The Chinese Calendar — Year of the Snake and What It Signifies

This is the Year of the Snake. What does that mean and how does it tie in with Chinese New Year?

I knew little about the Chinese zodiac until I began working for a Chinese company in San Francisco. Some of my co-workers dabbled in Chinese astrology and shared their information with me. Here’s a capsule of what I learned with emphasis on the Year of the Snake.

Chinese astrology consists of 12 signs: Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each year is represented by the animal associated with it. In 2013, we are halfway through the signs of the zodiac at the year of the snake.

Contrary to what one might think, ancient Asian wisdom believes a snake in the house is a good omen: It means one’s family will never starve. One born in the year of the snake is good at business, a negotiator, and also willing to sacrifice possessions for the family’s food. Those born this year put great emphasis on material wealth. They’re usually successful and lucky with money and hold onto it to the point of being considered hoarders or stingy, or at the very least, frugal. Their fortunes come from careful judgment with financial affairs and their intuition pays off in business negotiations. In other words, snakes don’t usually go hungry.

Those born in Year of the Snake are also endowed with wisdom. They’re philosophical thinkers and they try to find solutions to life’s complex problems. Some consider them shrewd. They are oftentimes more like the tortoise than the hare, following a planned path to success which is marked by steady progress. They’re considered to be loners and keep their own counsel. They never seek advice from others and because of this, they are thought to be cold blooded, like the animal that represents their year of birth. But truth be told, they’re only taking precautions as they are the consummate planner, down to every last detail. They usually arrive at decisions quickly. Similar to their symbol, they can shed adversity like a “second skin,” and their recuperative powers are legendary.

The phrase “still waters run deep” could well apply to those born in Year of the Snake. Considered placid on the outside, they have profound emotions. Although known for few words, they can be charming if needed to further a cause. They don’t handle rejection well and can strike back if they feel they’re wronged. In love they are possessive.

So what does this say about the year 2013? Like the houses of the zodiac in western astrology, the animals of the Chinese zodiac are thought to dictate personality traits in the year they represent. Because self-reliance is the leading characteristic of the snake, it’s good to count on oneself, and remain alert. The last Year of the Snake was 2001. Snake years can be years of deception.

The Year of the Snake can also be associated with unpredictable events, seeming to come out of nowhere. To counter this possible negativity, it’s best to live more cautiously than normal — as would a snake person — in case hardships occur. It’s not a good year to go out on a limb. Prudence is the key to making things work this year.

With the snake’s prime characteristics being awareness, cunning, pride, and vanity, this will be a year of “me first” and a year to not cross or be crossed by others.

The characteristics of the snake year are tempered by one of the five Chinese elements: metal, water, wood, fire, and earth that overlay a five-year cycle of additional characteristics on the original 12-year cycle. This year is ruled by water, which tempers the snake’s characteristics a bit, mellowing the austerity of that sign. Previous years of the snake were 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, and 1941.