The Mysterious Snake

by Zhao Yue

“The Chinese zodiac， or sheng xiao （literally“born resembling”）， is a rotating cycle of 12 years，” explains Wu Yucheng， Chinese folklore expert and author of Zodiac and Chinese Culture. “There is a concrete cultural reason for the selection of each of the 12 specific animals， making the Chinese zodiac a profound cultural phenomenon.”

Chinas zodiac presents a unique way of measuring years， with 12 different animals employed as symbols for each. Yet， the years dont align with the Gregorian（Western） calendar exactly. For example， the Year of the Dragon started on January 23， 2012， and lasts until February 9， 2013. The Year of the Snake begins on February 10， 2013. In China， a persons age can be easily deduced from his or her zodiac sign. For example， this year， a snake is either 12， 24， 36， or another multiple of 12. Thus， asking ones sign has become a subtle and tactful method to figure out a persons age.

The Chinese zodiac begins with the rat， followed by the ox， tiger， rabbit， dragon， snake， horse， goat， monkey， rooster， dog， and pig in sequence. Different animals represent different cultural connotations. For example， the rat represents prosperous offspring， the ox connotes ample grain， and the dragon and snake are related to rice farming culture. Since the pig is traditionally deemed to bring home good luck， it is placed at the end of the zodiac cycle to complete an auspicious circle.

The zodiac links birth to rich cultural and artistic manifestations， which in return enhance Chinese culture. Almost every zodiac sign is woven into legends and tales， and plenty of Chinese two-part allegorical sayings celebrate them， such as， “An old ox chews grass – mutters and mumbles”，“A tigers back – never touch it”， and “Tail of a rabbit – it cannot be long.” Legends surrounding zodiac signs are also excellent themes for traditional Chinese operas. Nowadays， people enjoy New Year movies， but in ancient times， people attended Spring Festival operas， which， most of the time， were closely related to the zodiac sign of that specific year. In the Year of the Dragon， Dragon and Phoenix Bring Auspiciousness is often performed. A favorite for the Year of the Snake is Legend of the White Snake， and the Year of the Monkey often features The Monkey King.

People under the snake zodiac sign were born in 1905， 1917， 1929， 1941， 1953， 1965， 1977， 1989， 2001， and 2013. Similar to Western monthly astrological signs， Chinese people love discussing the influence of each sign on personalities. A person born in the Year of the Snake is considered to be mysterious and passionate， yet come off cool. Greta Garbo， born in 1905 in Sweden， presents one vivid illustration. The legendary Hollywood star left her film career at her peak in 1941， at age 36. After only 15 years in the film industry， she continued maintaining notorious privacy， and her reclusive lifestyle continued for 50 years， which only further enhanced her mystique.

Snakes are also considered good at planning， purposeful， and able to achieve success step-by-step. Also， they are humorous and deep thinkers. They can be excellent artists， philosophers， theologists， politicians， and financiers. Painter Pablo Picasso， former British Prime Minister Tony Blair， and Paul Krugman， winner of 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics， were all born in the Year of the Snake.

According to traditional Chinese culture， the year corresponding to ones birth actually brings bad luck. In 2013， snake entrepreneurs should see stable business， and singles may find a new relationship. But they should pay attention to their health. A balanced diet and proper rest are strongly recommended. Snake people should carefully attend to the relationship with their boss this year.

The popularity of the Chinese zodiac has been growing in recent years. Not only have countries such as the United States， Japan， and France issued commemorative stamps featuring the animals to mark Chinese New Year in recent years， but many international luxury brands released snakethemed products to welcome 2013 Spring Festival. At the end of 2012， Vacheron Constantin released limited-edition watches for the Year of the Snake. Dior continued releasing red bracelets with each years zodiac sign， which have been popular for years already. The cute design coupled with a comparatively inexpensive price has made the bracelet a sought-after accessory.