac and the twelve earthly branches bundled "not", so the day "at the seventh hour" - afternoon 12:00 Chen one to three also known as "sheep".
In the five elements, the sheep belongs to fire, so fire for livestock.
In the Chinese folklore, sheep steal the corn seed to human. There is no grain in ancient times, human survival by vegetables and weeds, looks like severe malnutrition, sallow and emaciated. One day in the autumn, and a sheep came to earth from heaven, he found human face sallow, look weak. Asked why, just know the human being is not food, doesn't even know what is food. God sheep with benevolence, promptly tell people must give them to bring some seeds next time. Originally was only Tiangong royal field kind of nutritious food in abundance. Stingy, the jade emperor wouldn't share delicious food to human. God the sheep back to the heavenly palace, guardian angel was sleeping in the middle of the night, while sneaking into the field, took the grain (rice, millet, wheat, beans, hemp), contain in the mouth, in the morning, sneak to the earth, humans heard God bring them corn seeds, sheep are very
curious. God sheep give seeds to humans, and commanded the
method of planting grain went quietly back to the heavenly palace.
Human sown corn seeds, this year to grow crops. At the time of harvest, the human saw the corn ear, namely looks like sheep head, entered, and like grain fragrant and sweet, the harvest of linen clothes, light and warm. People after the autumn harvest winterizing, held a grand ceremony of sacrifice, to thank God sheep sending such a peasant to human. This ceremony still a part of the autumn harvest winterizing held in rural areas.
Big sheep ritual shocked the Jade emperor, the Jade emperor and thought about the world in the grain. Immediately think the God sheep bring the seed to human. Sheep, after find out the situation, the jade emperor was angry with God sheep and commands Tiangong slaughtered sheep on the earth, and people eat mutton.
The second year in a strange thing happened, in the place where God sheep on the execution, the first long out of the grass, then long out of the lamb, sheep from now on in the human family, eating grass for a living, his own meat, milk selflessly contribution to human beings, human is out of gratitude, for sheep give the Greek festival, held each year, as a
souvenir. When humans heard Chinese zodiac jade emperor wants to choose twelve animals to human beings, and given to God, after people rallying around the sheep for this type of Chinese zodiac. In spite of the jade emperor angry about the matter of the sheep stolen valley, but difficult to ignore the public opinions, so we have to agree to sheep when the Chinese
zodiac. 1-3 PM (that is, "at the seventh hour"), it is said that sheep at this time, most frequently, pee is aspersed urine can cure the disease itself a surprise, therefore, at the seventh hour is belong to the sheep.
Humans have no food.
The God sheep gave the seeds to the humans.
The jade emperor punished the God sheep.
Human elected the sheep as one of the twelve Chinese zodiacs.