The Chinese zodiac's origin is unclear, but there are several theories and legends about how it came to be. Some say that the Jade Emperor or the Buddha invited all the animals to a banquet or a race, and the order of their arrival determined the order of the zodiac. Others say that the zodiac is related to the ancient Chinese astronomy, astrology, or calendar system that used the planet Jupiter as a reference point. The earliest evidence of the zodiac animals can be traced back to the Warring States Period , but became more popular during the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.) #chinesezodiac