1971 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Metal Pig
辛亥 · 猪 Zhū
1971 is the Year of the Metal Pig (also called the Boar). The Chinese year ran from Jan 27, 1971 to Feb 14, 1972, so anyone born in that span is a Metal Pig. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Jan 27, 1971, and earlier births belong to the Metal Dog year.
- Pig
- Metal
- Yin
Born in 1971?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
1971 at a Glance
- Animal
- Pig 猪 zhū
- Element
- Metal
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Year name
- 辛亥 · sound element 钗钏金
- Begins
- Wednesday, Jan 27, 1971
- Ends
- Feb 14, 1972
- Age in 2026
- 54 or 55
- Next Pig year
- 1983
The 1971 Metal Pig
The most famous pig in Chinese stories is Zhu Bajie (猪八戒), the greedy, good-humored companion in Journey to the West, and he has made the Pig the most easygoing of the twelve signs in popular imagination.
The 1971 year began on Jan 27, 1971 and ran until Feb 14, 1972, so early-February 1972 birthdays are Metal Pigs too. 1971 Pigs turn 55 in 2026.
Born in January or Early February 1971?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 1971 was on Wednesday, Jan 27, 1971, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Jan 26, 1971 | Metal Dog | 庚戌 |
| Jan 27, 1971 to Feb 14, 1972 | Metal Pig | 辛亥 |
So someone born on Jan 26, 1971 is a Metal Dog, and someone born on Jan 27, 1971 is a Metal Pig. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is a Metal Pig?
A Metal Pig combines the Pig with the element of the birth year. 1971 ends in 1, which gives Metal. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Metal Pig years include 1911 and 2031.
How Old Is a 1971 Pig, and When Is the Next Pig Year?
Someone born in 1971 turns 55 in 2026 and 56 in 2027. The last Pig year was 1959, and the next is 1983. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Pig years a 1971 Pig lives through:
- 1971Metal PigBornThis page
- 1983 Chinese zodiacWater PigTurns 12
- 1995 Chinese zodiacWood PigTurns 24
- 2007 Chinese zodiacFire PigTurns 36
- 2019 Chinese zodiacEarth PigTurns 48
- 2031Metal PigTurns 60 · full cycle (花甲)
1971 Pig Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Pig's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 1971 Pig in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Pig to the next two years, and how old a 1971 Pig will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Steady
Turns 55. No formal link to the Horse in the traditional rules.
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Supported
Turns 56. Link to the Goat: Trine partner (三合).
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 1971, and the other years of the decade.
- 1969 Chinese zodiacEarth RoosterFeb 17, 1969 to Feb 5, 1970
- 1970 Chinese zodiacMetal DogFeb 6, 1970 to Jan 26, 1971
- 1971Metal PigJan 27, 1971 to Feb 14, 1972
- 1972 Chinese zodiacWater RatFeb 15, 1972 to Feb 2, 1973
- 1973 Chinese zodiacWater OxFeb 3, 1973 to Jan 22, 1974
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
1970 Chinese zodiac19711972 Chinese zodiac1973 Chinese zodiac1974 Chinese zodiac1975 Chinese zodiac1976 Chinese zodiac1977 Chinese zodiac1978 Chinese zodiac1979 Chinese zodiacAll Chinese zodiac years
1971 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1971?
1971 is the Year of the Metal Pig (also called the Boar). The Chinese year ran from Jan 27, 1971 to Feb 14, 1972.
What element is the 1971 Chinese zodiac?
Metal. A year's element follows its last digit: 1 gives Metal. The Pig's own fixed element is Water, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 1971?
Lunar New Year 1971 fell on Wednesday, Jan 27, 1971. Born from January 1 to Jan 26, 1971, you are a Metal Dog. From Jan 27, 1971, you are a Metal Pig.
How old is someone born in 1971?
In 2026 they turn 55, or are 54 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 56. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Pig year after 1971?
1983, the Year of the Water Pig, begins on Feb 13, 1983.