Year of the Snake: Lunar New Year and the Chinese Zodiac

Photo by RootOfAllLight_CC_BY-SA_4.0_via_Wikimedia_Common

Article by Noah Eisengrein

            The Lunar New Year is an occasion that is celebrated by billions of people all around the world, and this year it falls on January 29, 2025.  On that day, according to the Chinese Zodiac, we will begin the year of the Snake.  What exactly does that mean?  For that matter, what is Lunar New Year?  In today’s blog, we’ll take a look at this widely-recognized and diversely celebrated holiday, and we’ll break down the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac and what they each represent.  Buckle up, because there’s a lot of fascinating information to unpack!

            It may be hard to pin down exactly what someone is referring to when they talk about Lunar New Year without some context.  The term “Lunar New Year” is actually a broader term used to describe a wide variety of celebrations across many different cultures.  These celebrations are all similar in that they mark the start of a new year based on the lunar calendar or the lunisolar calendar, depending on which calendar each respective culture follows.  The lunar calendar maps out a year based on the phases of the Moon, which occur in monthly cycles.  The lunisolar calendar does this as well, but additionally makes note of the Sun’s position in the sky throughout the year alongside the Moon’s phase.  Each culture is a little bit different, so the exact meaning of the “Lunar New Year” celebration looks different for everyone.

In the United States, the term “Lunar New Year” is often associated with Chinese New Year, which falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which, in 2024, was on December 21.  Chinese New Year is associated with the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and each new year is assigned a different animal in a repeating twelve-year cycle.  Chinese culture believes that many factors in someone’s life are directly correlated with the animal that is associated with their birth year.  It’s said that everything from your personality, career path, and even who you love may be affected.  2025 will see the beginning of the Year of the Snake, but what does that mean?

Well, before we talk about the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, there is a bit more context that we need.  On top of their inherent characteristics, each animal is also categorized as either Yin or Yang, and also as one of the five elements - Water, Earth, Wood, Fire, or Metal.  The concept of Yin and Yang is a deep and complex idea that one blog post could never cover, so for today’s purposes, we can simply note that Yin is viewed as a feminine, passive trait, while Yang is viewed as a masculine, active one.  Each of the five elements have their own characteristics associated with them, so let’s break them down:

●     Water represents intelligence, flexibility and softness.  Too much Water in an individual can lead to a difficulty in making and committing to important decisions.

●     Earth represents patience, thoughtfulness, stability, and a hard working, nurturing individual.  Too little Earth in an individual can make them susceptible to constant worry, and too much can lead to self pity or even greed.

●     Wood represents strength, warmth, generosity, and an outgoing personality.  Too much Wood may cause someone to be easily frustrated or angry if they are not careful.

●     Fire represents spontaneity, enthusiasm and creativity.  Too much Fire can lead to a tendency for hatred, impatience, impulsivity, and exhaustion.

●     Metal represents focus, self-reliance, and organization, but can be controlling and arrogant in excess.

Now that we understand the categories we may place the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac into, let’s take a look at the animals themselves.  We’ll list their categories, and talk about some of the traits that may be seen in those who are born in the years associated with each animal.

●     Rat (Yang, Water) - those born in the year of the Rat are often ambitious and honest.  They may not be the best with money, and they don’t make long-lasting relationships as much as some of the other animals might.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Dragon or the Monkey, and get along least with those from the year of the Horse.

●     Ox (Yin, Earth) - those born in the year of the Ox are often bright, patient, and inspiring to others.  They like their alone time, but will still be a great friend to you.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Snake or the Rooster, and get along least with those from the year of the Goat.

●     Tiger (Yang, Wood) - those born in the year of the Tiger are often courageous, sensitive, and powerful.  If they are not careful, they may sometimes come off as overly aggressive.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Horse or the Dog, and get along least with those from the year of the Monkey.

●     Rabbit (Yin, Wood) - those born in the year of the Rabbit are often talented, articulate, affectionate, and a bit shy.  The Rabbit is viewed as the luckiest and most clever of the twelve animals. These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Goat or the Pig, and get along least with those from the year of the Rooster.

●     Dragon (Yang, Earth) - those born in the year of the Dragon are often strong, independent, and passionate.  Though sometimes a bit eccentric, they are natural leaders.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Monkey or the Rat, and get along least with those from the year of the Dog.

●     Snake (Yin, Fire) - those born in the year of the Snake are often wise and beautiful, and may come off as a bit intense.  There are conflicting opinions about Snakes, where some view them as untrustworthy and others view them as protectors.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Rooster or the Ox, and get along least with those from the year of the Pig.

●     Horse (Yang, Fire) - those born in the year of the Horse are often warm-hearted and enthusiastic, though sometimes a bit impatient.  A true people person, they are usually very popular.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Tiger or the Dog, and get along least with those from the year of the Rat.

●     Goat (Yin, Earth) - those born in the year of the Goat are often elegant, creative, and compassionate.  As more timid individuals, they are drawn to those who make them feel safe and loved.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Pig or the Rabbit, and get along least with those from the year of the Ox.

●     Monkey (Yang, Metal) - those born in the year of the Monkey are often intelligent, sociable, and witty.  Quick learners and over-achievers, they may be easily discouraged.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Rat or the Dragon, and get along least with those from the year of the Tiger.

●     Rooster (Yin, Metal) - those born in the year of the Rooster are chasers of knowledge and are hard workers.  Often the best dressed in the room, they may even take it too far and be seen as eccentric or selfish and looking for attention.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Snake or the Ox, and get along least with those from the year of the Rabbit.

●     Dog (Yang, Earth) - those born in the year of the Dog are often loyal, honest, generous, and always up for adventure.  If they’re not careful, they may become lazy or stubborn.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Horse or the Tiger, and get along least with those from the year of the Dragon.

●     Pig (Yin, Water) - those born in the year of the Pig are often noble, considerate, and well-liked.  The Pig is traditionally viewed as a symbol of wealth.  These individuals are most drawn toward those born in the year of the Rabbit or the Goat, and get along least with others from the year of the Pig.

            It’s believed that these twelve animals were selected based on their symbolic traits as they were viewed in Chinese culture.  Legend has it that the twelve animals then raced to determine who would begin the twelve-year cycle, and the Rat won.  The cycle moves through the animals in the order they are listed above, and once the year of the Pig ends, the cycle begins with the Rat once again.

            It’s also important to note that, while other cultures follow a similar twelve-animal zodiac, certain countries replace some of the animals with others.  For example, instead of the Pig, Japan uses the similar animal of the Boar.  Vietnam replaces the Ox with the Buffalo, and the Rabbit with the Cat.  Thailand uses a mythical snake-like creature called Naga in place of the equally mythical Dragon.

            So, now that you know the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, as well as their Yin/Yang categories, elements, and other characteristics, we encourage you to figure out which animal is associated with your birth year, and see if any of the statements about your animal feel true to you!  As for this upcoming year of the Snake, we can expect it to be a good year for anybody born in 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929…