In the Chinese zodiac, 1997 is the Year of the Ox, and its element is Fire. The Fire Ox year began on Friday, February 7, 1997 and ended on Tuesday, January 27, 1998. If you were born between those dates, you are a Fire Ox. If your birthday falls from January 1 to February 6, 1997, you are a Fire Rat.
When did the Year of the Ox start and end in 1997?
Lunar New Year, not January 1, opens the zodiac year. In 1997 it fell on February 7, so the first 37 days of the calendar year still belonged to the Rat.
| Birthday | Sign |
|---|---|
| January 1 to February 6, 1997 | Fire Rat |
| February 7, 1997 to January 27, 1998 | Fire Ox |
| January 28, 1998 and later | Earth Tiger |
The Ox year had 12 lunar months and lasted 355 days. That is the normal size for a year with no leap month, and ten days shorter than the calendar year it is named after.
Same element, different animal
Look at the first two rows of the table: the element does not change on February 7, only the animal. That is how the system works. Each element covers two years in a row, so 1996 and 1997 are both Fire years, and a person born on either side of the 1997 new year is "Fire" either way.
The other end of the year is different. On January 28, 1998, the animal and the element both changed, from Fire Ox to Earth Tiger. Friends born a few weeks apart in early 1998 can have nothing in common on a zodiac chart.
Were you born in January or February?
- Born on January 15, 1997? You are a Rat. More on the sign: the Rat in the Chinese zodiac.
- Born on February 6, 1997? Still a Rat, on the last day of its year.
- Born on February 7, 1997? You are an Ox, born on Lunar New Year's Day.
- Born on January 20, 1998? An Ox too. The Tiger year was eight days away.
Enter a birthday below to see the animal and element for the exact date. The same tool is on the Birthday Profile page.
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What does Fire Ox mean?
The Ox is traditionally said to be dependable, patient and hard-working; National Museums Liverpool calls the sign bright, patient and inspiring to others. Fire is the element linked with passion, energy and leadership. The tradition combines the two into a steady sign with drive and a readiness to take charge. Like every zodiac portrait, it is folklore and says nothing reliable about a real person.
In the old system of year names, 1997 is ding-chou. Ding is the fourth of the ten "heavenly stems," and chou is the "earthly branch" that goes with the Ox. Our page about Chinese New Year animals explains how the stems and branches make a 60-year cycle. Every Ox year, with the traits and the five element types, is in the Ox in the Chinese zodiac.
When was the last Fire Ox year, and when is the next?
The Ox returns every 12 years, the Fire Ox only every 60.
| Fire Ox year | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | February 11, 1937 | January 30, 1938 |
| 1997 | February 7, 1997 | January 27, 1998 |
| 2057 | February 4, 2057 | January 23, 2058 |
In each of the three, the new year falls in the first half of February and the year closes before the end of the next January.
How old are people born in 1997, and when is their next Ox year?
People born in 1997 turn 30 in 2027. Their sign last came around in 2021, a Metal Ox year, when they were 24. The next Year of the Ox begins on January 31, 2033 and ends on February 18, 2034.
A person's own zodiac year is known as the ben ming nian. Folk belief regards it as a hurdle and not as a lucky year, and wearing red is the custom attached to it. For the 1997 Oxen that is still some years off.
The years on either side
- 1996 was a Fire Rat year: February 19, 1996 to February 6, 1997. See 1996 in the Chinese zodiac.
- 1998 was an Earth Tiger year: January 28, 1998 to February 15, 1999. See 1998 in the Chinese zodiac.