Jupiter’s roughly 12-year orbit is traditionally linked to the Chinese zodiac cycle.
Ancient Chinese astronomers observed Jupiter’s movement and called it the Year Star, or Suixing. Jupiter takes about 11.86 Earth years to orbit the Sun, close to the zodiac’s 12-year cycle. For practical calendrical use, Chinese astronomers divided the sky into 12 sections and tracked the planet’s position through them.
The earthly branches and zodiac animals became a way to name and organize successive years. The system also extended to months, days, and portions of the day, so the animals were not limited to year labels.
The astronomical connection does not mean the zodiac animals are scientifically caused by Jupiter. Astrology and astronomy were historically intertwined in many societies, but modern astronomy treats Jupiter’s orbit and zodiac personality traditions as separate subjects. The five elements belong to another layer of the traditional calendrical system.