The legend of the origin of the year is a brief story that explains how the concept of time and the measurement of it came to be．According to the legend, a long time ago, the gods and goddesses of the heavens and the earth gathered to discuss the creation of a system to measure the passing of time．They decided to create a cycle of twelve months, each named after a different animal to represent the characteristics of that month．The animals were chosen based on their importance in Chinese culture and mythology．The rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig were chosen to represent the twelve months of the year．The legend also explains the significance of the order of the animals, which is said to have been determined by a race that they held to determine their place in the cycle．The rat, who was the smallest and weakest of the animals, won the race by riding on the back of the ox, who was the strongest and most powerful．This is why the rat is the first animal in the cycle, followed by the ox, then the tiger, and so on．This legend has been passed down through generations and is still celebrated today during the Chinese New Year festivities.