What does the Year of the Snake mean?
Each year, the Zodiac calendar declares an animal to represent the coming Chinese New Year. It cycles through twelve animals: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Every animal holds a cultural significance and represents different characteristics. 2025 is the year of the Snake, or 蛇 (shé).
According to Chinese mythology, these twelve animals were selected from a race. The Jade Emperor needed to decide which animals to represent on the calendar, so he selected all animals to race across a large river for twelve places. The rat won first place, via pitching a ride on the ox, and thus, became the first of the cycle. Unable to swim, the snake climbed onto the horse’s hoof without its knowledge. As the horse was about to cross the finish line, the snake darted ahead and landed itself as the sixth out of the twelve.
In Western culture, snakes are often viewed negatively, frequently portrayed as scheming and cunning. In China, they have a more complex imagery. They are, similar to America, thought to be evil. However, people born during the year of the snake are also considered to be intelligent, enigmatic, and resilient.
This dual connotation about snakes is more than just a fun fact for some. Due to how deeply ingrained zodiacs are in Chinese culture, there is a subsection of people who believe that someone’s zodiac decides their future, personality, and romantic interest. This results in specific years having a higher or lower birth rate. For example, during the Year of the Dragon in 2012, there was a birthrate of 14.57 per 1,000 residents, as opposed to 13.27 the previous year. The Dragon is considered the most desirable zodiac, due to its status as the only mythological ‘animal’ and its representation in Chinese culture as strong and powerful. The following year (2013), the Year of the Snake, the birth rate fell to 13.03 per 1,000 inhabitants, only to regurgitate in 2014 with 13.83.
Note: China’s birthrate is not purely dependent on superstition. More significant factors play a role, such as the cost of living and people’s faith in the economy. There is still noticeable ticks in the data, that can be attributed to the current zodiac.
Of course, in America, these animal motifs are just a fun way to celebrate Chinese culture. As the world becomes more interconnected, these symbols exemplify how different cultures and traditions can be celebrated globally. When my mother emigrated to the US twenty years ago, they didn’t know how to convert between the Chinese and Georgian calendars. To this date, her legal birthday is completely inaccurate. Yet today, we actively celebrate these differing cultures for the unique experiences they bring.
