Lunar New Year celebrations began on Wednesday this year.
The Chinese holiday in 2025 brings an end to the Year of the Dragon and ushers in the Year of the Snake.
Each year and zodiac in the Chinese calendar comes with different beliefs. Here are the basics about the Year of the Snake.
What does the snake symbolize?
In Western culture, a snake is usually seen as evil or malicious. However, in Chinese culture, the snake has both positive and negative representations.
According to South China Morning Post, the snake symbolizes evil, cunning, threat and terror. But it also symbolizes harvest, spirituality, good fortune and procreation.
This year, the snake is a wood snake, which means that while it is charming, intelligent and creative, it is also secretive, cunning and ruthless, per South China Morning Post.
The Chinese zodiac calendar, explained
You might be wondering why the zodiac this year is specifically the wood snake. Here is why.
The Chinese calendar rotates — in a fixed order — through these 12 zodiac signs:
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
But that’s not all.
According to The University of Sydney, each of these zodiac signs are also paired with one of five elements: gold, wood, water, fire and earth. These elements also add characteristics to the animal it is paired with.
What will the Year of the Snake look like?
Thierry Chow, a Hong Kong-based feng shui consultant, told CNN that the Year of the Snake’s “overall atmosphere in the world will become slightly more chaotic.”
However, she continues to say that it won’t be all bad.
CNN reports that “industries related to the wood element, such as healthcare and paper, will benefit from this cycle.”
Chow also told CNN that, for those born in the Year of the Snake, “a lot of changes are coming, and they should expect to make many significant decisions regarding love, work, health and family.”
For those looking for good luck amongst the chaos, The University of Sydney suggests incorporating the colors red, green and gold to your everyday life, as they are meant to be lucky colors.
Celebrities born in the Year of the Snake
Here are celebrities that have been born in the Year of the Snake, according to South China Morning Post.
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869)
- Pablo Picasso (1881)
- Mao Zedong (1893)
- John F. Kennedy (1917)
- Anne Frank (1929)
- Bob Dylan (1941)
- Xi Jinping (1953)
- J.K. Rowling (1965)
- Taylor Swift (1989)